Countries in Asia Ranked by Labour force participation rate (2025)
Labour force participation rate: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Qatar ranks #1 with 87% of population 15+. Cambodia is second with 82.4% of population 15+, 5.6% behind. The top five are Qatar, Cambodia, Korea, Dem. People's Rep., United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. The median across all 49 is 63.4% of population 15+; Yemen, Rep. is last at 33.1% of population 15+. Qatar's figure has risen 5% since 2001 (82.8% of population 15+ to 87% of population 15+ in 2025).
- #1
- Qatar · 87% of population 15+
- Median
- 63.4% of population 15+
- Coverage
- 49 countries in Asia
- Data year
- 2025
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Labour force participation rate (% of population 15+) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Qatar | 87 | 2025 |
| 2 | Cambodia | 82.4 | 2025 |
| 3 | Korea, Dem. People's Rep. | 82.2 | 2025 |
| 4 | United Arab Emirates | 78.6 | 2025 |
| 5 | Kuwait | 73.4 | 2025 |
| 6 | Viet Nam | 72.8 | 2025 |
| 7 | Bahrain | 70.4 | 2025 |
| 8 | Singapore | 69.7 | 2025 |
| 9 | Oman | 68.4 | 2025 |
| 10 | Indonesia | 68 | 2025 |
| 11 | Macao SAR, China | 67.8 | 2025 |
| 12 | Kazakhstan | 67.8 | 2025 |
| 13 | Timor-Leste | 67 | 2025 |
| 14 | Thailand | 66.7 | 2025 |
| 15 | Malaysia | 66.1 | 2025 |
| 16 | Lao PDR | 66.1 | 2025 |
| 17 | Israel | 65.5 | 2025 |
| 18 | Saudi Arabia | 65.1 | 2025 |
| 19 | Bhutan | 64.8 | 2025 |
| 20 | China | 64.6 | 2025 |
| 21 | Korea, Rep. | 64.4 | 2025 |
| 22 | Georgia | 64.3 | 2025 |
| 23 | Brunei Darussalam | 64.2 | 2025 |
| 24 | Maldives | 63.5 | 2025 |
| 25 | Japan | 63.4 | 2025 |
| 26 | Azerbaijan | 63.3 | 2025 |
| 27 | Philippines | 61.4 | 2025 |
| 28 | Mongolia | 59.7 | 2025 |
| 29 | Armenia | 59.4 | 2025 |
| 30 | Bangladesh | 58.8 | 2025 |
| 31 | Uzbekistan | 57.5 | 2025 |
| 32 | Kyrgyz Republic | 57.4 | 2025 |
| 33 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 56.4 | 2025 |
| 34 | India | 55.7 | 2025 |
| 35 | Myanmar | 55.1 | 2025 |
| 36 | Türkiye | 54.4 | 2025 |
| 37 | Pakistan | 52.3 | 2025 |
| 38 | Sri Lanka | 48.5 | 2025 |
| 39 | West Bank and Gaza | 45 | 2022 |
| 40 | Lebanon | 43.4 | 2023 |
| 41 | Turkmenistan | 42 | 2025 |
| 42 | Iraq | 41.5 | 2025 |
| 43 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 41 | 2025 |
| 44 | Jordan | 40.1 | 2025 |
| 45 | Nepal | 39.2 | 2025 |
| 46 | Tajikistan | 38.3 | 2025 |
| 47 | Afghanistan | 37.5 | 2025 |
| 48 | Syrian Arab Republic | 36.9 | 2025 |
| 49 | Yemen, Rep. | 33.1 | 2025 |
About the top 10
#1 Qatar
Qatar ranks #1 on this list with 87% of 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.
#2 Cambodia
Cambodia ranks #2 on this list with 82.4% of 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 Korea, Dem. People's Rep.
Korea, Dem. People's Rep. ranks #3 on this list with 82.2% of 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.
#4 United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates ranks #4 on this list with 78.6% of population 15+.
- Capital
- Abu Dhabi
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 11.51 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$552.32 billion (2024)
- GDP per person
- US$50,274 (2024)
- Life expectancy
- 83.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 86% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah.
Also ranks #1 in population growth rate · #1 in internet users share · #2 in male population share.
#5 Kuwait
Kuwait ranks #5 on this list with 73.4% of population 15+.
- Capital
- Kuwait City
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 4.87 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$157.21 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$32,312 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 84.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 100% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kuwait City.
Also ranks #1 in fertiliser consumption · #2 in access to sanitation · #3 in population ages 15-64 share.
#6 Viet Nam
Viet Nam ranks #6 on this list with 72.8% of 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.
#7 Bahrain
Bahrain ranks #7 on this list with 70.4% of population 15+.
- Capital
- Manama
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 1.6 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$48.97 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$30,597 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 81.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 100% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in urban population share · #1 in immunisation (measles) rate · #2 in internet users share.
#8 Singapore
Singapore ranks #8 on this list with 69.7% of 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.
#9 Oman
Oman ranks #9 on this list with 68.4% of population 15+.
- Capital
- Muscat
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 5.49 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$109.6 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$19,947 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 80.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 79.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Muscat.
Also ranks #1 in cereal yield · #1 in crop production index · #3 in population growth rate.
#10 Indonesia
Indonesia ranks #10 on this list with 68% of population 15+.
- Capital
- Jakarta
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 285.72 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.45 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$5,060 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 59.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung.
Also ranks #2 in fish production · #4 in population · #4 in labour force size.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Labour force participation rate: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total 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.