Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Nepal
Nepal: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) was 51.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Nepal, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Nepal stood at 51.9%. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and up 6.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Nepal peaked at 51.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 33.3%, in 1990.
Nepal ranks 160th of 187 countries on this measure, 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 Nepal, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 33.3% | — |
| 1991 | 33.4% | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 33.6% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 33.7% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 33.7% | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 33.7% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 33.6% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 33.7% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 33.9% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 34.3% | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 34.6% | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 35.0% | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 35.5% | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 35.9% | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 36.4% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 37.1% | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 37.8% | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 38.6% | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 39.6% | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 40.8% | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 42.1% | +3.2% |
| 2011 | 43.5% | +3.4% |
| 2012 | 44.9% | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 46.2% | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 47.6% | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 48.9% | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 50.0% | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 50.8% | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 51.3% | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 51.1% | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 51.1% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 51.1% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 51.2% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 51.3% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 51.6% | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 51.9% | +0.7% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 51.9% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 77.8%, 67% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 51.9% is above the median for South Asia, which is 50.0%, 1.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 33.7% | 33.3% | 34.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 37.1% | 34.6% | 40.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 47.6% | 42.1% | 51.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 51.4% | 51.1% | 51.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More work & labour data for Nepal
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.593 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.568 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.6174 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.8524 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.99 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 13,496 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 22,611 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 16,146 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 15,685 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 31,831 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Nepal?
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Nepal was 51.9% 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 Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 51.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.3% in 1990.
- How does Nepal rank for ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%)?
- Nepal ranks 160th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nepal 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.