Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Netherlands
Netherlands: Labor force, female (% of total labor force) was 47.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, female in Netherlands, 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 Netherlands stood at 47.2%. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in Netherlands peaked at 47.2% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 42.5%, in 1990.
Netherlands ranks 59th 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 Netherlands, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 42.5% | — |
| 1991 | 42.7% | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 42.9% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 43.1% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 43.1% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 43.1% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 43.3% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 43.5% | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 43.8% | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 44.1% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 44.4% | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 44.7% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 45.0% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 45.2% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 45.2% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 45.2% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 45.4% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 45.6% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 45.8% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 45.9% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 46.2% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 46.5% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 46.6% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 46.6% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 46.4% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 46.5% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 46.6% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 46.7% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 46.7% | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 46.9% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 47.0% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 47.1% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 47.1% | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 47.1% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 47.2% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 47.2% | +0.0% |
Netherlands compared with similar countries
- Netherlands's 47.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 46.5%, 1.0× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Netherlands's 47.2% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 47.1%, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 43.2% | 42.5% | 44.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 45.2% | 44.4% | 45.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.6% | 46.2% | 46.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.1% | 47.0% | 47.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Netherlands
More education data for Netherlands
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 118,472 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 23,856 (1985)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 247,743 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 240,049 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.61 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.14 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.0937 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.064 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in Netherlands?
- Labor force, female in Netherlands was 47.2% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 47.2% in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.5% in 1990.
- How does Netherlands rank for labor force, female?
- Netherlands ranks 59th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in Netherlands?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Netherlands 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.