Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in European Union
European Union: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) was 81.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in European Union, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
European Union recorded 81.9% for ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in European Union peaked at 81.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 66.0%, in 1990.
European Union ranks 10th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top 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 European Union, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 66.0% | — |
| 1991 | 67.1% | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 67.6% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 68.0% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 68.7% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 69.1% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 69.6% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 69.9% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 70.4% | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 71.2% | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 71.8% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 72.2% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 72.8% | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 73.5% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 74.0% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 74.5% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 75.1% | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 75.6% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 76.0% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 76.8% | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 77.2% | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 78.0% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 78.5% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 78.9% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 79.2% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 79.4% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 79.7% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 79.9% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 80.0% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 80.2% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 80.1% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 80.8% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 81.2% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 81.7% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 81.8% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 81.9% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 68.8% | 66.0% | 71.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 74.2% | 71.8% | 76.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 79.1% | 77.2% | 80.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 81.3% | 80.1% | 81.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near European Union
- 7 Solomon Islands 95.5% compare
- 8 Papua New Guinea 95.4% compare
- 9 Sao Tome and Principe 95.0% compare
- 10 Madagascar 94.1% compare
- 11 United States Virgin Islands 93.9% compare
- 12 Congo 93.5% compare
- 13 Sierra Leone 93.5% compare
More work & labour data for European Union
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 75.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 51.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 63.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 57.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 38.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 40.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 79.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 70.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 43.5% (2025)
- Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) 16.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in European Union?
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in European Union was 81.9% 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 European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 81.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was 66.0% in 1990.
- How does European Union rank for ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%)?
- European Union ranks 10th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this European Union 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.