Estonia — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Estonia, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Estonia was 65.13% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 67.98% in 1990. The lowest was 56.96% in 2002 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.12% per year.
Estonia ranks 58 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 31%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 60.12%, so Estonia sits above it. It peaked in 1990 and has fallen 4% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 5%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 8 of 49 economies; Denmark (64.94%) is just below it. That is 2% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 47th of 187 in 1990 → 114th of 187 in 2000 → 96th of 187 in 2010 → 69th of 187 in 2020 → 57th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 65.13% | -0.3 pp |
| 2024 | 65.45% | -0.2 pp |
| 2023 | 65.6% | +0.5 pp |
| 2022 | 65.11% | +1.9 pp |
| 2021 | 63.19% | +0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 63.04% | -0.1 pp |
| 2019 | 63.16% | -0.3 pp |
| 2018 | 63.5% | +0.3 pp |
| 2017 | 63.24% | +0.6 pp |
| 2016 | 62.64% | +0.8 pp |
| 2015 | 61.82% | +0.7 pp |
| 2014 | 61.08% | -0.2 pp |
| 2013 | 61.27% | +0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 61.26% | +0.0 pp |
| 2011 | 61.26% | +0.7 pp |
| 2010 | 60.51% | -0.3 pp |
| 2009 | 60.76% | -0.4 pp |
| 2008 | 61.16% | +0.6 pp |
| 2007 | 60.51% | +0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 60.5% | +1.9 pp |
| 2005 | 58.61% | -0.3 pp |
| 2004 | 58.93% | +0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 58.75% | +1.8 pp |
| 2002 | 56.96% | -1.0 pp |
| 2001 | 57.99% | -0.9 pp |
| 2000 | 58.91% | -0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 58.98% | -1.2 pp |
| 1998 | 60.23% | -1.3 pp |
| 1997 | 61.49% | +0.3 pp |
| 1996 | 61.21% | -0.6 pp |
| 1995 | 61.84% | -1.2 pp |
| 1994 | 63.06% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 63.16% | -1.5 pp |
| 1992 | 64.68% | -2.1 pp |
| 1991 | 66.78% | -1.2 pp |
| 1990 | 67.98% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Estonia’s Labor participation in 1991?
66.78% (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 Estonia’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -4.2% in total — about 0.1% 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: 65.13%; 2024: 65.45%; 2023: 65.6%; 2022: 65.11%; 2021: 63.19%. 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.