Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Kuwait

Kuwait: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) was 56.8% in 2016. ▲ Rising

Latest (2016)
56.8%
Change on year
down 12.9%
World rank
164th
of 196 countries
All-time high
70.6%
in 2011
All-time low
10.0%
in 1965
Years of data
19
1965–2016

Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Kuwait, 1965–2016

204060801965199020161965: 101970: 11.41975: 181980: 23.61983: 30.51985: 37.41988: 42.91995: 521996: 47.31997: 48.12003: 57.42005: 54.32006: 62.22007: 64.32009: 642010: 68.22011: 70.62015: 65.22016: 56.8

Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

Kuwait recorded 56.8% for ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in 2016.

The figure is down 12.9% on the previous year and down 8.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Kuwait peaked at 70.6% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 10.0%, in 1965.

That places Kuwait 164th out of 196 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 19 years of available data.

Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Kuwait, year by year

Annual values for Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (national estimate) in Kuwait, 1965 to 2016.
Year Value Change
1965 10.0%
1970 11.4% +13.7%
1975 18.0% +58.0%
1980 23.6% +30.7%
1983 30.5% +29.3%
1985 37.4% +22.5%
1988 42.9% +14.7%
1995 52.0% +21.3%
1996 47.3% -9.1%
1997 48.1% +1.7%
2003 57.4% +19.4%
2005 54.3% -5.4%
2006 62.2% +14.4%
2007 64.3% +3.5%
2009 64.0% -0.5%
2010 68.2% +6.5%
2011 70.6% +3.6%
2015 65.2% -7.6%
2016 56.8% -12.9%

Kuwait compared with similar countries

  • Kuwait's 56.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 85.1%, 67% of the median. (79 countries reporting)
  • Kuwait's 56.8% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 34.6%, 1.6× the median. (21 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 10.0% 10.0% 10.0% 1
1970s 14.7% 11.4% 18.0% 2
1980s 33.6% 23.6% 42.9% 4
1990s 49.1% 47.3% 52.0% 3
2000s 60.4% 54.3% 64.3% 5
2010s 65.2% 56.8% 70.6% 4

Countries ranked near Kuwait

  1. 161 Guatemala 59.0% compare
  2. 162 Myanmar 58.9% compare
  3. 163 Nicaragua 57.7% compare
  4. 165 Mali 56.3% compare
  5. 166 Honduras 56.3% compare
  6. 167 Samoa 55.5% compare

See the full ranking of 220 places →

More work & labour data for Kuwait

All data for Kuwait →

Frequently asked questions

What is ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Kuwait?
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Kuwait was 56.8% in 2016, 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 Kuwait?
The highest recorded value was 70.6% in 2011.
What is the lowest ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) recorded in Kuwait?
The lowest recorded value was 10.0% in 1965.
How does Kuwait rank for ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%)?
Kuwait ranks 164th out of 196 countries with data for 2016.
Is ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) rising or falling in Kuwait?
Over the last ten years it is down 8.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Kuwait 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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Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Kuwait. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/ratio-of-female-to-male-labor-force-participation-rate-percent-national-estimate/kuwait/

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About this data

Indicator
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (national estimate)
Source
Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
220 places, 5,351 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

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.