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Labour · South Asia · Lower-middle income

Bhutan: the labour market

Labour force is 411,263 (2025), 160th of 187 in the world and 5th of 6 in South Asia. Participation rate is 64.8% (2025), 64th of 187 in the world and 1st of 6 in South Asia. Women's participation is 56.7% (2025), 68th of 187 in the world and 1st of 6 in South Asia.

Labour force411,2632025 · world 160/187 · region 5/6Participation rate64.8%2025 · world 64/187 · region 1/6Women's participation56.7%2025 · world 68/187 · region 1/6Employment rate62.7%2025 · world 53/187 · region 1/6
Labour force
Bhutan
0200,000400,000600,0001995200020052010201520202025Bhutan411,263
Participation rate
BhutanSouth AsiaLower-middle incomeWorld
50%55%60%65%70%75%1995200020052010201520202025Bhutan64.8%South AsiaLower-middle incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Bhutan in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within South Asia; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
Labour forceLabour force, total411,2632025160/1875/6256,106337,478400,199+20%since 2015710m1.2bn3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+64.8%202564/1871/669.9%68.2%67.8%+1.7 ppsince 201555.6%58.2%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+56.7%202568/1871/659.3%63.3%63.0%+1.7 ppsince 201533.0%39.2%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)62.7%202553/1871/668.7%65.9%64.4%+1.1 ppsince 201553.2%55.6%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)3.2%2025141/1876/61.7%3.3%5.0%+0.8 ppsince 20154.2%4.5%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)4.1%2025125/1874/62.3%4.1%6.1%+0.8 ppsince 20154.2%4.9%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)17.1%202567/1873/64.9%8.8%22.0%+6.9 ppsince 201515.4%13.1%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %15.3%2025102/1706/6··12.0%—25.5%21.8%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment30.5%2025154/1874/626.1%30.8%28.7%+3.5 ppsince 201526.9%29.6%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)69.0%202529/1873/673.8%69.1%70.5%−3.8 ppsince 201569.7%65.5%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment42.4%202536/1872/664.3%59.6%49.9%−15.6 ppsince 201541.5%39.8%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment15.9%2025136/1876/65.4%6.7%14.9%+6.2 ppsince 201525.1%22.4%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment41.8%2025151/1874/630.3%33.6%35.2%+9.4 ppsince 201533.4%37.8%50.6%
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.

Better than ten years ago

Worse than ten years ago

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

neighbours

Bhutan and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with Bhutan. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorBhutanIndiaChina
Labour force411,2632025618m2025768m2025
Participation rate64.8%202555.7%202564.6%2025
Women's participation56.7%202532.4%202559.1%2025
Employment rate62.7%202553.3%202561.6%2025
Unemployment3.2%20254.2%20254.6%2025
Female unemployment4.1%20254.1%20254.0%2025
Youth unemployment17.1%202516.0%202515.8%2025
Youth NEET rate15.3%202525.6%2025—
Wage workers30.5%202525.1%202562.3%2025
India: labourChina: labour
Labour in South Asiaall 6 economies rankedLabour: lower-middle-income countries47 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesBhutan: all key statisticscountry profile