China — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for China, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for China was 64.55% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 79.17% in 1990. Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.58% per year.
China ranks 68 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 36%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 64.35%, so China sits above it. It peaked in 1990 and has fallen 18% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 7%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 14 of 29 economies; Korea, Rep. (64.35%) is just below it. That is 3% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 15th of 187 in 1990 → 25th of 187 in 2000 → 31st of 187 in 2010 → 49th of 187 in 2020 → 67th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 64.55% | -0.4 pp |
| 2024 | 64.91% | -0.9 pp |
| 2023 | 65.83% | +0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 65.8% | -1.3 pp |
| 2021 | 67.11% | +1.4 pp |
| 2020 | 65.72% | -1.7 pp |
| 2019 | 67.38% | -0.4 pp |
| 2018 | 67.81% | -0.5 pp |
| 2017 | 68.35% | -0.5 pp |
| 2016 | 68.88% | -0.4 pp |
| 2015 | 69.3% | -0.4 pp |
| 2014 | 69.65% | -0.3 pp |
| 2013 | 69.97% | -0.4 pp |
| 2012 | 70.41% | -0.5 pp |
| 2011 | 70.86% | -0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 70.96% | -0.3 pp |
| 2009 | 71.29% | -0.3 pp |
| 2008 | 71.63% | -0.3 pp |
| 2007 | 71.95% | -0.3 pp |
| 2006 | 72.28% | -0.3 pp |
| 2005 | 72.61% | -0.3 pp |
| 2004 | 72.93% | -0.3 pp |
| 2003 | 73.25% | -0.3 pp |
| 2002 | 73.56% | -0.3 pp |
| 2001 | 73.88% | -0.3 pp |
| 2000 | 74.19% | -0.5 pp |
| 1999 | 74.72% | -0.5 pp |
| 1998 | 75.25% | -0.5 pp |
| 1997 | 75.76% | -0.5 pp |
| 1996 | 76.27% | -0.5 pp |
| 1995 | 76.77% | -0.5 pp |
| 1994 | 77.27% | -0.5 pp |
| 1993 | 77.75% | -0.5 pp |
| 1992 | 78.23% | -0.5 pp |
| 1991 | 78.71% | -0.5 pp |
| 1990 | 79.17% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was China’s Labor participation in 1991?
78.71% (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 China’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -18.5% in total — about 0.6% 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: 64.55%; 2024: 64.91%; 2023: 65.83%; 2022: 65.8%; 2021: 67.11%. 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.