Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Bhutan
Bhutan: Labor force, female (% of total labor force) was 40.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, female in Bhutan, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database. Measured in % of total labor force.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force, female in Bhutan stood at 40.4%.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in Bhutan peaked at 44.6% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 36.4%, in 1990.
Bhutan ranks 136th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 36.4% | — |
| 1991 | 36.7% | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 37.0% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 37.3% | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 37.7% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 38.1% | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 38.6% | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 39.0% | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 39.5% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 39.9% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 40.0% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 40.3% | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 40.5% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 40.8% | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 41.1% | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 41.5% | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 41.9% | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 42.2% | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 42.5% | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 42.8% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 42.3% | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 42.1% | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 44.6% | +5.9% |
| 2013 | 40.5% | -9.0% |
| 2014 | 39.2% | -3.3% |
| 2015 | 39.6% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 39.7% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 39.8% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 39.9% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 41.8% | +4.7% |
| 2020 | 42.6% | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 43.1% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 38.3% | -11.3% |
| 2023 | 40.1% | +4.8% |
| 2024 | 40.3% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 40.4% | +0.3% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 40.4% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 43.6%, 93% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 40.4% is above the median for South Asia, which is 33.7%, 1.2× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 38.0% | 36.4% | 39.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 41.4% | 40.0% | 42.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.9% | 39.2% | 44.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.8% | 38.3% | 43.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
More education data for Bhutan
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6,995 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 9,961 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 6,905 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 6,735 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 67,821 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 91,759 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.26 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1159 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in Bhutan?
- Labor force, female in Bhutan was 40.4% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 44.6% in 2012.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.4% in 1990.
- How does Bhutan rank for labor force, female?
- Bhutan ranks 136th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bhutan data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database, published as part of Labor force, female (% of total labor force). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Female labor force as a percentage of the total show the extent to which women are active in the labor force. Labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.