Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Malaysia
Malaysia: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates was 65.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Malaysia, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Malaysia recorded 65.2% for ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Malaysia peaked at 66.1% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 47.0%, in 1990.
That places Malaysia 141st out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 rates in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 47.0% | — |
| 1991 | 47.2% | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 47.7% | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 48.2% | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 48.7% | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 49.3% | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 49.8% | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 50.4% | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 51.0% | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 51.6% | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 52.3% | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 53.0% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 53.7% | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 54.3% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 54.9% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 55.5% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 56.1% | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 56.6% | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 57.1% | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 57.6% | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 58.1% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 58.6% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 60.6% | +3.4% |
| 2013 | 62.6% | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 64.6% | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 65.0% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 65.5% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 66.0% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 66.1% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 66.0% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 65.8% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 65.6% | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 65.0% | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 65.1% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 65.2% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 65.2% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 49.1% | 47.0% | 51.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 55.1% | 52.3% | 57.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 63.3% | 58.1% | 66.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 65.3% | 65.0% | 65.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More work & labour data for Malaysia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.2671 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.2772 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.2563 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.25 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.6933 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 36,440 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 5,289 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 21,832 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 22,194 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 44,026 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Malaysia?
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Malaysia was 65.2% 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 66.1% in 2018.
- What is the lowest ratio of female to male labor force participation rates recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 47.0% in 1990.
- How does Malaysia rank for ratio of female to male labor force participation rates?
- Malaysia ranks 141st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is ratio of female to male labor force participation rates rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malaysia 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).