Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Malaysia
Malaysia: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) was 65.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Malaysia, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Malaysia recorded 65.2% for ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Malaysia peaked at 66.1% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 47.0%, in 1990.
That places Malaysia 142nd 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 (%) in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 47.0% | — |
| 1991 | 47.2% | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 47.7% | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 48.2% | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 48.7% | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 49.3% | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 49.8% | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 50.4% | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 51.0% | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 51.6% | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 52.3% | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 53.0% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 53.7% | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 54.3% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 54.9% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 55.5% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 56.1% | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 56.6% | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 57.1% | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 57.6% | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 58.1% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 58.6% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 60.6% | +3.4% |
| 2013 | 62.6% | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 64.6% | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 65.0% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 65.5% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 66.0% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 66.1% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 66.0% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 65.8% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 65.6% | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 65.0% | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 65.1% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 65.2% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 65.2% | +0.0% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 65.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 71.8%, 91% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 65.2% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 83.2%, 78% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 49.1% | 47.0% | 51.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 55.1% | 52.3% | 57.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 63.3% | 58.1% | 66.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 65.3% | 65.0% | 65.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More work & labour data for Malaysia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.2671 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.2772 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.2563 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.25 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.6933 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 36,440 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 5,289 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 21,832 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 22,194 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 44,026 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Malaysia?
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Malaysia was 65.2% 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 66.1% in 2018.
- What is the lowest ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 47.0% in 1990.
- How does Malaysia rank for ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%)?
- Malaysia ranks 142nd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malaysia 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.