Countries With the Lowest Male Labor Participation
Every country with a figure for male labor participation, ranked from lowest to highest. The top three are Sao Tome and Principe (24%), Djibouti (44.6%) and Turkmenistan (46.1%). The middle country of the 187 has 69.8%.
What this measures
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population 15+), in % of men 15+. Source: International Labour Organization. For this measure, no agreed better direction.
The full ranking
Each country’s latest figure, from 2021–2025. The year beside each value says when it was measured.
| Rank | Country | Male labor participation | Year | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sao Tome and Principe | 24% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 2 | Djibouti | 44.6% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 3 | Turkmenistan | 46.1% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 4 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 47.2% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 5 | Gambia, The | 49.5% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 6 | Puerto Rico (US) | 49.6% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 7 | Nepal | 52.9% | 2025 | South Asia |
| 8 | Papua New Guinea | 53.3% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 9 | Eswatini | 54% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 10 | Samoa | 54.5% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 11 | Sierra Leone | 55.2% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 12 | Tajikistan | 55.8% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 13 | Virgin Islands (U.S.) | 56.2% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 14 | Mauritania | 56.6% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 15 | Croatia | 57.4% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 16 | French Polynesia | 58% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 17 | Italy | 58.3% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 18 | Belgium | 59% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 19 | Tonga | 59% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 20 | Togo | 59% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 21 | France | 59.5% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 22 | Greece | 59.9% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 23 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 60% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 24 | Gabon | 60.1% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 25 | Yemen, Rep. | 61.2% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 26 | Syrian Arab Republic | 61.4% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 27 | Sudan | 61.6% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 28 | Romania | 61.7% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 29 | South Africa | 61.7% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 30 | North Macedonia | 61.8% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 31 | Ghana | 61.8% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 32 | New Caledonia | 62% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 33 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 62.1% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 34 | Portugal | 62.1% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 35 | Spain | 62.2% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 36 | Bulgaria | 62.4% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 37 | Jordan | 62.5% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 38 | Libya | 62.5% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 39 | Slovenia | 62.8% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 40 | Ukraine | 62.8% | 2021 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 41 | Suriname | 62.9% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 42 | Vanuatu | 62.9% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 43 | Finland | 63% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 44 | Namibia | 63% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 45 | Guinea | 63.1% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 46 | Guyana | 63.3% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 47 | Cabo Verde | 63.4% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 48 | Channel Islands | 63.7% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 49 | Comoros | 63.9% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 50 | Tunisia | 64.9% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 51 | Cuba | 65.1% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 52 | Austria | 65.4% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 53 | Montenegro | 65.4% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 54 | Luxembourg | 65.5% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 55 | Poland | 65.6% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 56 | United Kingdom | 65.6% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 57 | Senegal | 65.7% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 58 | Azerbaijan | 66% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 59 | Germany | 66.1% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 60 | Slovak Republic | 66.1% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 61 | Algeria | 66.4% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 62 | Serbia | 66.5% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 63 | Lebanon | 66.7% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 64 | Latvia | 66.8% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 65 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 66.8% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 66 | Lesotho | 66.9% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 67 | United States | 67.1% | 2025 | North America |
| 68 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 67.2% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 69 | Equatorial Guinea | 67.2% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 70 | Malawi | 67.3% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 71 | Hungary | 67.5% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 72 | Czechia | 67.5% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 73 | Venezuela, RB | 67.5% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 74 | Zambia | 67.6% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 75 | Sweden | 67.6% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 76 | Sri Lanka | 67.8% | 2025 | South Asia |
| 77 | Guam | 68% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 78 | Morocco | 68.1% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 79 | Trinidad and Tobago | 68.1% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 80 | Mongolia | 68.2% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 81 | Barbados | 68.7% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 82 | Israel | 68.8% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 83 | Canada | 68.9% | 2025 | North America |
| 84 | Lithuania | 69% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 85 | Russian Federation | 69% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 86 | Norway | 69.1% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 87 | Denmark | 69.2% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 88 | Armenia | 69.5% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 89 | Guinea-Bissau | 69.6% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 90 | Myanmar | 69.7% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 91 | Mauritius | 69.7% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 92 | Haiti | 69.7% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 93 | Afghanistan | 69.8% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 94 | Costa Rica | 69.8% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 95 | Estonia | 69.8% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 96 | China | 69.9% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 97 | Belarus | 69.9% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 98 | Congo, Rep. | 70.1% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 99 | Ireland | 70.1% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 100 | Albania | 70.2% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 101 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 70.5% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 102 | Rwanda | 70.6% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 103 | Lao PDR | 70.6% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 104 | Australia | 70.7% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 105 | Switzerland | 71.4% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 106 | Kyrgyz Republic | 71.4% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 107 | Japan | 71.5% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 108 | Malta | 71.5% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 109 | Belize | 71.6% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 110 | Argentina | 71.7% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 111 | Chad | 71.7% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 112 | Bhutan | 71.8% | 2025 | South Asia |
| 113 | Kenya | 71.8% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 114 | Turkiye | 71.9% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 115 | Netherlands | 71.9% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 116 | Chile | 71.9% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 117 | Korea, Rep. | 72% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 118 | West Bank and Gaza | 72.1% | 2022 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 119 | Moldova | 72.2% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 120 | Timor-Leste | 72.2% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 121 | Philippines | 72.5% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 122 | Iraq | 72.6% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 123 | Cyprus | 72.7% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 124 | Brunei Darussalam | 72.8% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 125 | Brazil | 73.4% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 126 | Kazakhstan | 73.4% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 127 | Uruguay | 73.4% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 128 | Georgia | 73.5% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 129 | Honduras | 73.5% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 130 | Macao SAR, China | 73.6% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 131 | Uzbekistan | 73.9% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 132 | Cameroon | 73.9% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 133 | Botswana | 74% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 134 | Zimbabwe | 74.3% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 135 | Cote d'Ivoire | 74.4% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 136 | New Zealand | 74.7% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 137 | St. Lucia | 74.8% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 138 | Thailand | 75% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 139 | Singapore | 75.4% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 140 | Colombia | 75.7% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 141 | Burkina Faso | 76.1% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 142 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 76.3% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 143 | Jamaica | 76.3% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 144 | Dominican Republic | 76.4% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 145 | Maldives | 76.4% | 2025 | South Asia |
| 146 | Fiji | 76.5% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 147 | South Sudan | 76.6% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 148 | Ecuador | 76.9% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 149 | Burundi | 77% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 150 | Mexico | 77.1% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 151 | Bahamas, The | 77.2% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 152 | El Salvador | 77.3% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 153 | Viet Nam | 77.3% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 154 | Angola | 77.5% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 155 | Benin | 77.6% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 156 | India | 77.6% | 2025 | South Asia |
| 157 | Panama | 77.9% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 158 | Ethiopia | 78.6% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 159 | Malaysia | 79.2% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 160 | Iceland | 79.6% | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 161 | Pakistan | 80.1% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 162 | Bangladesh | 80.4% | 2025 | South Asia |
| 163 | Mozambique | 80.5% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 164 | Peru | 80.9% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 165 | Mali | 81% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 166 | Liberia | 81.2% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 167 | Paraguay | 81.6% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 168 | Guatemala | 81.7% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 169 | Nicaragua | 81.8% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 170 | Indonesia | 82.3% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 171 | Central African Republic | 82.8% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 172 | Saudi Arabia | 83.3% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 173 | Eritrea | 84.1% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 174 | Nigeria | 84.3% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 175 | Bolivia | 84.4% | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 176 | Uganda | 84.6% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 177 | Bahrain | 85.9% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 178 | Solomon Islands | 86.2% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 179 | Niger | 86.5% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 180 | Korea, Dem. People's Rep. | 86.8% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 181 | Tanzania | 87.3% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 182 | Cambodia | 87.8% | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 183 | Madagascar | 88.1% | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 184 | Oman | 88.1% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 185 | Kuwait | 88.6% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 186 | United Arab Emirates | 91.5% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 187 | Qatar | 95.6% | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
More on male labor participation
- Countries With the Highest Male Labor Participation
- Male labor participation by country: trend over time and what it goes with
Related rankings
- Countries With the Lowest Active Labour Market Spending
- Countries With the Lowest Unemployment Benefit Spending
- Countries With the Lowest Retirement Age, Men
- Countries With the Lowest Retirement Age, Women
- Countries With the Lowest Hours Worked
- Countries With the Lowest Informal Employment
- Countries With the Lowest Unemployment
- Countries With the Lowest Female Labor Participation
A ranking describes countries, not the people in them, and a high or low place does not by itself say why. All country rankings.