Romania — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Romania, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Romania was 51.33% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 52.64% in 2022. The lowest was 47.21% in 2009 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.07% per year.
Romania ranks 157 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 84%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 60.12%, so Romania sits below it. It peaked in 2022 and has fallen 2% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 0%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 45 of 49 economies; Italy (49.30%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 7% in 2009.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 159th of 187 in 1990 → 155th of 187 in 2000 → 156th of 187 in 2010 → 147th of 187 in 2020 → 155th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 51.33% | -0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 51.46% | -0.3 pp |
| 2023 | 51.74% | -0.9 pp |
| 2022 | 52.64% | +0.2 pp |
| 2021 | 52.47% | +0.5 pp |
| 2020 | 52% | -0.0 pp |
| 2019 | 52.02% | +0.2 pp |
| 2018 | 51.83% | -0.0 pp |
| 2017 | 51.84% | +0.9 pp |
| 2016 | 50.94% | -0.3 pp |
| 2015 | 51.24% | +0.7 pp |
| 2014 | 50.52% | +0.4 pp |
| 2013 | 50.08% | +0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 50.04% | +0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 49.91% | -0.4 pp |
| 2010 | 50.26% | +3.1 pp |
| 2009 | 47.21% | -3.8 pp |
| 2008 | 50.97% | +0.3 pp |
| 2007 | 50.71% | +0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 50.58% | +0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 50.53% | -0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 50.57% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 50.72% | +0.0 pp |
| 2002 | 50.72% | -0.2 pp |
| 2001 | 50.89% | -0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 51.07% | +0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 51.03% | +0.2 pp |
| 1998 | 50.84% | +0.3 pp |
| 1997 | 50.58% | +0.3 pp |
| 1996 | 50.26% | -0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 50.38% | -0.3 pp |
| 1994 | 50.65% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 50.76% | +0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 50.7% | +0.4 pp |
| 1991 | 50.3% | +0.2 pp |
| 1990 | 50.06% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Romania’s Labor participation in 1991?
50.3% (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 Romania’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +2.5% 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: 51.33%; 2024: 51.46%; 2023: 51.74%; 2022: 52.64%; 2021: 52.47%. 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.