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Economy & jobs Statistics · Country

Labour force participation in China

1990 – 2025 · 36 data points 7 of 41 · Countries Updated Oct 21, 2026

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1990 – 2025

Labour force participation, 1990 – 2025 percent · China · World
−4.7 pp since 2015
China World

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1990 – 2025

Compared with Labour force participation · percent
China
64.6%
World
61.0%

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators

The series at a glance China · 1990 – 2025
Latest value 64.6% · 2025
First value 79.2% · 1990
Highest 79.2% · 1990
Lowest 64.6% · 2025
Data points 36

By year

All years · 1990 – 2025

YearChinaChange World
2025 64.6% −0.4 pp 61.0%
2024 64.9% −0.9 pp 61.1%
2023 65.8% +0.0 pp 61.2%
2022 65.8% −1.3 pp 60.7%
2021 67.1% +1.4 pp 60.4%
2020 65.7% −1.7 pp 59.6%
2019 67.4% −0.4 pp 61.0%
2018 67.8% −0.5 pp 61.2%
2017 68.4% −0.5 pp 61.3%
2016 68.9% −0.4 pp 61.5%
2015 69.3% −0.4 pp 61.6%
2014 69.6% −0.3 pp 61.8%
2013 70.0% −0.4 pp 62.0%
2012 70.4% −0.5 pp 62.2%
2011 70.9% −0.1 pp 62.4%
2010 71.0% −0.3 pp 62.6%
2009 71.3% −0.3 pp 62.8%
2008 71.6% −0.3 pp 63.1%
2007 72.0% −0.3 pp 63.4%
2006 72.3% −0.3 pp 63.5%
2005 72.6% −0.3 pp 63.8%
2004 72.9% −0.3 pp 63.8%
2003 73.2% −0.3 pp 63.9%
2002 73.6% −0.3 pp 64.1%
2001 73.9% −0.3 pp 64.2%
2000 74.2% −0.5 pp 64.4%
1999 74.7% −0.5 pp 64.6%
1998 75.2% −0.5 pp 64.5%
1997 75.8% −0.5 pp 64.7%
1996 76.3% −0.5 pp 64.7%
1995 76.8% −0.5 pp 64.8%
1994 77.3% −0.5 pp 65.0%
1993 77.8% −0.5 pp 65.0%
1992 78.2% −0.5 pp 65.3%
1991 78.7% −0.5 pp 65.4%
1990 79.2% 65.5%

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1990 – 2025

Ranking · Countries

2015 · Place 1 is the highest value.

#TerritoryLabour force participation
41 Algeria 42.5%
24 Argentina 59.2%
29 Bangladesh 56.5%
11 Brazil 64.3%
32 Bulgaria 54.2%
8 Canada 65.9%
16 Chile 62.3%
2 China 69.3%
4 Colombia 67.0%
3 Congo - Brazzaville 68.1%
10 Congo - Kinshasa 65.3%
23 Czechia 59.4%
9 Ecuador 65.7%
40 Egypt 47.0%
26 Finland 58.8%
31 France 55.6%
37 Gabon 50.5%
21 Germany 60.2%
36 Greece 51.2%
12 Honduras 64.1%
20 Hong Kong SAR China 60.5%
33 India 53.0%
5 Indonesia 66.6%
38 Italy 48.6%
39 Lebanon 47.1%
1 Liberia 77.0%
25 Lithuania 59.2%
19 Mexico 60.6%
7 Netherlands 66.5%
6 Norway 66.6%
18 Philippines 61.4%
28 Poland 57.1%
35 Romania 51.2%
13 Russia 62.7%
22 Saudi Arabia 59.7%
30 Sierra Leone 56.2%
14 South Korea 62.6%
27 Spain 58.6%
34 Türkiye 51.3%
17 United Kingdom 62.2%
15 United States 62.3%
42 Yemen 32.1%

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 2015

What it means

The share of adults who work or are looking for work.

How it is calculated

Employed plus unemployed people aged 15 and over (16 in the US) divided by the population of that age.