Labor Force Participation Rate 1997

Labor force participation rate measures the active workforce in each country. Explore rankings, compare nations, and view historical trends.

212 data points•Updated 3/28/2026•Global Coverage•CIA World Factbook•

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Complete Data Rankings

Rank
1	Wallis and Futuna Islands	NaN
2	Afghanistan	NaN
3	Albania	NaN
4	Algeria	NaN
5	American Samoa	NaN
6	Andorra	NaN
7	Angola	NaN
8	Anguilla	NaN
9	Antigua and Barbuda	NaN
10	Argentina	NaN
11	Aruba	NaN
12	Australia	NaN
13	Austria	NaN
14	Azerbaijan	NaN
15	Bahamas	NaN
16	Bahrain	NaN
17	Bangladesh	NaN
18	Barbados	NaN
19	Belarus	NaN
20	Belgium	NaN
21	Belize	NaN
22	Benin	NaN
23	Bermuda	NaN
24	Bhutan	NaN
25	Bolivia	NaN
26	Bosnia and Herzegovina	NaN
27	Botswana	NaN
28	Brazil	NaN
29	British Virgin Islands	NaN
30	Brunei Darussalam	NaN
31	Bulgaria	NaN
32	Burkina Faso	NaN
33	Myanmar	NaN
34	Burundi	NaN
35	Cambodia	2.5
36	Cameroon	NaN
37	Canada	NaN
38	Cayman Islands	NaN
39	Central African Republic	NaN
40	Chad	NaN
41	Chile	NaN
42	China	NaN
43	Colombia	NaN
44	Comoros	NaN
45	Congo, Democratic Republic of the	NaN
46	Congo	NaN
47	Cook Islands	NaN
48	Costa Rica	NaN
49	Côte d'Ivoire	NaN
50	Croatia	NaN
51	Cuba	NaN
52	Cyprus	NaN
53	Czech Republic	NaN
54	Denmark	NaN
55	Djibouti	NaN
56	Dominica	NaN
57	Dominican Republic	2.3
58	Ecuador	NaN
59	Egypt	NaN
60	El Salvador	NaN
61	Equatorial Guinea	NaN
62	Eritrea	NaN
63	Estonia	NaN
64	Ethiopia	NaN
65	Falkland Islands (Malvinas)	NaN
66	Faroe Islands	NaN
67	Fiji	NaN
68	Finland	NaN
69	France	NaN
70	French Guiana	NaN
71	French Polynesia	NaN
72	Gabon	NaN
73	Gambia	NaN
74	Georgia	NaN
75	Germany	NaN
76	Ghana	NaN
77	Gibraltar	NaN
78	Greece	NaN
79	Greenland	NaN
80	Grenada	NaN
81	Guadeloupe	NaN
82	Guam	NaN
83	Guatemala	NaN
84	Guinea	NaN
85	Guinea-Bissau	NaN
86	Guyana	NaN
87	Haiti	NaN
88	Holy See	NaN
89	Honduras	NaN
90	Hungary	NaN
91	Iceland	NaN
92	India	NaN
93	Indonesia	NaN
94	Iran	NaN
95	Iraq	NaN
96	Ireland	NaN
97	Israel	NaN
98	Italy	NaN
99	Jamaica	NaN
100	Japan	NaN
101	Jordan	NaN
102	Kenya	NaN
103	Kiribati	NaN
104	North Korea	NaN
105	South Korea	NaN
106	Kuwait	NaN
107	Kyrgyzstan	NaN
108	Laos	1
109	Latvia	NaN
110	Lebanon	NaN
111	Lesotho	NaN
112	Liberia	NaN
113	Libya	NaN
114	Liechtenstein	NaN
115	Lithuania	NaN
116	Luxembourg	NaN
117	North Macedonia	NaN
118	Madagascar	NaN
119	Malawi	NaN
120	Malaysia	NaN
121	Maldives	NaN
122	Mali	NaN
123	Malta	NaN
124	Martinique	NaN
125	Mauritania	NaN
126	Mauritius	NaN
127	Mayotte	NaN
128	Mexico	NaN
129	Republic of Moldova	NaN
130	Monaco	NaN
131	Mongolia	NaN
132	Montserrat	NaN
133	Morocco	NaN
134	Mozambique	NaN
135	Namibia	NaN
136	Nauru	NaN
137	Nepal	NaN
138	Netherlands	NaN
139	New Caledonia	NaN
140	New Zealand	NaN
141	Nicaragua	NaN
142	Niger	NaN
143	Niue	NaN
144	Nigeria	NaN
145	Northern Mariana Islands	NaN
146	Norway	NaN
147	Oman	NaN
148	Pakistan	NaN
149	Panama	NaN
150	Papua New Guinea	NaN
151	Paraguay	NaN
152	Peru	NaN
153	Philippines	NaN
154	Poland	NaN
155	Portugal	NaN
156	Puerto Rico	NaN
157	Qatar	NaN
158	Réunion	NaN
159	Romania	NaN
160	Russia	NaN
161	Rwanda	NaN
162	Saint Helena	NaN
163	Saint Kitts and Nevis	NaN
164	Saint Lucia	NaN
165	Saint Pierre and Miquelon	NaN
166	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	NaN
167	San Marino	NaN
168	Sao Tome and Principe	NaN
169	Saudi Arabia	6
170	Senegal	NaN
171	Seychelles	NaN
172	Sierra Leone	NaN
173	Singapore	NaN
174	Slovakia	NaN
175	Slovenia	NaN
176	Solomon Islands	NaN
177	Somalia	NaN
178	South Africa	NaN
179	Spain	NaN
180	Sri Lanka	NaN
181	Suriname	NaN
182	Eswatini	NaN
183	Sweden	NaN
184	Switzerland	NaN
185	Syrian Arab Republic	NaN
186	Tajikistan	NaN
187	Tanzania	NaN
188	Thailand	NaN
189	Togo	NaN
190	Tokelau	NaN
191	Tonga	NaN
192	Trinidad and Tobago	NaN
193	Tunisia	NaN
194	Turkmenistan	NaN
195	Turks and Caicos Islands	NaN
196	Tuvalu	NaN
197	Uganda	NaN
198	Ukraine	NaN
199	United Arab Emirates	NaN
200	United Kingdom	NaN
201	United States	NaN
202	Uruguay	NaN
203	Uzbekistan	NaN
204	Vanuatu	NaN
205	Venezuela	NaN
206	Vietnam	NaN
207	United States Virgin Islands	NaN
208	Samoa	NaN
209	Yemen	NaN
210	Zambia	NaN
211	Zimbabwe	NaN
212	Taiwan	NaN

↑Top 10 Countries

Analysis: These countries represent the highest values in this dataset, showcasing significant scale and impact on global statistics.

↓Bottom 10 Countries

Context: These countries or territories have the lowest values, often due to geographic size, administrative status, or specific characteristics.

Analysis & Context

In 1997, the Labor Force Participation Rate was highest in Saudi Arabia with a value of 6.00, while the global range spanned from 1.00 to 6.00. The average labor force participation rate across the four countries with available data was 2.95, providing a snapshot of workforce engagement during this period.

Economic Drivers of Labor Force Participation

The disparity in the Labor Force Participation Rate among countries such as Saudi Arabia (6.00) and Laos (1.00) can often be attributed to economic structures and employment opportunities. Saudi Arabia's higher rate may reflect its economic reliance on the oil industry, which necessitates a significant portion of the population being engaged in labor. In contrast, economies like Laos may have less industrial diversification, resulting in fewer formal employment opportunities and thus a lower participation rate.

Countries like Cambodia (2.5) and the Dominican Republic (2.3) also showcase lower participation rates which could be indicative of emerging economies where informal employment sectors dominate. These factors often limit the recorded labor force participation, as informal workers are frequently underrepresented in official statistics.

Demographic and Social Influences

Demographic factors such as age distribution, gender roles, and educational attainment also play crucial roles in determining labor force participation. In Saudi Arabia, cultural norms regarding gender and labor may lead to a skewed participation rate, with male labor predominating. Meanwhile, countries like Cambodia and the Dominican Republic might experience different demographic pressures, such as higher youth populations that are not yet integrated into the workforce, contributing to their lower rates.

Social policies surrounding education and training can influence these rates as well. For instance, if a country has a large number of young people pursuing education rather than entering the workforce immediately, this will be reflected in the labor force participation rate.

Year-over-Year Stability and Its Implications

The data from 1997 reveals no change in labor force participation rates, with all countries showing a 0.00 percent change. This stability suggests a period of economic equilibrium or perhaps stagnation where significant shifts in employment patterns did not occur. For Saudi Arabia, maintaining a high rate could indicate consistent demand for labor driven by stable oil production. Conversely, the lack of change in countries like Laos and Cambodia might suggest barriers to economic development, such as limited industrial growth or investment in human capital.

This lack of movement also highlights a potential need for policy interventions to stimulate job creation and workforce engagement, particularly in countries with lower participation rates. Improving educational opportunities and fostering economic diversification could be key strategies for enhancing labor force participation.

Geopolitical Context and Policy Implications

The geopolitical landscape in 1997 also influenced labor force participation rates. Countries like Saudi Arabia might have benefited from geopolitical stability and favorable economic conditions, allowing for a robust labor market. In contrast, countries with lower rates, such as Laos, could have faced challenges such as political instability or insufficient infrastructure, hindering economic growth and labor market expansion.

Policy measures aimed at improving labor force participation rates could include investment in vocational training, infrastructure development, and reforms to encourage female workforce participation. For instance, addressing gender disparities in countries with traditionally low female participation could significantly impact overall labor force engagement.

In summary, the Labor Force Participation Rate in 1997 provides valuable insights into the economic and social dynamics of the countries studied. Understanding these factors is crucial for policymakers aiming to enhance workforce participation and economic growth.

Data Source

CIA World Factbook

The World Factbook, also known as the CIA World Factbook, was a reference resource produced by the US Central Intelligence Agency between 1962 and 2026 with almanac-style information about the countries of the world. From 1971 it was not classified, and available to the public in print since 1975, initially by the CIA, and later the Government Publishing Office.

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Historical Data by Year

Explore Labor Force Participation Rate data across different years. Compare trends and see how statistics have changed over time.

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