Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Arab World
Arab World: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) was 30.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Arab World, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Arab World recorded 30.4% for ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and down 3.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Arab World peaked at 31.6% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 26.6%, in 1990.
That places Arab World 44th out of 47 groups 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.
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Arab World, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 26.6% | — |
| 1991 | 26.7% | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 27.3% | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 27.0% | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 27.6% | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 27.4% | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 27.6% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 27.4% | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 27.5% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 27.9% | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 28.3% | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 28.6% | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 27.9% | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 28.2% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 28.4% | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 28.6% | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 29.0% | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 29.9% | +3.2% |
| 2008 | 29.5% | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 30.0% | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 30.0% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 30.2% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 30.2% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 30.5% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 30.8% | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 31.3% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 31.6% | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 30.9% | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 29.6% | -4.0% |
| 2019 | 29.0% | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 29.1% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 29.3% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 29.0% | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 30.4% | +4.8% |
| 2024 | 30.3% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 30.4% | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 27.3% | 26.6% | 27.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.8% | 27.9% | 30.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.4% | 29.0% | 31.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.7% | 29.0% | 30.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Arab World
- 41 Estonia 87.3% compare
- 42 Canada 87.3% compare
- 43 Netherlands 87.2% compare
- 44 Switzerland 87.2% compare
- 45 Lao People's Democratic Republic 87.2% compare
- 46 Namibia 87.1% compare
- 47 Guinea-Bissau 86.6% compare
More work & labour data for Arab World
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 25.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 20.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 73.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 48.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 19.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 70.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 46.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 10.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 39.3% (2025)
- Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) 12.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Arab World?
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Arab World was 30.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) recorded in Arab World?
- The highest recorded value was 31.6% in 2016.
- What is the lowest ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) recorded in Arab World?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.6% in 1990.
- How does Arab World rank for ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%)?
- Arab World ranks 44th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) rising or falling in Arab World?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Arab World data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.