Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Italy
Italy: Labor force, female (% of total labor force) 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 120th 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 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% |
Italy compared with similar countries
- Italy's 42.6% is below the median for high income countries, which is 46.5%, 92% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Italy's 42.6% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 47.1%, 90% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
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
- 117 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 42.8% compare
- 118 Comoros 42.7% compare
- 119 North Macedonia 42.7% compare
- 121 Bosnia and Herzegovina 42.4% compare
- 122 El Salvador 42.4% compare
- 123 Romania 42.4% compare
More education data for Italy
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 423,797 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 6,592 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 667,641 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 620,157 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.61 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.63 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.167 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0445 units per person (2023)
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 120th out of 187 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.