Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) … modeled in Iran
Iran: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) … modeled was 20.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Iran, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Iran recorded 20.8% for ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Iran peaked at 25.8% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 11.6%, in 1990.
That places Iran 183rd out of 187 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.
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) … modeled in Iran, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 11.6% | — |
| 1991 | 12.0% | +3.1% |
| 1992 | 12.3% | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 12.6% | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 13.0% | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 13.5% | +3.6% |
| 1996 | 14.0% | +3.7% |
| 1997 | 15.0% | +7.5% |
| 1998 | 16.2% | +7.5% |
| 1999 | 17.4% | +7.4% |
| 2000 | 18.6% | +7.2% |
| 2001 | 19.9% | +7.0% |
| 2002 | 21.3% | +6.8% |
| 2003 | 22.7% | +6.7% |
| 2004 | 24.2% | +6.6% |
| 2005 | 25.8% | +6.5% |
| 2006 | 25.3% | -1.9% |
| 2007 | 24.1% | -4.8% |
| 2008 | 21.5% | -10.6% |
| 2009 | 22.6% | +5.3% |
| 2010 | 22.1% | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 20.4% | -7.9% |
| 2012 | 22.0% | +7.8% |
| 2013 | 19.6% | -10.8% |
| 2014 | 19.1% | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 20.9% | +9.3% |
| 2016 | 23.3% | +11.5% |
| 2017 | 24.7% | +5.8% |
| 2018 | 24.6% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 23.9% | -2.8% |
| 2020 | 20.1% | -15.7% |
| 2021 | 19.2% | -4.7% |
| 2022 | 20.1% | +4.9% |
| 2023 | 20.7% | +2.9% |
| 2024 | 20.9% | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 20.8% | -0.3% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 20.8% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 71.8%, 29% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Iran's 20.8% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 33.3%, 63% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.7% | 11.6% | 17.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.6% | 18.6% | 25.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.1% | 19.1% | 24.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.3% | 19.2% | 20.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More work & labour data for Iran
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 44,188 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 40.34 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 29,874 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 8.53 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 2.43 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 57,320 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 20,416 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 36.89 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.89 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.574 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Iran?
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Iran was 20.8% 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 Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 25.8% in 2005.
- What is the lowest ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.6% in 1990.
- How does Iran rank for ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%)?
- Iran ranks 183rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iran 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.