Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) was 40.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Saudi Arabia, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 40.3% for ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in 2025.
That represents a change of up 1.0% on the previous year and up 47.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Saudi Arabia peaked at 42.8% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 18.7%, in 1991.
Saudi Arabia ranks 172nd 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 Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 18.8% | — |
| 1991 | 18.7% | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 18.8% | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 19.3% | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 19.9% | +3.0% |
| 1995 | 20.5% | +3.0% |
| 1996 | 21.2% | +3.1% |
| 1997 | 21.8% | +3.1% |
| 1998 | 22.5% | +3.1% |
| 1999 | 23.2% | +3.0% |
| 2000 | 22.1% | -4.5% |
| 2001 | 22.1% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 22.3% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 23.3% | +4.3% |
| 2004 | 24.2% | +4.1% |
| 2005 | 25.2% | +3.8% |
| 2006 | 26.1% | +3.6% |
| 2007 | 25.3% | -3.0% |
| 2008 | 24.7% | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 24.1% | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 25.2% | +4.6% |
| 2011 | 26.3% | +4.7% |
| 2012 | 26.6% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 25.9% | -2.8% |
| 2014 | 26.0% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 27.4% | +5.3% |
| 2016 | 28.6% | +4.7% |
| 2017 | 25.1% | -12.5% |
| 2018 | 27.4% | +9.5% |
| 2019 | 29.9% | +9.1% |
| 2020 | 36.3% | +21.1% |
| 2021 | 42.8% | +18.0% |
| 2022 | 42.3% | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 41.3% | -2.5% |
| 2024 | 39.9% | -3.4% |
| 2025 | 40.3% | +1.0% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 40.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 83.3%, 48% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 40.3% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 33.3%, 1.2× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 20.5% | 18.7% | 23.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.9% | 22.1% | 26.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.8% | 25.1% | 29.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.5% | 36.3% | 42.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More work & labour data for Saudi Arabia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.6339 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.5946 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.6842 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.31 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.5985 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 40,709 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 4,348 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 31,198 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 39,809 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 71,007 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Saudi Arabia?
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Saudi Arabia was 40.3% 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 42.8% in 2021.
- What is the lowest ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.7% in 1991.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%)?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 172nd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 47.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.