Labor force, female in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Labor force, female was 33.4% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Labor force, female in Sri Lanka, 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 Sri Lanka is 33.4%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and down 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in Sri Lanka peaked at 36.6% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 32.2%, in 1997.
That places Sri Lanka 159th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Labor force, female in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 36.6% | — |
| 1991 | 34.7% | -5.3% |
| 1992 | 32.6% | -5.9% |
| 1993 | 33.3% | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 33.4% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 32.6% | -2.2% |
| 1996 | 32.3% | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 32.2% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 35.5% | +10.2% |
| 1999 | 33.3% | -6.4% |
| 2000 | 33.1% | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 33.1% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 33.1% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 33.1% | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 33.0% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 33.0% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 33.0% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 33.0% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 33.1% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 33.1% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 33.1% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 33.4% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 32.4% | -3.1% |
| 2013 | 34.0% | +4.8% |
| 2014 | 33.6% | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 34.4% | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 34.3% | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 34.9% | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 33.5% | -4.2% |
| 2019 | 34.1% | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 32.8% | -3.8% |
| 2021 | 32.9% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 33.3% | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 32.7% | -1.7% |
| 2024 | 33.4% | +2.2% |
| 2025 | 33.4% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 33.7% | 32.2% | 36.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 33.1% | 33.0% | 33.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.8% | 32.4% | 34.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.1% | 32.7% | 33.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More education data for Sri Lanka
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.25 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -0.3876 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 439,099 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.72 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 358,218 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) -5.98 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 64,434 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 8,899 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 222,100 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) -5.62 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in Sri Lanka?
- Labor force, female in Sri Lanka was 33.4% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 36.6% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.2% in 1997.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for labor force, female?
- Sri Lanka ranks 159th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.