Saudi Arabia Female Labor Participation
Female labor force participation rate SL.TLF.CACT.FE.ZS
Overview
Saudi Arabia's female labor participation stood at 33.57% in 2025, a rise of +0.27pp from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 33.27% by 2026. Saudi Arabia ranked 159th globally.
Data & projection
| Year | Female Labor Participation | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 32.85% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 33.06% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 33.27% | - | - |
| 2025 | 33.57% | +0.27pp | #159 |
| 2024 | 33.31% | −0.97pp | #159 |
| 2023 | 34.28% | +0.18pp | #160 |
| 2022 | 34.10% | −0.12pp | #160 |
| 2021 | 34.22% | +4.91pp | #160 |
| 2020 | 29.31% | +4.94pp | #164 |
| 2019 | 24.37% | +2.54pp | #170 |
| 2018 | 21.82% | +1.97pp | #172 |
| 2017 | 19.86% | −3.01pp | #178 |
| 2016 | 22.87% | +1.23pp | #174 |
| 2015 | 21.64% | +1.36pp | #176 |
| 2014 | 20.28% | +0.46pp | #177 |
| 2013 | 19.82% | +0.06pp | #177 |
| 2012 | 19.76% | +0.80pp | #177 |
| 2011 | 18.95% | +1.33pp | #177 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Saudi Arabia matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2012. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw female labor participation improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Saudi Arabia's female labor participation was 33.57% in 2025. Ranked 159th globally. This represents a 0.8% increase from the previous year.
Saudi Arabia's female labor participation peaked at 34.28% in 2023.
The lowest female labor participation in Saudi Arabia was 14.91% in 1991.
Saudi Arabia ranks 159th globally in female labor participation as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.TLF.CACT.FE.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Saudi Arabia's female labor participation is projected to reach 33.27% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The female labor participation of Saudi Arabia in 2025 was 33.57%. This ranks 159th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_saudi-arabia_female-labor-participation,
title = {Saudi Arabia Female Labor Participation},
url = {https://historysaid.com/saudi-arabia/female-labor-participation},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}