Iran, Islamic Rep. — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Iran, Islamic Rep., 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Iran, Islamic Rep. was 40.97% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 47.14% in 1990. The lowest was 40.56% in 2022 (about 1.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.40% per year.
Iran, Islamic Rep. ranks 175 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 94%. The median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 44.99%, so Iran, Islamic Rep. sits below it. It peaked in 1990 and has fallen 13% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 2%. Within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it ranks 17 of 23 economies; Algeria (40.78%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 6% in 2020. That is 3% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 172nd of 187 in 1990 → 179th of 187 in 2000 → 177th of 187 in 2010 → 173rd of 187 in 2020 → 171st of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 40.97% | -0.3 pp |
| 2024 | 41.27% | -0.3 pp |
| 2023 | 41.52% | +1.0 pp |
| 2022 | 40.56% | -0.5 pp |
| 2021 | 41.04% | -0.3 pp |
| 2020 | 41.36% | -2.7 pp |
| 2019 | 44.03% | -0.4 pp |
| 2018 | 44.39% | +0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 44.24% | +1.1 pp |
| 2016 | 43.17% | +1.2 pp |
| 2015 | 41.94% | +1.1 pp |
| 2014 | 40.89% | -0.3 pp |
| 2013 | 41.15% | -0.6 pp |
| 2012 | 41.77% | +1.2 pp |
| 2011 | 40.62% | -1.7 pp |
| 2010 | 42.3% | -0.7 pp |
| 2009 | 43.03% | +0.8 pp |
| 2008 | 42.27% | -2.2 pp |
| 2007 | 44.43% | -0.9 pp |
| 2006 | 45.29% | -0.8 pp |
| 2005 | 46.12% | +0.6 pp |
| 2004 | 45.51% | +0.5 pp |
| 2003 | 44.96% | +0.4 pp |
| 2002 | 44.57% | +0.2 pp |
| 2001 | 44.33% | +0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 44.13% | +0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 44.01% | +0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 43.95% | +0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 43.93% | +0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 43.93% | -0.7 pp |
| 1995 | 44.6% | -0.6 pp |
| 1994 | 45.23% | -0.6 pp |
| 1993 | 45.8% | -0.5 pp |
| 1992 | 46.31% | -0.5 pp |
| 1991 | 46.78% | -0.4 pp |
| 1990 | 47.14% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Iran, Islamic Rep.’s Labor participation in 1991?
46.78% (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 Iran, Islamic Rep.’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -13.1% in total — about 0.4% 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: 40.97%; 2024: 41.27%; 2023: 41.52%; 2022: 40.56%; 2021: 41.04%. 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.