Countries in Europe 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
Iceland ranks #1 with 74.9% of population 15+. Moldova is second with 72.3% of population 15+, 3.6% behind. The top five are Iceland, Moldova, Netherlands, Cyprus and Switzerland. The median across all 41 is 60.4% of population 15+; Bosnia and Herzegovina is last at 49% of population 15+. Iceland's figure has fallen 4% since 2001 (77.8% of population 15+ to 74.9% of population 15+ in 2025).
- #1
- Iceland · 74.9% of population 15+
- Median
- 60.4% of population 15+
- Coverage
- 41 countries in Europe
- Data year
- 2025
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Labour force participation rate (% of population 15+) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iceland | 74.9 | 2025 |
| 2 | Moldova | 72.3 | 2025 |
| 3 | Netherlands | 67.2 | 2025 |
| 4 | Cyprus | 67 | 2025 |
| 5 | Switzerland | 66.7 | 2025 |
| 6 | Norway | 65.6 | 2025 |
| 7 | Estonia | 65.1 | 2025 |
| 8 | Denmark | 64.9 | 2025 |
| 9 | Ireland | 64.8 | 2025 |
| 10 | Sweden | 64.6 | 2025 |
| 11 | Albania | 64.3 | 2025 |
| 12 | Malta | 64 | 2025 |
| 13 | Lithuania | 62.9 | 2025 |
| 14 | Belarus | 62.7 | 2025 |
| 15 | Luxembourg | 61.5 | 2025 |
| 16 | United Kingdom | 61.4 | 2025 |
| 17 | Russian Federation | 61.1 | 2025 |
| 18 | Hungary | 60.6 | 2025 |
| 19 | Germany | 60.6 | 2025 |
| 20 | Latvia | 60.5 | 2025 |
| 21 | Slovak Republic | 60.4 | 2025 |
| 22 | Czechia | 60.3 | 2025 |
| 23 | Austria | 60.1 | 2025 |
| 24 | Finland | 59.7 | 2025 |
| 25 | Serbia | 59.1 | 2025 |
| 26 | Poland | 58.3 | 2025 |
| 27 | Portugal | 58.2 | 2025 |
| 28 | Montenegro | 58 | 2025 |
| 29 | Slovenia | 57.6 | 2025 |
| 30 | Spain | 57.4 | 2025 |
| 31 | Channel Islands | 56.4 | 2025 |
| 32 | Bulgaria | 56.1 | 2025 |
| 33 | France | 55.3 | 2025 |
| 34 | Ukraine | 54.6 | 2021 |
| 35 | Belgium | 54.3 | 2025 |
| 36 | Croatia | 52.1 | 2025 |
| 37 | Greece | 52 | 2025 |
| 38 | North Macedonia | 51.9 | 2025 |
| 39 | Romania | 51.3 | 2025 |
| 40 | Italy | 49.3 | 2025 |
| 41 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 49 | 2025 |
About the top 10
#1 Iceland
Iceland ranks #1 on this list with 74.9% of population 15+.
- Capital
- Reykjavík
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 392,400 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$38.58 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$98,323 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 94.2% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in energy use per capita · #1 in bank accounts share (adults) · #1 in water resources per capita.
#2 Moldova
Moldova ranks #2 on this list with 72.3% of population 15+.
- Capital
- Chișinău
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 2.36 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$20.35 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$8,622 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 43.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in real effective exchange rate index · #2 in female population share · #5 in arable land share.
#3 Netherlands
Netherlands ranks #3 on this list with 67.2% of population 15+.
- Capital
- Amsterdam
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 18.09 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.33 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$73,684 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 95.9% of population (2025)
Also ranks #4 in fdi outflows · #5 in school enrolment (secondary) · #6 in secure internet servers per million.
#4 Cyprus
Cyprus ranks #4 on this list with 67% of population 15+.
- Capital
- Nicosia
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 1.37 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$41.23 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$41,783 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 81.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 66.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in school enrolment (tertiary) · #4 in secure internet servers per million · #4 in immunisation (measles) rate.
#5 Switzerland
Switzerland ranks #5 on this list with 66.7% of population 15+.
- Capital
- Bern
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 9.09 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.04 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$114,770 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 84.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 85.7% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Zurich, Geneva, Canton of Basel-Stadt.
Also ranks #1 in nurses and midwives per 1,000 · #2 in gni per capita · #2 in health expenditure per capita.
#6 Norway
Norway ranks #6 on this list with 65.6% of population 15+.
- Capital
- Oslo
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 5.61 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$530.76 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$94,594 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 83.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 83.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim.
Also ranks #2 in nurses and midwives per 1,000 · #2 in voice and accountability score · #3 in gni per capita.
#7 Estonia
Estonia ranks #7 on this list with 65.1% of population 15+.
- Capital
- Tallinn
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 1.37 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$47.03 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$34,418 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 79.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 70.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in account ownership (female) share · #8 in bank accounts share (adults) · #12 in human capital index.
#8 Denmark
Denmark ranks #8 on this list with 64.9% of population 15+.
- Capital
- Copenhagen
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 6.01 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$462.53 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$76,970 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 88.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense.
Also ranks #1 in control of corruption score · #2 in arable land share · #2 in rule of law score.
#9 Ireland
Ireland ranks #9 on this list with 64.8% of population 15+.
- Capital
- Dublin
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 5.48 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$721.7 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$131,590 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 83 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 64.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in gdp per capita ppp · #3 in air passengers carried · #3 in manufacturing value added share of gdp.
#10 Sweden
Sweden ranks #10 on this list with 64.6% of population 15+.
- Capital
- Stockholm
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 10.6 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$669 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$63,133 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 84.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 89.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö.
Also ranks #3 in researchers in r&d per million · #4 in r&d expenditure share of gdp · #6 in male life expectancy.
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.