France vs United Kingdom: Labor force, total
Labor force, total over time
- France
- United Kingdom
How they compare
United Kingdom currently reports 35.41 million against 31.86 million in France, a difference of 3.55 million.
That makes United Kingdom's figure about 1.1 times France's.
Across all 36 years both countries report, United Kingdom has been ahead every year.
France ranks 22nd and United Kingdom ranks 20th of 187 countries.
United Kingdom has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | France | United Kingdom | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 26.36 million | 28.59 million | 2.22 million | United Kingdom |
| 2000s | 28.57 million | 30.41 million | 1.85 million | United Kingdom |
| 2010s | 30.21 million | 33.10 million | 2.90 million | United Kingdom |
| 2020s | 31.44 million | 34.76 million | 3.32 million | United Kingdom |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher labor force, total, France or United Kingdom?
- United Kingdom, at 35.41 million against 31.86 million in France as of 2025.
- What is the difference in labor force, total between France and United Kingdom?
- 3.55 million, with United Kingdom ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for France and United Kingdom?
- 36 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2025.
- How do France and United Kingdom rank globally for labor force, total?
- France ranks 22nd and United Kingdom ranks 20th of 187 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database, published as Labor force, total. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. It includes people who are currently employed and people who are unemployed but seeking work as well as first-time job-seekers. Not everyone who works is included, however. Unpaid workers, family workers, and students are often omitted, and some countries do not count members of the armed forces. Labor force size tends to vary during the year as seasonal workers enter and leave.