Sri Lanka — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Sri Lanka, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Sri Lanka was 48.52% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 61.45% in 1990. The lowest was 47.40% in 2023 (about 1.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.67% per year.
Sri Lanka ranks 163 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 87%. The median for South Asia is 58.80%, so Sri Lanka sits below it. It peaked in 1990 and has fallen 21% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 10%. Within South Asia it ranks 5 of 6 economies; Nepal (39.24%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 6% in 1998. That is 5% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 91st of 187 in 1990 → 137th of 187 in 2000 → 143rd of 187 in 2010 → 155th of 187 in 2020 → 161st of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 48.52% | -0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 48.6% | +1.2 pp |
| 2023 | 47.4% | -2.3 pp |
| 2022 | 49.73% | -0.1 pp |
| 2021 | 49.84% | -0.7 pp |
| 2020 | 50.5% | -1.8 pp |
| 2019 | 52.25% | +0.5 pp |
| 2018 | 51.72% | -2.3 pp |
| 2017 | 53.99% | +0.3 pp |
| 2016 | 53.73% | +0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 53.67% | +2.1 pp |
| 2014 | 51.6% | -0.5 pp |
| 2013 | 52.05% | -0.5 pp |
| 2012 | 52.57% | -0.3 pp |
| 2011 | 52.87% | -0.4 pp |
| 2010 | 53.3% | -0.2 pp |
| 2009 | 53.52% | -0.2 pp |
| 2008 | 53.75% | -0.2 pp |
| 2007 | 53.98% | -0.2 pp |
| 2006 | 54.21% | -0.2 pp |
| 2005 | 54.44% | -0.2 pp |
| 2004 | 54.66% | -0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 54.89% | -0.2 pp |
| 2002 | 55.12% | -0.2 pp |
| 2001 | 55.34% | -0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 55.57% | -1.7 pp |
| 1999 | 57.31% | -1.5 pp |
| 1998 | 58.82% | +3.6 pp |
| 1997 | 55.24% | -0.2 pp |
| 1996 | 55.4% | +0.5 pp |
| 1995 | 54.88% | -2.2 pp |
| 1994 | 57.04% | +0.3 pp |
| 1993 | 56.72% | +0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 56.62% | -2.4 pp |
| 1991 | 59.06% | -2.4 pp |
| 1990 | 61.45% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Sri Lanka’s Labor participation in 1991?
59.06% (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 Sri Lanka’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -21.0% 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: 48.52%; 2024: 48.6%; 2023: 47.4%; 2022: 49.73%; 2021: 49.84%. 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.