Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Malaysia
Malaysia: Labor force, female (% of total labor force) was 37.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, female in Malaysia, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database. Measured in % of total labor force.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force, female in Malaysia is 37.1%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in Malaysia peaked at 37.2% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 31.5%, in 1990.
That places Malaysia 150th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 31.5% | — |
| 1991 | 31.5% | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 31.7% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 31.9% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 32.1% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 32.2% | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 32.4% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 32.6% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 32.9% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 33.1% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 33.3% | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 33.5% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 33.7% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 33.9% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 34.1% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 34.2% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 34.4% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 34.5% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 34.6% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 34.8% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 34.9% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 35.1% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 35.7% | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 36.4% | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 37.0% | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 37.1% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 37.2% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 37.2% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 37.2% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 37.1% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 37.0% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 37.0% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 36.8% | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 36.9% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 37.0% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 37.1% | +0.1% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 37.1% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 42.4%, 87% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 37.1% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 45.8%, 81% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 32.2% | 31.5% | 33.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 34.1% | 33.3% | 34.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.5% | 34.9% | 37.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 37.0% | 36.8% | 37.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More education data for Malaysia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 217,105 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 475,967 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 460,041 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.64 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.06 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0859 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in Malaysia?
- Labor force, female in Malaysia was 37.1% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 37.2% in 2017.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.5% in 1990.
- How does Malaysia rank for labor force, female?
- Malaysia ranks 150th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malaysia 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.