Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Labor force, female (% of total labor force) was 43.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force, female in Ethiopia, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database. Measured in % of total labor force.
Analysis
Ethiopia recorded 43.1% for labor force, female in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 5.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in Ethiopia peaked at 47.5% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 42.5%, in 2021.
Ethiopia ranks 114th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 47.5% | — |
| 1991 | 47.4% | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 47.2% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 47.1% | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 47.0% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 46.9% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 46.7% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 46.6% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 46.5% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 46.4% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 46.3% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 46.2% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 46.1% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 46.1% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 46.0% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 46.0% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 46.0% | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 46.0% | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 46.0% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 46.0% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 46.0% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 46.0% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 46.0% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 46.0% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 45.7% | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 45.3% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 45.0% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 44.6% | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 44.1% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 43.7% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 43.1% | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 42.5% | -1.3% |
| 2022 | 42.7% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 42.8% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 43.0% | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 43.1% | +0.1% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 43.1% is below the median for low income countries, which is 47.7%, 90% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 43.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 47.5%, 91% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 46.9% | 46.4% | 47.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.1% | 46.0% | 46.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 45.2% | 43.7% | 46.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.9% | 42.5% | 43.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
- 111 Cape Verde 43.6% compare
- 112 Brazil 43.4% compare
- 113 Cote d'Ivoire 43.4% compare
- 115 Argentina 43.0% compare
- 116 Chile 42.9% compare
- 117 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 42.8% compare
More education data for Ethiopia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 272,545 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 900,151 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.32 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.16 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.03 million (2015)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 15.93 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.45 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1206 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in Ethiopia?
- Labor force, female in Ethiopia was 43.1% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 47.5% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.5% in 2021.
- How does Ethiopia rank for labor force, female?
- Ethiopia ranks 114th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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.