Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Maldives
Maldives: Labor force, female (% of total labor force) was 23.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force, female in Maldives, 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 Maldives is 23.2%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and down 13.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in Maldives peaked at 33.3% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 19.0%, in 1990.
Maldives ranks 170th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Maldives, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 19.0% | — |
| 1991 | 20.3% | +6.9% |
| 1992 | 21.6% | +6.6% |
| 1993 | 23.0% | +6.5% |
| 1994 | 24.4% | +6.3% |
| 1995 | 25.9% | +5.8% |
| 1996 | 27.1% | +4.9% |
| 1997 | 28.4% | +4.6% |
| 1998 | 29.6% | +4.4% |
| 1999 | 30.9% | +4.3% |
| 2000 | 32.2% | +4.2% |
| 2001 | 32.4% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 32.7% | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 32.9% | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 33.1% | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 33.3% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 33.1% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 32.3% | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 31.5% | -2.5% |
| 2009 | 30.8% | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 30.0% | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 29.3% | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 28.6% | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 28.0% | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 27.5% | -1.9% |
| 2015 | 27.0% | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 26.5% | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 25.5% | -3.6% |
| 2018 | 24.5% | -3.9% |
| 2019 | 23.5% | -4.1% |
| 2020 | 23.0% | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 22.7% | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 22.5% | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 22.7% | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 23.0% | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 23.2% | +1.0% |
Maldives compared with similar countries
- Maldives's 23.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 42.4%, 55% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Maldives's 23.2% is below the median for South Asia, which is 33.7%, 69% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 25.0% | 19.0% | 30.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 32.4% | 30.8% | 33.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.0% | 23.5% | 30.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.9% | 22.5% | 23.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Maldives
More education data for Maldives
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 3,474 (2022)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 8,838 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4,920 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 33,002 (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 44,013 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -3.52 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0834 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in Maldives?
- Labor force, female in Maldives was 23.2% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in Maldives?
- The highest recorded value was 33.3% in 2005.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in Maldives?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.0% in 1990.
- How does Maldives rank for labor force, female?
- Maldives ranks 170th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in Maldives?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Maldives 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.