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Countries in Europe Ranked by Labour force size (2025)

Labour force size: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).

Summary

Russian Federation ranks #1 with 72.77 million people. That is 1.7 times Germany in second place (43.55 million people). The top five are Russian Federation, Germany, United Kingdom, France and Italy. Together the top 10 account for 78.3% of the total across the 41 countries in Europe listed. The median across all 41 is 3.29 million people; Channel Islands is last at 81,617 people.

#1
Russian Federation · 72.77 million people
Median
3.29 million people
Coverage
41 countries in Europe
Data year
2025
Last updated
2026-11-14
Top 10: Labour force sizeBar chart of the top 10: 1. Russian Federation 72.77 million; 2. Germany 43.55 million; 3. United Kingdom 35.41 million; 4. France 31.86 million; 5. Italy 25.66 million; 6. Spain 24.76 million; 7. Ukraine 20.54 million; 8. Poland 18.17 million; 9. Netherlands 10.35 million; 10. Romania 8.24 million.Russian Federation72.77 millionGermany43.55 millionUnited Kingdom35.41 millionFrance31.86 millionItaly25.66 millionSpain24.76 millionUkraine20.54 millionPoland18.17 millionNetherlands10.35 millionRomania8.24 million
Top 10: Labour force size (people). Bar chart of the top 10: 1. Russian Federation 72.77 million; 2. Germany 43.55 million; 3. United Kingdom 35.41 million; 4. France 31.86 million; 5. Italy 25.66 million; 6. Spain 24.76 million; 7. Ukraine 20.54 million; 8. Poland 18.17 million; 9. Netherlands 10.35 million; 10. Romania 8.24 million.
Labour force size over time, top 5Russian Federation: 72.4 million in 2001 to 72.77 million in 2025; Germany: 40.3 million in 2001 to 43.55 million in 2025; United Kingdom: 29.31 million in 2001 to 35.41 million in 2025; France: 27.44 million in 2001 to 31.86 million in 2025; Italy: 23.4 million in 2001 to 25.66 million in 2025.019.04 million38.09 million57.13 million76.18 million200120132025Russian FederationGermanyUnited KingdomFranceItaly
Labour force size over time, top 5 (people). Russian Federation: 72.4 million in 2001 to 72.77 million in 2025; Germany: 40.3 million in 2001 to 43.55 million in 2025; United Kingdom: 29.31 million in 2001 to 35.41 million in 2025; France: 27.44 million in 2001 to 31.86 million in 2025; Italy: 23.4 million in 2001 to 25.66 million in 2025.
Share of the total: Labour force sizeRussian Federation 19.6%; Germany 11.7%; United Kingdom 9.5%; France 8.6%; Italy 6.9%; All others 43.8%20%12%10%9%44%

Russian Federation 19.6%Germany 11.7%United Kingdom 9.5%France 8.6%Italy 6.9%All others 43.8%

Share of the total: Labour force size, as a share of 41 countries in Europe. Russian Federation 19.6%; Germany 11.7%; United Kingdom 9.5%; France 8.6%; Italy 6.9%; All others 43.8%.

Full ranking

Countries in Europe Ranked by Labour force size, 2025
RankCountryLabour force size (people)Year
1Russian Federation72,771,0002025
2Germany43,549,0002025
3United Kingdom35,409,0002025
4France31,863,0002025
5Italy25,661,0002025
6Spain24,759,0002025
7Ukraine20,539,0002021
8Poland18,174,0002025
9Netherlands10,347,0002025
10Romania8,244,6002025
11Sweden5,701,3002025
12Czechia5,578,2002025
13Portugal5,485,2002025
14Belgium5,463,5002025
15Switzerland5,165,7002025
16Hungary4,936,3002025
17Belarus4,795,3002025
18Austria4,753,1002025
19Greece4,715,5002025
20Serbia3,321,0002025
21Denmark3,294,8002025
22Norway3,094,9002025
23Bulgaria3,090,2002025
24Ireland2,912,7002025
25Finland2,886,9002025
26Slovak Republic2,761,8002025
27Croatia1,744,2002025
28Lithuania1,553,9002025
29Moldova1,373,1002025
30Bosnia and Herzegovina1,340,7002025
31Albania1,259,2002025
32Slovenia1,049,0002025
33Latvia948,4302025
34North Macedonia789,3702025
35Cyprus770,2702025
36Estonia754,2102025
37Luxembourg355,9702025
38Malta323,0502025
39Montenegro296,6202025
40Iceland242,5102025
41Channel Islands81,6172025

About the top 10

#3 United Kingdom

United Kingdom ranks #3 on this list with 35.41 million people.

Capital
London
Continent
Europe
Income group
High income
Population
69.49 million people (2025)
GDP
US$4 trillion (2025)
GDP per person
US$57,602 (2025)
Life expectancy
81.4 years (2024)
Urban population
83.3% of population (2025)

Largest cities: London, Birmingham, Glasgow.

Also ranks #2 in government debt share of gdp · #2 in new businesses registered · #4 in exports of goods and services.

Full country profile Weather in London (Purr Weather)

#4 France

France ranks #4 on this list with 31.86 million people.

Capital
Paris
Continent
Europe
Income group
High income
Population
68.72 million people (2025)
GDP
US$3.37 trillion (2025)
GDP per person
US$48,986 (2025)
Life expectancy
83 years (2024)
Urban population
78.8% of population (2025)

Largest cities: Paris, Metropolis of Lyon, Bordeaux Métropole.

Also ranks #1 in tourism arrivals · #1 in account ownership (female) share · #3 in remittances received.

Full country profile Weather in Paris (Purr Weather)

Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.

Related rankings

Source and method

Labour force size: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest.

Source: The World Bank, indicator SL.TLF.TOTL.IN. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.

The World Bank: Labor force, total: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database (via World Development Indicators)

Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database; United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division; Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).

Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.