Labor force, female in Germany
Germany: Labor force, female was 20.25 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, female in Germany, 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
The most recent figure for labor force, female in Germany is 20.25 million, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.6% on the previous year and up 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in Germany peaked at 20.39 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 15.75 million, in 1990.
Germany ranks 14th of 187 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force, female in Germany, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 15.75 million | — |
| 1991 | 16.76 million | +6.4% |
| 1992 | 16.79 million | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 16.74 million | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 16.97 million | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 16.97 million | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 17.04 million | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 17.28 million | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 17.37 million | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 17.57 million | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 17.61 million | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 17.79 million | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 17.95 million | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 18.16 million | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 18.12 million | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 18.53 million | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 18.93 million | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 19.07 million | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 18.99 million | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 19.20 million | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 19.16 million | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 19.24 million | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 19.26 million | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 19.48 million | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 19.64 million | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 19.72 million | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 19.94 million | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 20.10 million | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 20.15 million | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 20.36 million | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 20.14 million | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 20.09 million | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 20.26 million | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 20.39 million | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 20.37 million | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 20.25 million | -0.6% |
Germany compared with similar countries
- Germany's 20.25 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.45 million, 13.9× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Germany's 20.25 million is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.57 million, 12.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 16.92 million | 15.75 million | 17.57 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.43 million | 17.61 million | 19.20 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.70 million | 19.16 million | 20.36 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.25 million | 20.09 million | 20.39 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Germany
More gender data for Germany
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 11,292 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.9917 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 71,489 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 71,489 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate -0.1556 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 344,036 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 363,213 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 348,332 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 367,516 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 355,306 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in Germany?
- Labor force, female in Germany was 20.25 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 Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 20.39 million in 2023.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.75 million in 1990.
- How does Germany rank for labor force, female?
- Germany ranks 14th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Germany 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.