Labor force, female in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Labor force, female was 47.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, female in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 47.8%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 48.0% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 43.7%, in 1990.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 43rd of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force, female in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 43.7% | — |
| 1991 | 43.9% | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 44.1% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 44.5% | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 44.6% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 44.7% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 45.0% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 45.2% | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 45.3% | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 45.5% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 45.6% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 45.7% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 46.0% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 45.8% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 46.1% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 46.2% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 46.3% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 46.1% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 46.2% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 46.4% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 46.4% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 46.5% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 46.5% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 46.7% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 46.8% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 46.9% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 47.0% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 47.1% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 47.2% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 47.5% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 47.7% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 48.0% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 47.7% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 47.5% | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 47.8% | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 47.8% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 44.7% | 43.7% | 45.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.0% | 45.6% | 46.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.9% | 46.4% | 47.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.8% | 47.5% | 48.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 40 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 48.2% compare
- 41 Finland 48.1% compare
- 42 Solomon Islands 48.0% compare
- 44 Guinea-Bissau 47.7% compare
- 45 Australia 47.7% compare
- 46 Eritrea 47.7% compare
More education data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.86 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.0111 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.071 units per person (2023)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.86 million (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -0.0111 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), per capita 0.071 units per person (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.37 million (2023)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Labor force, female in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 47.8% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 48.0% in 2021.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 43.7% in 1990.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for labor force, female?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 43rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 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.