Saudi Arabia — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Saudi Arabia, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Saudi Arabia was 65.10% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 65.34% in 2023. The lowest was 47.89% in 2003 (about 1.4× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.68% per year.
Saudi Arabia ranks 59 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 32%. The median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 44.99%, so Saudi Arabia sits above it. It peaked in 2023 and has fallen 0% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 9%. Within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it ranks 7 of 23 economies; Malta (63.98%) is just below it. That is 4% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
Doubling roughly every 102 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 149th of 187 in 1990 → 164th of 187 in 2000 → 152nd of 187 in 2010 → 75th of 187 in 2020 → 58th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 65.1% | -0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 65.2% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 65.34% | +1.5 pp |
| 2022 | 63.8% | +0.3 pp |
| 2021 | 63.51% | +1.1 pp |
| 2020 | 62.41% | +1.2 pp |
| 2019 | 61.2% | +1.8 pp |
| 2018 | 59.42% | +0.4 pp |
| 2017 | 58.99% | -1.7 pp |
| 2016 | 60.69% | +0.9 pp |
| 2015 | 59.75% | +1.3 pp |
| 2014 | 58.41% | +1.3 pp |
| 2013 | 57.15% | +1.8 pp |
| 2012 | 55.4% | +2.0 pp |
| 2011 | 53.37% | +1.9 pp |
| 2010 | 51.43% | +1.8 pp |
| 2009 | 49.58% | +0.4 pp |
| 2008 | 49.14% | +0.5 pp |
| 2007 | 48.65% | +0.3 pp |
| 2006 | 48.35% | +0.3 pp |
| 2005 | 48.06% | +0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 47.91% | +0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 47.89% | -0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 47.98% | -0.4 pp |
| 2001 | 48.37% | -0.6 pp |
| 2000 | 49% | +0.8 pp |
| 1999 | 48.22% | -0.5 pp |
| 1998 | 48.69% | -0.5 pp |
| 1997 | 49.18% | -0.5 pp |
| 1996 | 49.66% | -0.5 pp |
| 1995 | 50.13% | -0.4 pp |
| 1994 | 50.56% | -0.4 pp |
| 1993 | 50.97% | -0.4 pp |
| 1992 | 51.35% | +0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 51.26% | -0.1 pp |
| 1990 | 51.35% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Saudi Arabia’s Labor participation in 1991?
51.26% (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 Saudi Arabia’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +26.8% in total — about 0.7% 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: 65.1%; 2024: 65.2%; 2023: 65.34%; 2022: 63.8%; 2021: 63.51%. 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.