Female share of the labor force in New Zealand
New Zealand: Female share of the labor force was 47.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female share of the labor force in New Zealand, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, female share of the labor force in New Zealand stood at 47.6%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female share of the labor force in New Zealand peaked at 47.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 43.1%, in 1990.
That places New Zealand 49th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Female share of the labor force in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 43.1% | — |
| 1991 | 43.5% | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 43.6% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 43.5% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 43.9% | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 44.0% | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 44.5% | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 44.6% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 44.8% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 45.1% | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 45.2% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 45.5% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 45.6% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 45.9% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 45.9% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 46.2% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 46.3% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 46.5% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 46.8% | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 47.0% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 47.0% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 47.1% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 47.4% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 47.5% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 47.4% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 47.1% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 47.1% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 46.9% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 47.0% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 47.3% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 47.0% | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 47.3% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 47.5% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 47.5% | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 47.6% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 47.6% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 44.1% | 43.1% | 45.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.1% | 45.2% | 47.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 47.2% | 46.9% | 47.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.4% | 47.0% | 47.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More work & labour data for New Zealand
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.0748 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.0721 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.0776 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.39 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.4877 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 5,200 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 511.04 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,819 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,994 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 5,812 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female share of the labor force in New Zealand?
- Female share of the labor force in New Zealand was 47.6% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female share of the labor force recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 47.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest female share of the labor force recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 43.1% in 1990.
- How does New Zealand rank for female share of the labor force?
- New Zealand ranks 49th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female share of the labor force rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female share of the labor force. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the working-age population economically active (employed or unemployed) who are female.