Papua New Guinea — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Papua New Guinea, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Papua New Guinea was 52.07% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The latest year is also the highest value on record for this series. The lowest was 47.95% in 1994 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.20% per year.
Papua New Guinea ranks 152 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 81%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 64.35%, so Papua New Guinea sits below it. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 5%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 27 of 29 economies; Tonga (49.81%) is just below it.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 165th of 187 in 1990 → 165th of 187 in 2000 → 164th of 187 in 2010 → 150th of 187 in 2020 → 150th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 52.07% | +0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 51.96% | -0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 51.96% | -0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 51.99% | +0.3 pp |
| 2021 | 51.67% | +0.7 pp |
| 2020 | 51% | -0.1 pp |
| 2019 | 51.14% | +0.3 pp |
| 2018 | 50.83% | +0.4 pp |
| 2017 | 50.42% | +0.3 pp |
| 2016 | 50.09% | +0.3 pp |
| 2015 | 49.8% | +0.3 pp |
| 2014 | 49.53% | +0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 49.39% | +0.3 pp |
| 2012 | 49.06% | +0.3 pp |
| 2011 | 48.74% | +0.4 pp |
| 2010 | 48.34% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 48.48% | -0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 48.56% | +0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 48.49% | -0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 48.58% | -0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 48.62% | -0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 48.68% | +0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 48.67% | +0.0 pp |
| 2002 | 48.65% | +0.1 pp |
| 2001 | 48.57% | +0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 48.5% | +0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 48.37% | +0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 48.34% | +0.2 pp |
| 1997 | 48.18% | +0.2 pp |
| 1996 | 48.02% | -0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 48.1% | +0.2 pp |
| 1994 | 47.95% | -0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 48% | -0.3 pp |
| 1992 | 48.28% | -0.2 pp |
| 1991 | 48.48% | -0.1 pp |
| 1990 | 48.6% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Papua New Guinea’s Labor participation in 1991?
48.48% (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 Papua New Guinea’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +7.1% 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: 52.07%; 2024: 51.96%; 2023: 51.96%; 2022: 51.99%; 2021: 51.67%. 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.