Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in European Union
European Union: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) was 82.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in European Union, 1990–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in European Union is 82.9%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 3.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in European Union peaked at 82.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 62.9%, in 1990.
That places European Union 4th out of 24 groups with data for 2025, putting it 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 | 62.9% | — |
| 1991 | 65.7% | +4.5% |
| 1992 | 68.2% | +3.7% |
| 1993 | 68.2% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 68.9% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 70.0% | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 70.3% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 70.4% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 70.8% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 71.6% | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 72.4% | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 72.7% | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 73.2% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 73.9% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 74.4% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 74.9% | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 75.6% | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 76.2% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 76.4% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 77.4% | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 77.6% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 78.5% | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 78.9% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 79.3% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 79.7% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 79.8% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 80.1% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 80.3% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 80.4% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 80.7% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 80.6% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 81.3% | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 81.8% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 82.2% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 82.5% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 82.9% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 68.7% | 62.9% | 71.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 74.7% | 72.4% | 77.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 79.5% | 77.6% | 80.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 81.9% | 80.6% | 82.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near European Union
More work & labour data for European Union
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 75.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 57.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 63.3% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 81.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 51.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 38.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 70.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 79.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 43.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 40.8% (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 82.9% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), 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 82.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was 62.9% in 1990.
- How does European Union rank for ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%)?
- European Union ranks 4th out of 24 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 3.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this European Union data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate is the proportion of female labor force participation relative to male labor force participation. The labor force participation rate is the labor force as a percent of the population ages 15 and older. The labor force is the sum of all persons of working age who are employed and those who are unemployed.