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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

2023 · Place 1 is the highest value.

#TerritoryLabour force participation
41 Algeria 41.5%
15 Argentina 62.3%
23 Bangladesh 60.9%
13 Brazil 62.9%
29 Bulgaria 56.9%
7 Canada 65.4%
20 Chile 61.5%
6 China 65.8%
12 Colombia 63.7%
3 Congo - Brazzaville 67.9%
10 Congo - Kinshasa 64.4%
24 Czechia 60.4%
9 Ecuador 64.5%
39 Egypt 44.7%
25 Finland 60.3%
31 France 55.9%
37 Gabon 51.5%
22 Germany 61.0%
35 Greece 51.8%
30 Honduras 56.5%
28 Hong Kong SAR China 57.2%
32 India 54.7%
2 Indonesia 67.9%
38 Italy 49.8%
40 Lebanon 43.4%
1 Liberia 76.6%
14 Lithuania 62.9%
19 Mexico 61.7%
4 Netherlands 67.7%
5 Norway 65.9%
21 Philippines 61.4%
26 Poland 59.2%
36 Romania 51.7%
16 Russia 62.1%
8 Saudi Arabia 65.3%
33 Sierra Leone 53.6%
11 South Korea 64.3%
27 Spain 57.6%
34 Türkiye 53.3%
18 United Kingdom 61.8%
17 United States 62.1%
42 Yemen 33.1%

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 2023

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.