Nepal — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Nepal, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Nepal was 39.24% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 41.56% in 1992. Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.16% per year.
Nepal ranks 179 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 96%. The median for South Asia is 58.80%, so Nepal sits below it. It peaked in 1992 and has fallen 6% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 2%. Within South Asia it ranks 6 of 6 economies; Sri Lanka (48.52%) is just above it.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 182nd of 187 in 1990 → 182nd of 187 in 2000 → 181st of 187 in 2010 → 178th of 187 in 2020 → 175th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 39.24% | -0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 39.31% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 39.38% | -0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 39.43% | -0.1 pp |
| 2021 | 39.51% | +0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 39.39% | -0.4 pp |
| 2019 | 39.77% | +0.0 pp |
| 2018 | 39.74% | -0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 39.92% | -0.2 pp |
| 2016 | 40.1% | -0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 40.22% | -0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 40.34% | -0.2 pp |
| 2013 | 40.51% | -0.2 pp |
| 2012 | 40.7% | -0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 40.84% | -0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 40.91% | -0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 40.95% | -0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 41.01% | -0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 41.09% | -0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 41.17% | -0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 41.24% | -0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 41.29% | -0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 41.31% | -0.0 pp |
| 2002 | 41.33% | -0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 41.35% | -0.0 pp |
| 2000 | 41.36% | -0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 41.39% | -0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 41.41% | -0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 41.43% | -0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 41.46% | -0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 41.5% | -0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 41.53% | -0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 41.56% | +0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 41.56% | +0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 41.54% | -0.0 pp |
| 1990 | 41.55% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Nepal’s Labor participation in 1991?
41.54% (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 Nepal’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -5.6% 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: 39.24%; 2024: 39.31%; 2023: 39.38%; 2022: 39.43%; 2021: 39.51%. 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.