Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Nepal
Nepal: Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate was 67.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Nepal, 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
In 2025, urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Nepal stood at 67.0%. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Nepal peaked at 67.0% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 2.7%, in 1950.
That places Nepal 113th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Nepal, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2.7% | — |
| 1951 | 2.8% | +2.9% |
| 1952 | 2.9% | +2.9% |
| 1953 | 3.0% | +3.1% |
| 1954 | 3.1% | +2.9% |
| 1955 | 3.2% | +2.8% |
| 1956 | 3.2% | +2.6% |
| 1957 | 3.3% | +2.4% |
| 1958 | 3.4% | +2.2% |
| 1959 | 3.5% | +2.0% |
| 1960 | 3.5% | +1.8% |
| 1961 | 3.6% | +1.6% |
| 1962 | 3.6% | +1.4% |
| 1963 | 3.7% | +1.1% |
| 1964 | 3.7% | +0.9% |
| 1965 | 3.7% | +0.8% |
| 1966 | 3.8% | +0.8% |
| 1967 | 3.8% | +0.8% |
| 1968 | 3.8% | +1.0% |
| 1969 | 3.9% | +1.2% |
| 1970 | 3.9% | +1.5% |
| 1971 | 4.0% | +1.9% |
| 1972 | 4.3% | +8.4% |
| 1973 | 5.1% | +17.5% |
| 1974 | 6.2% | +21.4% |
| 1975 | 7.5% | +21.5% |
| 1976 | 9.0% | +19.7% |
| 1977 | 10.5% | +17.1% |
| 1978 | 12.0% | +14.3% |
| 1979 | 13.4% | +11.5% |
| 1980 | 14.6% | +8.7% |
| 1981 | 15.5% | +6.0% |
| 1982 | 16.1% | +4.1% |
| 1983 | 16.6% | +3.3% |
| 1984 | 17.1% | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 17.5% | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 17.9% | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 18.3% | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 18.7% | +2.3% |
| 1989 | 19.2% | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 19.8% | +2.9% |
| 1991 | 20.4% | +3.3% |
| 1992 | 21.2% | +3.7% |
| 1993 | 22.0% | +4.1% |
| 1994 | 23.0% | +4.4% |
| 1995 | 24.1% | +4.7% |
| 1996 | 25.3% | +4.9% |
| 1997 | 26.6% | +5.1% |
| 1998 | 28.0% | +5.3% |
| 1999 | 29.5% | +5.4% |
| 2000 | 31.1% | +5.5% |
| 2001 | 32.8% | +5.5% |
| 2002 | 35.0% | +6.8% |
| 2003 | 38.0% | +8.6% |
| 2004 | 41.6% | +9.4% |
| 2005 | 45.5% | +9.4% |
| 2006 | 49.5% | +8.8% |
| 2007 | 53.4% | +7.8% |
| 2008 | 56.9% | +6.6% |
| 2009 | 59.9% | +5.2% |
| 2010 | 62.0% | +3.6% |
| 2011 | 63.1% | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 63.7% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 64.1% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 64.6% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 65.0% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 65.3% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 65.6% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 65.8% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 66.0% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 66.1% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 66.1% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 66.3% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 66.5% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 66.8% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 67.0% | +0.3% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 67.0% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50.9%, 1.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 67.0% is above the median for South Asia, which is 39.1%, 1.7× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.1% | 2.7% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.7% | 3.5% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 7.6% | 3.9% | 13.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.2% | 14.6% | 19.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 24.0% | 19.8% | 29.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 44.4% | 31.1% | 59.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.5% | 62.0% | 66.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 66.5% | 66.1% | 67.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More work & labour data for Nepal
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.593 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.568 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.6174 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.8524 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.99 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 13,496 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 22,611 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 16,146 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 15,685 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 31,831 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Nepal?
- Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Nepal was 67.0% 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 Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 67.0% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.7% in 1950.
- How does Nepal rank for urban population vs. female labor force participation rate?
- Nepal ranks 113th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population vs. female labor force participation rate rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nepal 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.