Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Iran
Iran: Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate was 77.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
77.4%
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
82nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
77.4%
in 2025
All-time low
27.5%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Iran, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Iran is 77.4%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 5.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Iran peaked at 77.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 27.5%, in 1950.
That places Iran 82nd out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Iran, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 27.5% | — |
| 1951 | 28.1% | +2.1% |
| 1952 | 28.7% | +2.1% |
| 1953 | 29.3% | +2.1% |
| 1954 | 29.9% | +2.1% |
| 1955 | 30.5% | +2.1% |
| 1956 | 31.2% | +2.1% |
| 1957 | 31.9% | +2.3% |
| 1958 | 32.6% | +2.2% |
| 1959 | 33.3% | +2.1% |
| 1960 | 34.0% | +2.0% |
| 1961 | 34.6% | +1.9% |
| 1962 | 35.3% | +1.9% |
| 1963 | 35.9% | +1.9% |
| 1964 | 36.6% | +1.9% |
| 1965 | 37.1% | +1.4% |
| 1966 | 37.7% | +1.5% |
| 1967 | 38.9% | +3.1% |
| 1968 | 39.7% | +2.3% |
| 1969 | 40.6% | +2.2% |
| 1970 | 41.5% | +2.2% |
| 1971 | 42.4% | +2.2% |
| 1972 | 43.3% | +2.1% |
| 1973 | 44.3% | +2.1% |
| 1974 | 45.2% | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 46.1% | +2.0% |
| 1976 | 46.8% | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 47.8% | +2.1% |
| 1978 | 48.5% | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 49.2% | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 49.9% | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 50.7% | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 51.4% | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 52.1% | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 52.8% | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 53.6% | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 54.2% | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 54.8% | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 55.4% | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 55.9% | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 56.5% | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 56.9% | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 57.9% | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 58.7% | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 59.6% | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 60.4% | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 61.1% | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 62.1% | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 62.9% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 63.7% | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 64.5% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 65.2% | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 65.9% | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 66.6% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 67.3% | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 67.9% | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 68.3% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 68.8% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 69.4% | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 70.0% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 70.6% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 71.2% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 71.8% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 72.3% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 72.8% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 73.4% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 73.9% | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 74.4% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 74.8% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 75.2% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 75.6% | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 76.0% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 76.3% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 76.7% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 77.0% | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 77.4% | +0.5% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 77.4% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 65.5%, 1.2× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iran's 77.4% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 79.5%, 97% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 30.3% | 27.5% | 33.3% | 10 |
| 1960s | 37.1% | 34.0% | 40.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 45.5% | 41.5% | 49.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 53.1% | 49.9% | 55.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 60.0% | 56.5% | 63.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 67.4% | 64.5% | 70.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 73.0% | 70.6% | 75.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 76.5% | 75.6% | 77.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More work & labour data for Iran
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 44,188 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 40.34 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 29,874 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 8.53 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 2.43 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 57,320 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 20,416 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 36.89 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.89 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.574 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Iran?
- Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Iran was 77.4% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 77.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.5% in 1950.
- How does Iran rank for urban population vs. female labor force participation rate?
- Iran ranks 82nd out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population vs. female labor force participation rate rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iran data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.