Bhutan — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Bhutan, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Bhutan was 64.82% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 70.57% in 1990. The lowest was 62.60% in 2018 (about 1.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.24% per year.
Bhutan ranks 64 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 34%. The median for South Asia is 58.80%, so Bhutan sits above it. It peaked in 1990 and has fallen 8% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 3%. Within South Asia it ranks 1 of 6 economies; Maldives (63.50%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 9% in 2022.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 38th of 187 in 1990 → 38th of 187 in 2000 → 38th of 187 in 2010 → 36th of 187 in 2020 → 63rd of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 64.82% | -0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 64.9% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 64.99% | +1.9 pp |
| 2022 | 63.09% | -6.0 pp |
| 2021 | 69.09% | +1.3 pp |
| 2020 | 67.83% | +1.5 pp |
| 2019 | 66.36% | +3.8 pp |
| 2018 | 62.6% | -0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 62.78% | -0.2 pp |
| 2016 | 62.96% | -0.2 pp |
| 2015 | 63.14% | +0.5 pp |
| 2014 | 62.61% | -2.7 pp |
| 2013 | 65.3% | +0.9 pp |
| 2012 | 64.4% | -3.0 pp |
| 2011 | 67.41% | -0.7 pp |
| 2010 | 68.15% | -1.5 pp |
| 2009 | 69.7% | +0.0 pp |
| 2008 | 69.67% | +0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 69.61% | +0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 69.53% | +0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 69.47% | +0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 69.47% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 69.52% | -0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 69.61% | -0.1 pp |
| 2001 | 69.73% | -0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 69.88% | -0.2 pp |
| 1999 | 70.05% | -0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 70.14% | -0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 70.16% | -0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 70.19% | -0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 70.23% | -0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 70.28% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 70.34% | -0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 70.41% | -0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 70.49% | -0.1 pp |
| 1990 | 70.57% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Bhutan’s Labor participation in 1991?
70.49% (1991). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of population ages 15+, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Bhutan’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -8.1% in total — about 0.2% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 64.82%; 2024: 64.9%; 2023: 64.99%; 2022: 63.09%; 2021: 69.09%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.TLF.CACT.ZS — Labor Force Participation Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.