Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Zambia
Zambia: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates was 83.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Zambia, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Zambia stood at 83.4%. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 6.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Zambia peaked at 83.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 73.6%, in 1990.
That places Zambia 72nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 73.6% | — |
| 1991 | 73.7% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 73.8% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 73.9% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 73.9% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 73.8% | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 73.8% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 73.8% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 73.9% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 74.0% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 74.1% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 74.4% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 74.7% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 74.9% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 75.2% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 75.4% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 75.7% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 75.9% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 76.2% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 76.5% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 76.7% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 77.0% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 77.2% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 77.6% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 78.0% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 78.4% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 79.0% | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 79.5% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 80.2% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 77.7% | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 80.5% | +3.7% |
| 2021 | 81.7% | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 82.7% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 83.2% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 83.3% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 83.4% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 73.8% | 73.6% | 74.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 75.3% | 74.1% | 76.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 78.1% | 76.7% | 80.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 82.5% | 80.5% | 83.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More work & labour data for Zambia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.5254 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.5224 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.5281 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.7611 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 3.24 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 25,577 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 15,424 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 32,895 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 31,579 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 64,474 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Zambia?
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Zambia was 83.4% 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 83.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest ratio of female to male labor force participation rates recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 73.6% in 1990.
- How does Zambia rank for ratio of female to male labor force participation rates?
- Zambia ranks 72nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is ratio of female to male labor force participation rates rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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).