International Comparisons of Annual Labor Force Statistics, Adjusted to U.S. Concepts, 10 Countries, 1970-2010
SECTION 3. LABOR FORCE
More Options
Other indicators
Download entire report (HTML ) (PDF 3MB)
Download Excel file with data tables
By indicator (XLS )
By country (XLS )
Country notes
Introduction
The labor force is comprised of persons who are in employment and unemployment . All members of the working-age population are eligible for inclusion in the labor force, and those 16 and over (in the United States; age limits vary by country) who have a job or are actively looking for one are so classified. All others—those who have no job and are not looking for one—are counted as "not in the labor force."
The labor force participation rate represents the proportion of the working-age population that is in the labor force.
Who is not in the labor force?
All persons in the civilian non-institutional working-age population who are neither employed nor unemployed are considered not in the labor force. Many who do not participate in the labor force are going to school or are retired. Family responsibilities keep others out of the labor force. Still others have a physical or mental disability which prevents them from participating in labor force activities.
In the United States, persons not in the labor force who want and are available for a job and who have looked for work sometime in the past 12 months (or since the end of their last job if they held one within the past 12 months), but who are not currently looking, are designated as "marginally attached to the labor force." The marginally attached are divided into those not currently looking because they believe their search would be futile—so-called "discouraged workers"—and those not currently looking for other reasons such as family responsibilities, ill health, or lack of transportation.
For discouraged workers, the reasons for not currently looking for work are that the individual believes that:
No work is available in his or her line of work or area;
He or she could not find any work;
He or she lacks necessary schooling, training, skills, or experience;
Employers would think he or she is too young or too old; or
He or she would encounter hiring discrimination.
This report does not provide international comparisons for discouraged workers but several relevant articles are cited in the Alternative measures of unemployment section.
Tables
Table 3-1 Labor force (in thousands)
Year
United States
Canada  
Australia
Japan
France
Germany
Italy
Nether- lands
Sweden
United Kingdom
1970
82771
8395
5478
50740
20800
26247
19723
3909
1971
84382
8639
5624
51120
21000
26382
19656
3955
25373
1972
87034
8897
5752
51320
21150
26479
19450
3963
25501
1973
89429
9276
5901
52590
21430
26783
19594
5210
3971
25723
1974
91949
9639
6053
52440
21660
26667
19904
5290
4036
25798
1975
93775
9974
6169
52530
21662
26426
20085
5340
4123
25932
1976
96158
10368
6244
53100
21934
26286
20294
5390
4148
26024
1977
99009
10661
6358
53820
22250
26328
20508
5480
4168
26108
1978
102251
11022
6443
54610
22389
26517
20575
5540
4203
26227
1979
104962
11392
6519
55210
22604
26854
20852
5640
4262
26463
1980
106940
11725
6693
55740
22749
27256
21115
5870
4312
26750
1981
108670
12080
6810
56320
22892
27543
21319
6090
4327
26864
1982
110204
12145
6910
56980
24088
27709
21406
6150
4350
26657
1983
111550
12372
6997
58110
24131
27665
21590
6120
4369
26688
1984
113544
12588
7135
58480
24235
27796
21672
6200
4385
27356
1985
115461
12850
7300
58720
24399
28028
21802
6250
4417
27574
1986
117834
13100
7585
59370
24632
28243
22294
6380
4443
27738
1987
119865
13345
7754
59880
24672
28384
22351
6378
4440
28013
1988
121669
13590
7970
60740
24675
28609
22658
6526
4496
28350
1989
123869
13857
8224
61830
24853
28841
22533
6606
4554
28670
1990
125840
14047
8440
62990
24867
29412
22670
6767
4597
28766
1991
126346
14140
8486
64190
24810
39075
22944
6917
4594
28537
1992
128105
14150
8557
64980
25004
39005
22913
7037
4526
28210
1993
129200
14238
8613
65430
25095
39102
22776
6992
4444
28090
1994
131056
14347
8770
65580
25187
39074
22597
7107
4416
28049
1995
132304
14456
8995
65820
25319
38980
22578
7344
4457
28135
1996
133943
14619
9115
66240
25601
39142
22679
7455
4454
28242
1997
136297
14886
9204
67010
25567
39415
22753
7612
4419
28403
1998
137673
15134
9339
66990
25675
39752
23004
7744
4403
28474
1999
139368
15398
9414
66730
25915
39375
23176
7881
4429
28786
2000
142583
15632
9590
66710
26193
39302
23361
8008
4490
28962
2001
143734
15886
9746
66480
26339
39459
23524
8155
4530
29092
2002
144863
16356
9901
65866
26658
39413
23728
8288
4545
29343
2003
146510
16722
10085
65495
26692
39276
24020
8330
4565
29565
2004
147401
16925
10213
65366
26872
39711
24084
8379
4579
29802
2005
149320
17056
10529
65386
27061
40696
24179
8400
4693
30137
2006
151428
17266
10773
65556
27260
41206
24395
8462
4746
30599
2007
153124
17626
11060
65909
27466
41364
24459
8595
4822
30780
2008
154287
17936
11356
65660
27683
41481
24836
8679
4875
31126
2009
154142
18058
11602
65362
27972
41507
24705
8716
4888
31274
2010
153889
18263
11868
65100
28067
41189
24741
8654
4942
31421
Back to Top
Table 3-2 Women's share of the labor force (in percent)
Year
United States
Canada  
Australia
Japan
France
Germany
Italy
Nether- lands
Sweden
United Kingdom
1970
38.1
33.6
32.8
38.9
36.6
36.5
28.2
39.6
1971
38.2
34.4
33.2
38.4
37.0
36.8
28.3
40.3
37.4
1972
38.5
34.9
33.4
37.9
37.4
37.3
28.1
40.8
37.6
1973
38.9
35.6
34.1
38.2
37.7
37.7
28.7
27.1
41.1
38.2
1974
39.4
36.1
34.8
37.4
38.0
38.0
29.1
27.2
41.9
38.7
1975
40.0
36.9
35.5
37.0
38.2
38.5
29.4
27.5
42.7
38.8
1976
40.5
37.4
35.6
37.1
38.8
38.8
30.2
28.0
43.1
38.9
1977
41.0
37.9
36.1
37.7
39.3
39.0
31.4
28.6
43.8
39.2
1978
41.7
38.6
36.3
38.1
39.8
39.2
31.5
29.2
44.4
39.7
1979
42.1
39.2
36.4
38.3
40.2
39.3
32.2
30.1
44.8
40.1
1980
42.5
39.8
37.1
38.4
40.6
39.5
32.7
31.5
45.3
40.4
1981
43.0
40.5
37.2
38.4
41.0
39.7
33.0
33.0
46.1
40.6
1982
43.3
40.9
37.3
38.7
41.9
39.8
33.2
34.1
46.4
40.7
1983
43.5
41.4
37.5
39.2
42.1
39.8
33.5
34.0
46.7
41.1
1984
43.8
41.9
38.0
39.3
42.6
39.9
33.7
34.8
47.0
41.8
1985
44.2
42.4
38.6
39.6
42.8
40.1
34.0
34.9
47.2
42.2
1986
44.5
42.7
39.6
39.6
43.2
40.2
34.9
36.7
47.3
42.7
1987
44.8
43.1
40.0
39.8
43.5
40.3
35.3
37.9
47.7
43.0
1988
45.0
43.6
40.5
40.0
43.7
40.7
35.6
38.7
47.8
43.2
1989
45.2
43.9
41.1
40.3
44.0
41.0
35.9
38.7
47.8
43.5
1990
45.2
44.2
41.6
40.5
44.2
41.5
36.2
39.5
47.8
43.7
1991
45.3
44.6
41.8
40.6
44.5
42.8
36.3
40.0
47.7
43.8
1992
45.4
44.7
41.9
40.6
44.8
42.8
36.7
40.2
47.7
44.0
1993
45.5
44.9
42.0
40.5
45.3
42.8
37.4
41.1
47.7
44.4
1994
46.0
44.9
42.4
40.5
45.5
42.9
37.6
41.3
47.6
44.5
1995
46.1
45.1
42.9
40.5
45.8
43.1
38.0
41.5
47.6
44.7
1996
46.2
45.2
43.0
40.5
45.9
43.3
38.4
41.8
47.7
44.9
1997
46.2
45.3
43.1
40.7
45.8
43.4
38.6
42.3
47.5
45.1
1998
46.3
45.5
43.3
40.7
46.2
43.5
39.1
42.4
47.2
45.3
1999
46.5
45.7
43.5
40.6
46.3
44.0
39.5
43.0
47.4
45.4
2000
46.5
45.9
44.0
40.8
46.4
44.3
39.8
43.4
47.5
45.6
2001
46.5
46.0
44.3
40.9
46.6
44.4
40.3
43.8
47.7
45.6
2002
46.5
46.2
44.4
40.9
46.7
44.7
40.5
44.1
47.8
45.7
2003
46.6
46.5
44.8
41.1
47.0
45.0
40.7
44.4
47.8
45.7
2004
46.4
46.6
44.6
41.3
47.3
45.1
40.7
44.6
47.8
45.8
2005
46.4
46.5
45.0
41.4
47.5
45.2
40.5
45.2
47.5
45.9
2006
46.3
46.8
45.2
41.6
47.6
45.5
40.6
45.5
47.5
46.0
2007
46.4
47.0
45.3
41.6
47.8
45.7
40.6
45.8
47.6
45.8
2008
46.5
47.0
45.4
41.7
47.9
45.7
41.0
46.0
47.5
45.8
2009
46.7
47.2
45.5
42.1
48.0
45.9
41.1
46.3
47.4
46.1
2010
46.7
47.2
45.4
42.2
48.1
45.6
41.3
46.5
47.2
46.1
Back to Top
Table 3-3 Labor force participation rates (in percent)
Year
United States
Canada  
Australia
Japan
France
Germany
Italy
Nether- lands
Sweden
United Kingdom
1970
60.4
57.8
62.1
64.5
57.5
56.9
49.0
64.0
1971
60.2
58.1
62.2
64.3
57.4
56.5
48.7
64.2
62.8
1972
60.4
58.6
62.3
63.8
57.2
56.2
47.7
64.1
62.9
1973
60.8
59.7
62.6
64.0
57.4
56.3
47.6
53.4
64.1
63.1
1974
61.3
60.5
63.0
63.1
57.4
55.7
47.7
53.5
64.8
63.1
1975
61.2
61.1
63.2
62.4
57.0
55.0
47.7
54.5
65.9
63.1
1976
61.6
62.5
62.7
62.4
57.2
54.6
48.0
54.1
66.0
63.0
1977
62.3
62.8
62.7
62.5
57.5
54.4
48.2
54.2
65.9
62.7
1978
63.2
63.7
61.9
62.8
57.4
54.4
47.8
54.0
66.1
62.6
1979
63.7
64.5
61.6
62.7
57.4
54.5
48.0
54.2
66.6
62.7
1980
63.8
65.0
62.1
62.6
57.2
54.7
48.1
55.4
66.9
62.8
1981
63.9
65.6
61.9
62.6
57.1
54.7
48.3
56.7
66.8
62.7
1982
64.0
64.9
61.7
62.7
59.5
54.6
47.7
56.6
66.8
61.9
1983
64.0
65.2
61.4
63.1
59.1
54.3
47.5
55.7
66.7
61.6
1984
64.4
65.5
61.5
62.7
58.9
54.4
47.3
55.7
66.6
62.7
1985
64.8
66.0
61.7
62.2
58.8
54.7
47.2
55.5
66.9
62.9
1986
65.3
66.4
62.8
62.1
58.9
54.9
47.8
56.0
67.0
62.9
1987
65.6
66.8
62.9
61.8
58.4
55.0
47.6
55.2
66.5
63.2
1988
65.9
67.1
63.3
61.8
57.9
55.1
47.4
55.9
67.0
63.8
1989
66.5
67.5
64.1
62.1
57.8
55.2
47.3
56.1
67.3
64.3
1990
66.5
67.4
64.7
62.6
57.4
55.0
47.2
57.0
67.4
64.3
1991
66.2
66.8
64.2
63.1
56.9
58.8
47.8
57.7
67.0
63.7
1992
66.4
65.9
63.9
63.3
57.0
58.1
47.5
58.3
65.8
62.9
1993
66.3
65.5
63.5
63.2
56.9
57.8
48.3
57.5
64.5
62.6
1994
66.6
65.2
63.9
62.9
56.8
57.4
47.6
58.0
63.7
62.4
1995
66.6
64.9
64.5
62.8
56.8
57.1
47.3
59.6
64.0
62.4
1996
66.8
64.8
64.6
62.8
57.1
57.1
47.3
60.2
63.9
62.4
1997
67.1
65.1
64.3
63.0
56.6
57.3
47.3
61.1
63.2
62.5
1998
67.1
65.4
64.3
62.6
56.5
57.7
47.7
61.8
62.8
62.4
1999
67.1
65.8
64.0
62.0
56.6
56.9
47.9
62.5
62.7
62.8
2000
67.1
66.0
64.4
61.7
56.8
56.7
48.1
63.0
63.7
62.8
2001
66.8
66.1
64.4
61.2
56.6
56.7
48.3
63.7
63.7
62.7
2002
66.6
67.1
64.3
60.4
56.8
56.4
48.5
64.3
63.9
62.9
2003
66.2
67.7
64.6
59.9
56.4
56.0
49.1
64.3
63.9
62.9
2004
66.0
67.6
64.6
59.6
56.3
56.4
49.1
64.4
63.6
63.0
2005
66.0
67.3
65.4
59.5
56.2
57.5
48.7
64.2
64.8
63.1
2006
66.2
67.2
65.8
59.6
56.2
58.1
48.9
64.5
64.9
63.5
2007
66.0
67.5
66.2
59.8
56.3
58.3
48.6
65.2
65.3
63.3
2008
66.0
67.7
66.7
59.5
56.4
58.4
49.0
65.4
65.3
63.5
2009
65.4
67.2
66.7
59.3
56.6
58.5
48.4
65.2
64.8
63.3
2010
64.7
67.0
66.5
59.0
56.5
58.1
48.2
64.3
64.7
63.1
Back to Top
Table 3-4 Labor force participation rates for men (in percent)
Year
United States
Canada  
Australia
Japan
France
Germany
Italy
Nether- lands
Sweden
United Kingdom
1970
79.7
77.8
84.1
81.5
77.5
78.8
73.7
78.5
1971
79.1
77.3
83.8
81.9
76.6
77.5
73.4
78.0
83.1
1972
78.9
77.5
83.6
81.9
75.8
76.4
72.0
77.3
82.8
1973
78.8
78.2
83.1
81.9
75.5
75.8
71.2
79.4
76.8
82.3
1974
78.7
78.7
82.7
81.6
75.3
74.6
71.0
79.3
76.9
81.5
1975
77.9
78.4
82.2
81.2
74.4
73.3
70.6
80.0
77.0
81.2
1976
77.5
79.2
81.5
81.0
74.0
72.5
70.4
79.2
76.5
80.9
1977
77.7
79.0
81.0
80.4
73.8
71.9
69.5
78.7
75.6
80.2
1978
77.9
79.3
79.8
80.1
73.2
71.6
68.7
77.8
75.1
79.3
1979
77.8
79.6
79.5
79.9
72.6
71.5
68.3
77.0
75.1
78.8
1980
77.4
79.5
79.1
79.6
72.0
71.2
67.9
77.4
74.9
78.5
1981
77.0
79.4
78.8
79.6
71.2
70.9
67.8
77.5
73.8
78.1
1982
76.6
77.9
78.4
79.3
73.3
70.6
66.9
76.1
73.5
77.0
1983
76.4
77.7
77.6
79.2
72.4
70.1
66.2
75.2
72.9
76.1
1984
76.4
77.5
77.3
78.5
71.5
70.0
65.6
74.3
72.4
76.4
1985
76.3
77.5
76.7
77.6
71.2
70.1
65.3
73.8
72.5
76.1
1986
76.3
77.6
76.6
77.3
70.7
70.2
65.2
72.4
72.5
75.5
1987
76.2
77.4
76.2
76.6
69.9
69.9
64.5
69.9
71.3
75.4
1988
76.2
77.2
76.0
76.5
69.0
69.6
63.9
70.1
71.6
75.7
1989
76.4
77.2
76.3
76.4
68.5
69.1
63.4
70.2
72.1
75.9
1990
76.4
76.6
76.4
76.7
67.7
68.5
63.0
70.4
72.0
75.7
1991
75.8
75.5
75.6
77.1
66.7
71.1
63.7
70.7
71.7
74.7
1992
75.8
74.4
75.0
77.5
66.5
70.1
63.1
71.0
70.5
73.5
1993
75.4
73.7
74.4
77.6
65.7
69.3
63.5
69.1
69.2
72.7
1994
75.1
73.4
74.4
77.2
65.4
68.8
62.4
69.4
68.5
72.3
1995
75.0
72.8
74.6
77.0
65.1
68.1
61.6
70.9
68.8
72.0
1996
74.9
72.5
74.4
77.1
65.4
67.8
61.2
71.2
68.6
71.7
1997
75.0
72.7
74.0
77.1
64.9
67.6
60.9
71.7
68.1
71.5
1998
74.9
72.7
73.7
76.6
64.2
67.9
60.9
72.3
68.0
71.2
1999
74.7
72.9
73.4
76.1
64.2
66.1
60.7
72.4
67.5
71.4
2000
74.8
72.8
73.1
75.5
64.3
65.6
60.7
72.6
68.5
71.1
2001
74.4
72.7
72.7
74.8
63.8
65.3
60.3
72.8
68.0
70.9
2002
74.1
73.4
72.5
73.8
64.0
64.6
60.4
73.0
68.1
70.8
2003
73.5
73.7
72.4
73.0
63.1
63.7
60.9
72.7
68.0
70.8
2004
73.3
73.5
72.6
72.4
62.8
64.1
60.9
72.5
67.7
70.6
2005
73.3
73.2
73.0
72.3
62.4
65.2
60.6
71.6
69.3
70.5
2006
73.5
72.6
73.2
72.2
62.3
65.5
60.6
71.6
69.3
70.8
2007
73.2
72.8
73.3
72.4
62.1
65.4
60.3
71.9
69.5
70.7
2008
73.0
73.0
73.6
71.9
62.1
65.4
60.2
71.9
69.6
70.8
2009
72.0
72.0
73.3
71.2
62.2
65.3
59.4
71.2
69.0
70.3
2010
71.2
71.8
73.2
70.8
61.9
65.1
59.1
69.9
69.1
69.9
Back to Top
Table 3-5 Labor force participation rates for women (in percent)
Year
United States
Canada  
Australia
Japan
France
Germany
Italy
Nether- lands
Sweden
United Kingdom
1970
43.3
38.3
40.4
48.7
39.8
38.4
26.4
50.0
1971
43.4
39.4
41.0
47.7
40.2
38.5
26.3
50.9
44.6
1972
43.9
40.2
41.2
46.8
40.6
39.0
25.6
51.5
44.9
1973
44.7
41.9
42.4
47.3
41.1
39.5
26.1
28.5
51.7
45.8
1974
45.7
43.0
43.5
45.7
41.4
39.4
26.5
28.7
53.3
46.4
1975
46.3
44.4
44.5
44.8
41.3
39.3
26.8
29.5
55.2
46.6
1976
47.3
46.2
44.3
44.9
42.2
39.3
27.6
29.9
55.9
46.7
1977
48.4
47.0
44.8
45.7
42.9
39.3
28.9
30.6
56.7
46.9
1978
50.0
48.5
44.5
46.4
43.3
39.6
28.8
31.1
57.5
47.4
1979
50.9
49.8
44.3
46.6
43.8
39.9
29.5
32.1
58.5
48.0
1980
51.5
51.0
45.5
46.6
44.1
40.3
30.1
34.3
59.3
48.6
1981
52.1
52.3
45.5
46.7
44.4
40.7
30.4
36.7
60.1
48.6
1982
52.6
52.2
45.4
47.0
47.2
40.7
30.3
37.9
60.5
48.1
1983
52.9
53.0
45.5
48.0
47.2
40.5
30.5
37.1
60.8
48.4
1984
53.6
53.9
46.1
47.8
47.6
40.7
30.5
38.0
61.1
50.2
1985
54.5
55.0
47.1
47.8
47.7
41.2
30.7
37.9
61.5
50.7
1986
55.3
55.7
49.3
47.8
48.2
41.4
31.9
40.2
61.7
51.4
1987
56.0
56.5
49.9
47.8
48.2
41.7
32.1
41.0
61.9
52.1
1988
56.6
57.4
50.8
48.0
48.0
42.3
32.3
42.4
62.4
52.9
1989
57.4
58.1
52.2
48.7
48.2
42.7
32.5
42.6
62.8
53.6
1990
57.5
58.5
53.2
49.3
48.1
43.1
32.7
44.2
63.0
54.0
1991
57.4
58.4
53.0
49.9
48.0
47.7
33.2
45.3
62.4
53.6
1992
57.8
57.8
53.0
50.0
48.4
47.4
33.3
46.0
61.3
53.2
1993
57.9
57.6
52.8
49.7
48.9
47.2
34.5
46.3
60.1
53.3
1994
58.8
57.4
53.6
49.5
49.0
47.1
34.2
47.1
59.2
53.3
1995
58.9
57.3
54.7
49.3
49.3
47.1
34.4
48.7
59.5
53.5
1996
59.3
57.3
54.9
49.4
49.6
47.4
34.7
49.5
59.4
53.8
1997
59.8
57.8
54.8
49.8
49.2
47.8
34.9
50.9
58.6
54.2
1998
59.8
58.5
55.0
49.4
49.5
48.2
35.6
51.5
58.0
54.3
1999
60.0
59.1
55.0
48.8
49.8
48.3
36.2
52.9
58.1
54.9
2000
59.9
59.5
55.8
48.7
50.1
48.4
36.6
53.8
59.2
55.2
2001
59.8
59.8
56.2
48.5
50.2
48.6
37.2
54.9
59.5
55.1
2002
59.6
60.9
56.3
47.9
50.4
48.7
37.6
55.9
59.9
55.5
2003
59.5
61.9
57.1
47.6
50.4
48.8
38.4
56.1
59.9
55.6
2004
59.2
61.9
56.9
47.7
50.6
49.2
38.3
56.5
59.8
55.9
2005
59.3
61.6
58.0
47.6
50.6
50.3
37.9
57.1
60.6
56.1
2006
59.4
61.8
58.6
47.9
50.7
51.2
38.1
57.6
60.8
56.6
2007
59.3
62.5
59.3
48.1
51.0
51.6
37.9
58.7
61.3
56.4
2008
59.5
62.6
60.0
48.0
51.2
51.8
38.6
59.2
61.2
56.6
2009
59.2
62.5
60.1
48.2
51.6
52.1
38.2
59.4
60.8
56.8
2010
58.6
62.4
59.8
48.1
51.7
51.6
38.3
58.8
60.4
56.8
Back to Top
Last Modified Date: March 30, 2011