Labor force, female in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)
Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries): Labor force, female was 85.93 million in 2025. ▬ Flat
Labor force, female in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries), 1990–2025
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators database. Estimates are based on data obtained from International Labour Organization and United Nations Population Division.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force, female in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) stood at 85.93 million.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and down 7.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 93.79 million in 2018 and was at its lowest, 84.74 million, in 2022.
That places Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) 34th out of 46 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
Labor force, female in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 88.00 million | — |
| 1991 | 88.33 million | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 87.95 million | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 86.08 million | -2.1% |
| 1994 | 86.34 million | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 86.27 million | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 85.84 million | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 85.06 million | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 85.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 88.08 million | +3.4% |
| 2000 | 87.82 million | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 87.84 million | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 88.87 million | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 88.73 million | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 88.49 million | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 88.92 million | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 89.44 million | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 89.90 million | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 90.36 million | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 90.83 million | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 91.60 million | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 92.22 million | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 92.45 million | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 92.57 million | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 92.63 million | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 92.93 million | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 93.32 million | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 93.55 million | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 93.79 million | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 93.52 million | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 91.79 million | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 92.87 million | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 84.74 million | -8.8% |
| 2023 | 85.37 million | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 86.08 million | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 85.93 million | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 86.71 million | 85.06 million | 88.33 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 89.12 million | 87.82 million | 90.83 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 92.86 million | 91.60 million | 93.79 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 87.80 million | 84.74 million | 92.87 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)
- 31 Argentina 9.65 million compare
- 32 Peru 8.70 million compare
- 33 Myanmar 8.65 million compare
- 34 North Korea 8.52 million compare
- 35 Poland 8.38 million compare
- 36 Madagascar 8.32 million compare
- 37 Mozambique 8.09 million compare
More gender data for Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Labor force, female, per capita 0.1858 units per person (2025)
- Labor force, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Labor force, female, annual growth rate -0.1748 % change on previous year (2025)
- Labor force, female, per square kilometre 3.71 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Ratio of female to male youth unemployment rate (% ages 15-24) 133.9% (2025)
- School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, female 15.44 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, male 15.34 years (2019)
- Proportion of women in ministerial level positions 16.8% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male youth unemployment rate (%) 127.1% (2024)
- Literacy rate, adult female 99.1% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Labor force, female in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) was 85.93 million in 2025, according to World Bank, World Development Indicators database. Estimates are based on data obtained from International Labour Organization and United Nations Population Division.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 93.79 million in 2018.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 84.74 million in 2022.
- How does Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for labor force, female?
- Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 34th out of 46 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, World Development Indicators database. Estimates are based on data obtained from International Labour Organization and United Nations Population Division, published as part of Labor force, female. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Female labor force comprises women 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.