Countries in Asia Ranked by Female labour force participation (2025)
Female labour force participation: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Korea, Dem. People's Rep. ranks #1 with 77.7% of female population 15+. Cambodia is second with 77.4% of female population 15+, 0.47% behind. The top five are Korea, Dem. People's Rep., Cambodia, Viet Nam, Singapore and Macao SAR, China. The median across all 49 is 50.5% of female population 15+; Yemen, Rep. is last at 4.66% of female population 15+.
- #1
- Korea, Dem. People's Rep. · 77.7% of female population 15+
- Median
- 50.5% of female population 15+
- Coverage
- 49 countries in Asia
- Data year
- 2025
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Female labour force participation (% of female population 15+) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Korea, Dem. People's Rep. | 77.7 | 2025 |
| 2 | Cambodia | 77.4 | 2025 |
| 3 | Viet Nam | 68.6 | 2025 |
| 4 | Singapore | 63.6 | 2025 |
| 5 | Macao SAR, China | 63.1 | 2025 |
| 6 | Kazakhstan | 62.6 | 2025 |
| 7 | Israel | 62.3 | 2025 |
| 8 | Qatar | 61.9 | 2025 |
| 9 | Timor-Leste | 61.7 | 2025 |
| 10 | Lao PDR | 61.6 | 2025 |
| 11 | Azerbaijan | 60.8 | 2025 |
| 12 | China | 59.1 | 2025 |
| 13 | Thailand | 59 | 2025 |
| 14 | Korea, Rep. | 56.8 | 2025 |
| 15 | Bhutan | 56.7 | 2025 |
| 16 | Georgia | 56.7 | 2025 |
| 17 | Japan | 55.9 | 2025 |
| 18 | Brunei Darussalam | 54.4 | 2025 |
| 19 | Indonesia | 53.7 | 2025 |
| 20 | United Arab Emirates | 53 | 2025 |
| 21 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 51.8 | 2025 |
| 22 | Malaysia | 51.6 | 2025 |
| 23 | Mongolia | 51.5 | 2025 |
| 24 | Armenia | 51.1 | 2025 |
| 25 | Philippines | 50.5 | 2025 |
| 26 | Kuwait | 47.2 | 2025 |
| 27 | Kyrgyz Republic | 44.1 | 2025 |
| 28 | Bahrain | 42.3 | 2025 |
| 29 | Uzbekistan | 41.2 | 2025 |
| 30 | Myanmar | 40.9 | 2025 |
| 31 | Maldives | 40.7 | 2025 |
| 32 | Bangladesh | 38.6 | 2025 |
| 33 | Turkmenistan | 38.2 | 2025 |
| 34 | Türkiye | 37.1 | 2025 |
| 35 | Saudi Arabia | 33.6 | 2025 |
| 36 | India | 32.4 | 2025 |
| 37 | Sri Lanka | 31 | 2025 |
| 38 | Oman | 30 | 2025 |
| 39 | Nepal | 27.5 | 2025 |
| 40 | Pakistan | 24 | 2025 |
| 41 | Lebanon | 22.2 | 2023 |
| 42 | Tajikistan | 21.9 | 2025 |
| 43 | West Bank and Gaza | 18.9 | 2022 |
| 44 | Jordan | 16 | 2025 |
| 45 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 14 | 2025 |
| 46 | Syrian Arab Republic | 12.7 | 2025 |
| 47 | Iraq | 10.9 | 2025 |
| 48 | Afghanistan | 5.09 | 2025 |
| 49 | Yemen, Rep. | 4.66 | 2025 |
About the top 10
#1 Korea, Dem. People's Rep.
Korea, Dem. People's Rep. ranks #1 on this list with 77.7% of female population 15+.
- Capital
- Pyongyang
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 26.57 million people (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 73.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 64.2% of population (2025)
- CO2 emissions per person
- 2.5 t CO2e per person (2024)
- Currency
- North Korean won
Largest cities: Pyongyang.
Also ranks #2 in hospital beds per 10,000 · #3 in armed forces personnel · #6 in female labour force participation.
#2 Cambodia
Cambodia ranks #2 on this list with 77.4% of female population 15+.
- Capital
- Phnom Penh
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 17.85 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$51.27 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,872 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 70.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 41.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Phnom Penh.
Also ranks #3 in time to start a business (days) · #5 in manufacturing value added share of gdp · #6 in labour force participation rate.
#3 Viet Nam
Viet Nam ranks #3 on this list with 68.6% of female population 15+.
- Capital
- Hanoi
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 101.6 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$514.7 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$5,066 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 74.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 38.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Đồng Nai.
Also ranks #3 in official exchange rate · #4 in fish production · #6 in container port traffic.
#4 Singapore
Singapore ranks #4 on this list with 63.6% of female population 15+.
- Capital
- Singapore
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 6.11 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$603.87 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$98,814 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 83.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 100% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Singapore.
Also ranks #1 in gdp per capita ppp · #1 in government debt share of gdp · #1 in human capital index.
#5 Macao SAR, China
Macao SAR, China ranks #5 on this list with 63.1% of female population 15+.
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 685,900 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$52.06 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$75,902 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 83.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 100% of population (2025)
- International tourist arrivals
- 5.9 million arrivals (2020)
Also ranks #1 in population density · #2 in school enrolment (tertiary) · #2 in services value added share of gdp.
#6 Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan ranks #6 on this list with 62.6% of female population 15+.
- Capital
- Astana
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 20.84 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$306.24 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$14,692 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 74.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 62.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Almaty, Shymkent, Astana.
Also ranks #2 in debt service share of exports · #4 in income share of poorest 10% · #6 in protected marine area share.
#7 Israel
Israel ranks #7 on this list with 62.3% of female population 15+.
- Capital
- Jerusalem
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 10.12 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$610.78 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$60,337 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 83.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 91.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Jerusalem.
Also ranks #1 in r&d expenditure share of gdp · #1 in firms using banks to finance investment share · #7 in irrigated land share.
#8 Qatar
Qatar ranks #8 on this list with 61.9% of female population 15+.
- Capital
- Doha
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 2.97 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$215.56 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$72,525 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 99.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Doha.
Also ranks #1 in male population share · #1 in population ages 15-64 share · #1 in labour force participation rate.
#9 Timor-Leste
Timor-Leste ranks #9 on this list with 61.7% of female population 15+.
- Capital
- Dili
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 1.42 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.9 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,341 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 28.8% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in smoking prevalence · #3 in government revenue share of gdp · #4 in prevalence of stunting (under-5).
#10 Lao PDR
Lao PDR ranks #10 on this list with 61.6% of female population 15+.
- Capital
- Vientiane
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 7.87 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$18.3 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,325 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 69.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 40.3% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in time to start a business (days) · #4 in official exchange rate · #7 in livestock production index.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Female labour force participation: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SL.TLF.CACT.FE.ZS. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate): ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.