Labor force, total in Macao
Macao: Labor force, total was 401,572 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, total in Macao, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force, total in Macao is 401,572, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.6% on the previous year and up 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, total in Macao peaked at 403,821 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 147,271, in 1990.
That places Macao 161st 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, total in Macao, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 147,271 | — |
| 1991 | 155,258 | +5.4% |
| 1992 | 162,795 | +4.9% |
| 1993 | 173,250 | +6.4% |
| 1994 | 183,534 | +5.9% |
| 1995 | 193,706 | +5.5% |
| 1996 | 200,672 | +3.6% |
| 1997 | 205,892 | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 209,017 | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 214,421 | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 217,883 | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 220,527 | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 223,356 | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 220,677 | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 233,377 | +5.8% |
| 2005 | 251,230 | +7.6% |
| 2006 | 276,137 | +9.9% |
| 2007 | 303,722 | +10.0% |
| 2008 | 323,790 | +6.6% |
| 2009 | 324,071 | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 327,912 | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 341,686 | +4.2% |
| 2012 | 352,453 | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 366,847 | +4.1% |
| 2014 | 387,049 | +5.5% |
| 2015 | 395,711 | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 396,434 | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 391,922 | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 398,219 | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 402,804 | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 403,030 | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 402,627 | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 386,966 | -3.9% |
| 2023 | 396,357 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 403,821 | +1.9% |
| 2025 | 401,572 | -0.6% |
Macao compared with similar countries
- Macao's 401,572 is below the median for high income countries, which is 3.08 million, 13% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Macao's 401,572 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.75 million, 11% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 184,582 | 147,271 | 214,421 | 10 |
| 2000s | 259,477 | 217,883 | 324,071 | 10 |
| 2010s | 376,104 | 327,912 | 402,804 | 10 |
| 2020s | 399,062 | 386,966 | 403,821 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Macao
More education data for Macao
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 8,379 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2,938 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 239 (2024)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0495 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), per capita 0.0291 units per person (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 16,188 (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.38 % change on previous year (2024)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 20,014 (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), per capita 0.0267 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, total in Macao?
- Labor force, total in Macao was 401,572 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, total recorded in Macao?
- The highest recorded value was 403,821 in 2024.
- What is the lowest labor force, total recorded in Macao?
- The lowest recorded value was 147,271 in 1990.
- How does Macao rank for labor force, total?
- Macao ranks 161st out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, total rising or falling in Macao?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Macao data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database, published as part of Labor force, total. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. It includes people who are currently employed and people who are unemployed but seeking work as well as first-time job-seekers. Not everyone who works is included, however. Unpaid workers, family workers, and students are often omitted, and some countries do not count members of the armed forces. Labor force size tends to vary during the year as seasonal workers enter and leave.