Female share of the labor force in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Female share of the labor force was 22.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female share of the labor force in United Arab Emirates, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
United Arab Emirates recorded 22.7% for female share of the labor force in 2025.
That represents a change of up 1.2% on the previous year and up 14.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female share of the labor force in United Arab Emirates peaked at 24.3% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 10.1%, in 1990.
That places United Arab Emirates 171st out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Female share of the labor force in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 10.1% | — |
| 1991 | 10.3% | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 10.4% | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 10.6% | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 10.6% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 10.7% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 11.0% | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 11.4% | +3.6% |
| 1998 | 11.7% | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 12.1% | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 12.4% | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 12.6% | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 12.8% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 13.0% | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 13.1% | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 13.2% | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 13.6% | +3.0% |
| 2007 | 14.3% | +4.8% |
| 2008 | 15.1% | +5.7% |
| 2009 | 16.0% | +5.9% |
| 2010 | 16.8% | +5.3% |
| 2011 | 17.7% | +4.9% |
| 2012 | 18.4% | +4.3% |
| 2013 | 19.0% | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 19.4% | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 19.9% | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 20.3% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 21.0% | +3.5% |
| 2018 | 21.1% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 22.4% | +5.9% |
| 2020 | 24.3% | +8.5% |
| 2021 | 21.7% | -10.8% |
| 2022 | 22.8% | +5.4% |
| 2023 | 22.3% | -2.3% |
| 2024 | 22.4% | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 22.7% | +1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10.9% | 10.1% | 12.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.6% | 12.4% | 16.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.6% | 16.8% | 22.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.7% | 21.7% | 24.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
More work & labour data for United Arab Emirates
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.9136 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.7692 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 1.09 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.1 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.7766 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 12,158 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,005 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 11,620 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 14,514 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 26,134 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female share of the labor force in United Arab Emirates?
- Female share of the labor force in United Arab Emirates was 22.7% 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 United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 24.3% in 2020.
- What is the lowest female share of the labor force recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.1% in 1990.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for female share of the labor force?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 171st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female share of the labor force rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates 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.