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Labour · South Asia · Lower-middle income

Nepal: the labour market

Labour force is 8.4m (2025), 62nd of 187 in the world and 3rd of 6 in South Asia. Participation rate is 39.2% (2025), 179th of 187 in the world and 6th of 6 in South Asia. Women's participation is 27.5% (2025), 168th of 187 in the world and 6th of 6 in South Asia.

Labour force8.4m2025 · world 62/187 · region 3/6Participation rate39.2%2025 · world 179/187 · region 6/6Women's participation27.5%2025 · world 168/187 · region 6/6Employment rate35.1%2025 · world 176/187 · region 6/6
Labour force
Nepal
5.0m6.0m7.0m8.0m9.0m1995200020052010201520202025Nepal8.4m
Participation rate
NepalSouth AsiaLower-middle incomeWorld
0%20%40%60%80%1995200020052010201520202025Nepal39.2%South AsiaLower-middle incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Nepal 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, total8.4m202562/1873/66.0m7.2m8.0m+12%since 2015710m1.2bn3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+39.2%2025179/1876/641.4%40.9%39.4%−1.0 ppsince 201555.6%58.2%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+27.5%2025168/1876/621.3%24.7%27.2%+0.5 ppsince 201533.0%39.2%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)35.1%2025176/1876/637.0%36.6%34.3%−0.8 ppsince 201553.2%55.6%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)10.5%202536/1871/610.5%10.6%13.0%−0.2 ppsince 20154.2%4.5%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)11.8%202538/1871/612.2%12.1%14.3%−0.3 ppsince 20154.2%4.9%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)20.6%202546/1871/618.9%19.2%24.1%+1.2 ppsince 201515.4%13.1%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %34.8%201721/1701/6·13.8%2008·—25.5%21.8%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment21.4%2025169/1876/615.4%17.5%20.0%+2.5 ppsince 201526.9%29.6%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)77.0%202516/1871/683.9%81.5%78.5%−2.9 ppsince 201569.7%65.5%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment22.9%202577/1875/635.3%29.8%25.0%−3.4 ppsince 201541.5%39.8%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment31.3%202514/1871/626.0%27.9%30.2%+2.2 ppsince 201525.1%22.4%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment45.8%2025144/1873/638.6%42.3%44.8%+1.2 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

Nepal and its neighbours

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

IndicatorNepalIndiaChina
Labour force8.4m2025618m2025768m2025
Participation rate39.2%202555.7%202564.6%2025
Women's participation27.5%202532.4%202559.1%2025
Employment rate35.1%202553.3%202561.6%2025
Unemployment10.5%20254.2%20254.6%2025
Female unemployment11.8%20254.1%20254.0%2025
Youth unemployment20.6%202516.0%202515.8%2025
Youth NEET rate34.8%201725.6%2025—
Wage workers21.4%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 countriesNepal: all key statisticscountry profile