Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Ireland
Ireland: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates was 85.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Ireland, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Ireland is 85.2%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and up 7.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Ireland peaked at 85.2% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 52.2%, in 1990.
Ireland ranks 56th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 52.2% | — |
| 1991 | 53.1% | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 54.9% | +3.6% |
| 1993 | 56.9% | +3.6% |
| 1994 | 58.1% | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 59.6% | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 61.6% | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 62.8% | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 64.4% | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 65.9% | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 67.3% | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 68.2% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 69.8% | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 70.3% | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 70.5% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 71.8% | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 72.8% | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 74.6% | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 75.6% | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 77.6% | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 78.7% | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 79.4% | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 79.6% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 80.2% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 79.8% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 79.4% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 80.5% | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 81.2% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 81.7% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 81.9% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 81.7% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 83.3% | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 84.5% | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 83.1% | -1.7% |
| 2024 | 85.0% | +2.4% |
| 2025 | 85.2% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 59.0% | 52.2% | 65.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 71.9% | 67.3% | 77.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 80.3% | 78.7% | 81.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 83.8% | 81.7% | 85.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 53 Macau, China 85.7% compare
- 54 Kazakhstan 85.4% compare
- 55 Timor-Leste 85.4% compare
- 57 Spain 84.9% compare
- 58 Vanuatu 84.7% compare
- 59 China 84.7% compare
More work & labour data for Ireland
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.4488 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.4574 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.4405 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.9335 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 4,354 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,447 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,638 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,649 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 5,286 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Ireland?
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Ireland was 85.2% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest ratio of female to male labor force participation rates recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 85.2% in 2025.
- What is the lowest ratio of female to male labor force participation rates recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 52.2% in 1990.
- How does Ireland rank for ratio of female to male labor force participation rates?
- Ireland ranks 56th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is ratio of female to male labor force participation rates rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This ratio is calculated by dividing the labor force participation rate among women by the corresponding rate for men. The labor force participation rate is the share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).