Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Italy
Italy: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates was 70.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Italy, 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 Italy is 70.0%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 4.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Italy peaked at 70.2% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 52.2%, in 1993.
Italy ranks 127th 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 Italy, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 52.6% | — |
| 1991 | 53.4% | +1.6% |
| 1992 | 52.6% | -1.5% |
| 1993 | 52.2% | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 52.9% | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 53.7% | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 54.6% | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 55.1% | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 55.8% | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 57.2% | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 57.7% | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 58.9% | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 59.4% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 59.9% | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 61.7% | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 61.9% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 62.3% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 62.4% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 63.6% | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 63.8% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 64.2% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 65.0% | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 66.7% | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 67.3% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 68.0% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 67.2% | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 68.0% | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 68.7% | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 69.0% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 69.5% | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 68.7% | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 69.3% | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 69.7% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 70.2% | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 69.9% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 70.0% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 54.0% | 52.2% | 57.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 61.2% | 57.7% | 63.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 67.4% | 64.2% | 69.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 69.7% | 68.7% | 70.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Italy
- 124 Panama 70.6% compare
- 125 Dominican Republic 70.3% compare
- 126 Trinidad and Tobago 70.1% compare
- 128 Philippines 69.7% compare
- 129 Gabon 69.2% compare
- 130 North Macedonia 69.1% compare
More work & labour data for Italy
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.6708 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.6794 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.662 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.03 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.0094 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 44,671 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 10,422 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 17,512 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 17,865 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 35,377 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Italy?
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Italy was 70.0% 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 Italy?
- The highest recorded value was 70.2% in 2023.
- What is the lowest ratio of female to male labor force participation rates recorded in Italy?
- The lowest recorded value was 52.2% in 1993.
- How does Italy rank for ratio of female to male labor force participation rates?
- Italy ranks 127th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is ratio of female to male labor force participation rates rising or falling in Italy?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Italy 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).