Countries in Oceania 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
Australia ranks #1 with 15.13 million people. That is 4 times Papua New Guinea in second place (3.75 million people). The top five are Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Solomon Islands and Fiji. Together the top 10 account for 99.9% of the total across the 11 countries in Oceania listed. The median across all 11 is 131,490 people; Tonga is last at 33,628 people. Australia's figure has risen 56% since 2001 (9.71 million people to 15.13 million people in 2025).
- #1
- Australia · 15.13 million people
- Median
- 131,490 people
- Coverage
- 11 countries in Oceania
- Data year
- 2025
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Australia 64.8%Papua New Guinea 16.1%New Zealand 13.2%Solomon Islands 1.9%Fiji 1.7%All others 2.3%
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Labour force size (people) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 15,125,000 |
| 2 | Papua New Guinea | 3,746,700 |
| 3 | New Zealand | 3,076,300 |
| 4 | Solomon Islands | 448,500 |
| 5 | Fiji | 390,290 |
| 6 | New Caledonia | 131,490 |
| 7 | Vanuatu | 120,830 |
| 8 | French Polynesia | 120,630 |
| 9 | Guam | 78,007 |
| 10 | Samoa | 57,776 |
| 11 | Tonga | 33,628 |
About the top 10
#1 Australia
Australia ranks #1 on this list with 15.13 million people.
- Capital
- Canberra
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 27.61 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.8 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$65,130 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 83.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 87.7% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane.
Also ranks #2 in regulatory quality score · #3 in access to clean cooking fuels · #4 in new businesses registered.
#2 Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea ranks #2 on this list with 3.75 million people.
- Capital
- Port Moresby
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 10.76 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$32.5 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,020 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 66.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 15.8% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in rural population share · #5 in water resources per capita · #6 in smoking prevalence.
#3 New Zealand
New Zealand ranks #3 on this list with 3.08 million people.
- Capital
- Wellington
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 5.32 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$264.06 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$49,591 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 84% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Auckland.
Also ranks #3 in voice and accountability score · #4 in tax revenue share of gdp · #4 in control of corruption score.
#4 Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands ranks #4 on this list with 448,500 people.
- Capital
- Honiara
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 838,650 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.75 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,086 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 70.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 31.3% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in forest rents share of gdp · #2 in female labour force participation · #3 in labour force participation rate.
#5 Fiji
Fiji ranks #5 on this list with 390,290 people.
- Capital
- Suva
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 933,150 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$6.2 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,642 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 59.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in mobile subscriptions per 100 · #5 in completion rate (primary) · #6 in livestock production index.
#6 New Caledonia
New Caledonia ranks #6 on this list with 131,490 people.
- Capital
- Nouméa
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 295,330 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$8.55 billion (2024)
- GDP per person
- US$29,213 (2024)
- Life expectancy
- 78.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 68.2% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in protected terrestrial area share · #4 in protected marine area share · #4 in mineral rents share of gdp.
#7 Vanuatu
Vanuatu ranks #7 on this list with 120,830 people.
- Capital
- Port Vila
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 335,170 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.35 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,039 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 22.3% of population (2025)
Also ranks #6 in school enrolment (secondary) · #6 in completion rate (primary) · #9 in rural population share.
#8 French Polynesia
French Polynesia ranks #8 on this list with 120,630 people.
- Capital
- Papeete
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 282,470 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$6.32 billion (2024)
- GDP per person
- US$22,440 (2024)
- Life expectancy
- 84.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 61.8% of population (2025)
Also ranks #5 in female life expectancy · #5 in protected marine area share · #7 in life expectancy.
#9 Guam
Guam ranks #9 on this list with 78,007 people.
- Capital
- Hagåtña
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 169,000 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$6.91 billion (2022)
- GDP per person
- US$41,833 (2022)
- Life expectancy
- 77.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 94.2% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in voice and accountability score · #16 in nurses and midwives per 1,000 · #16 in diabetes prevalence.
#10 Samoa
Samoa ranks #10 on this list with 57,776 people.
- Capital
- Apia
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 219,310 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.29 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$5,873 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 17.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in rural population share · #4 in diabetes prevalence · #16 in age dependency ratio.
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 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.