High income Countries 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+. United Arab Emirates is second with 78.6% of population 15+, 10.7% behind. The top five are Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Iceland, Bahamas, The and Kuwait. The median across all 63 is 62.3% of population 15+; Puerto Rico (US) is last at 42.8% 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
- 62.3% of population 15+
- Coverage
- 63 High income countries
- Data year
- 2025
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
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 United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates ranks #2 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.
#3 Iceland
Iceland ranks #3 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.
#4 Bahamas, The
Bahamas, The ranks #4 on this list with 73.8% of population 15+.
- Capital
- Nassau
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 403,030 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$15.83 billion (2024)
- GDP per person
- US$39,455 (2024)
- Life expectancy
- 74.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 81.3% of population (2025)
Also ranks #6 in access to clean cooking fuels · #10 in homicide rate · #10 in cereal yield.
#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 Bahrain
Bahrain ranks #6 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.
#7 New Zealand
New Zealand ranks #7 on this list with 70.4% of population 15+.
- 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.
#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 Macao SAR, China
Macao SAR, China ranks #10 on this list with 67.8% of 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.
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.