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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

2022 · Place 1 is the highest value.

#TerritoryLabour force participation
42 Yemen 33.0%
41 Algeria 41.8%
40 Egypt 42.8%
39 Lebanon 43.4%
38 Italy 49.0%
37 Gabon 51.6%
36 Greece 51.8%
35 Romania 52.6%
34 Türkiye 53.1%
33 India 53.6%
32 Sierra Leone 53.7%
31 France 55.8%
30 Bulgaria 56.7%
29 Spain 57.6%
28 Hong Kong SAR China 57.9%
27 Honduras 58.6%
26 Poland 58.9%
25 Czechia 59.9%
24 Chile 60.1%
23 Finland 60.4%
22 Germany 60.8%
21 Mexico 60.9%
20 Philippines 61.4%
19 Argentina 61.5%
18 United States 61.8%
17 Bangladesh 61.9%
16 United Kingdom 61.9%
15 Russia 61.9%
14 Lithuania 62.7%
13 Colombia 63.2%
12 Brazil 63.5%
11 South Korea 63.8%
10 Saudi Arabia 63.8%
9 Congo - Kinshasa 64.4%
8 Canada 65.2%
7 China 65.8%
6 Ecuador 65.8%
5 Norway 66.0%
4 Indonesia 67.0%
3 Netherlands 67.2%
2 Congo - Brazzaville 67.9%
1 Liberia 76.7%

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 2022

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.