Labor force, female in Italy
Italy: Labor force, female was 42.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, female in Italy, 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 Italy stood at 42.6%.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in Italy peaked at 42.7% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 36.1%, in 1993.
Italy ranks 119th of 186 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 in Italy, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 36.3% | — |
| 1991 | 36.6% | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 36.3% | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 36.1% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 36.4% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 36.8% | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 37.2% | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 37.4% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 37.7% | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 38.3% | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 38.5% | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 39.0% | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 39.2% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 39.4% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 40.1% | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 40.1% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 40.3% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 40.3% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 40.8% | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 40.9% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 41.1% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 41.4% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 42.0% | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 42.2% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 42.4% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 42.1% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 42.3% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 42.4% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 42.5% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 42.6% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 42.3% | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 42.5% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 42.6% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 42.7% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 42.6% | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 42.6% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 36.9% | 36.1% | 38.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 39.9% | 38.5% | 40.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.1% | 41.1% | 42.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.5% | 42.3% | 42.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Italy
- 116 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 42.8% compare
- 117 Comoros 42.7% compare
- 118 North Macedonia 42.7% compare
- 120 Bosnia and Herzegovina 42.4% compare
- 121 El Salvador 42.4% compare
- 122 Romania 42.4% compare
More education data for Italy
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 3.33 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 235,443 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 15,518 (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.25 million (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 3.71 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 967,192 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 2.84 % change on previous year (2023)
- Theoretical duration of primary education (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in Italy?
- Labor force, female in Italy was 42.6% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in Italy?
- The highest recorded value was 42.7% in 2023.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in Italy?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.1% in 1993.
- How does Italy rank for labor force, female?
- Italy ranks 119th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in Italy?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Italy 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.