Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) (modeled ILO estimate) - Country Ranking - Asia

Definition: Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24 is the proportion of the population ages 15-24 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2019.

See also: Thematic map, Time series comparison

Find indicator:
Rank Country Value Year
1 Dem. People's Rep. Korea 76.65 2020
2 Nepal 69.05 2020
3 Cambodia 62.90 2020
4 Lao PDR 60.02 2020
5 Vietnam 49.80 2020
6 Japan 49.13 2020
7 Macao SAR, China 44.48 2020
8 Israel 43.17 2020
9 China 42.57 2020
10 Indonesia 38.81 2020
11 Azerbaijan 38.09 2020
12 Qatar 37.96 2020
13 Hong Kong SAR, China 37.10 2020
14 Singapore 37.10 2020
15 Timor-Leste 36.73 2020
16 Myanmar 36.35 2020
17 Kazakhstan 35.59 2020
18 Malaysia 35.47 2020
19 Thailand 33.01 2020
20 Brunei 31.87 2020
21 Armenia 31.74 2020
22 Korea 29.67 2020
23 Russia 28.65 2020
24 United Arab Emirates 28.52 2020
25 Turkey 27.49 2020
26 Bhutan 26.27 2020
27 Uzbekistan 26.25 2020
28 Georgia 26.09 2020
29 Mongolia 24.53 2020
30 Bahrain 24.22 2020
31 Bangladesh 23.93 2020
32 Philippines 23.11 2020
33 Turkmenistan 22.09 2020
34 Kyrgyz Republic 21.94 2020
35 Tajikistan 20.57 2020
36 Sri Lanka 17.47 2020
37 Pakistan 16.51 2020
38 Lebanon 16.20 2020
39 Afghanistan 16.07 2020
40 Kuwait 14.57 2020
41 Saudi Arabia 13.41 2020
42 Oman 12.36 2020
43 Jordan 9.10 2020
44 India 8.29 2020
45 Iran 8.17 2020
46 Syrian Arab Republic 8.07 2020
47 Yemen 4.83 2020
48 Iraq 4.82 2020

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Development Relevance: Estimates of women in the labor force and employment are generally lower than those of men and are not comparable internationally, reflecting that demographic, social, legal, and cultural trends and norms determine whether women's activities are regarded as economic. In many low-income countries women often work on farms or in other family enterprises without pay, and others work in or near their homes, mixing work and family activities during the day. In many high-income economies, women have been increasingly acquiring higher education that has led to better-compensated, longer-term careers rather than lower-skilled, shorter-term jobs. However, access to good- paying occupations for women remains unequal in many occupations and countries around the world. Labor force statistics by gender is important to monitor gender disparities in employment and unemployment patterns.

Limitations and Exceptions: Data on the labor force are compiled by the ILO from labor force surveys, censuses, and establishment censuses and surveys. For some countries a combination of these sources is used. Labor force surveys are the most comprehensive source for internationally comparable labor force data. They can cover all non-institutionalized civilians, all branches and sectors of the economy, and all categories of workers, including people holding multiple jobs. By contrast, labor force data from population censuses are often based on a limited number of questions on the economic characteristics of individuals, with little scope to probe. The resulting data often differ from labor force survey data and vary considerably by country, depending on the census scope and coverage. Establishment censuses and surveys provide data only on the employed population, not unemployed workers, workers in small establishments, or workers in the informal sector. The reference period of a census or survey is another important source of differences: in some countries data refer to people's status on the day of the census or survey or during a specific period before the inquiry date, while in others data are recorded without reference to any period. In countries, where the household is the basic unit of production and all members contribute to output, but some at low intensity or irregularly, the estimated labor force may be much smaller than the numbers actually working. Differing definitions of employment age also affect comparability. For most countries the working age is 15 and older, but in some countries children younger than 15 work full- or part-time and are included in the estimates. Similarly, some countries have an upper age limit. As a result, calculations may systematically over- or underestimate actual rates.

Statistical Concept and Methodology: The labor force is the supply of labor available for producing goods and services in an economy. It includes people who are currently employed and people who are unemployed but seeking work as well as first-time job-seekers. Not everyone who works is included, however. Unpaid workers, family workers, and students are often omitted, and some countries do not count members of the armed forces. Labor force size tends to vary during the year as seasonal workers enter and leave. The series is part of the ILO estimates and is harmonized to ensure comparability across countries and over time by accounting for differences in data source, scope of coverage, methodology, and other country-specific factors. The estimates are based mainly on nationally representative labor force surveys, with other sources (population censuses and nationally reported estimates) used only when no survey data are available.

Aggregation method: Weighted average

Periodicity: Annual

General Comments: National estimates are also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.