Kosovo: Employment to population ratio, 15+, female (%) (national estimate)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Kosovo's employment to population ratio, 15+, female (%) (national estimate) rose 0.93 percentage points on 2023 (from 17.46% to 18.39%).

Across the 18 yearly changes before that (2003 to 2023), the average change was +0.56 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.15 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 2.13 percentage points in 2021 and the biggest yearly fall was 2.2 percentage points in 2008. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is upward, about 0.93 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 91% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, Kosovo had the 18th highest value of the 20 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Kosovo in the 2024 ranking

• South Africa — 15th of 20: 32.63%
• Sri Lanka — 16th of 20: 27.71%
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 17th of 20: 20.99%
• Jordan — 19th of 20: 13.23%
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — 20th of 20: 12.09%

What this measures

Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed.

Limitations: Data on employment by status are drawn from labor force surveys and household surveys, supplemented by official estimates and censuses for a small group of countries. The labor force survey is the most comprehensive source for internationally comparable employment, but there are still some limitations for comparing data across countries and over time even within a country. Comparability of employment ratios across countries is affected by variations in definitions of employment and population. The biggest difference results from the age range used to define labor force activity. The population base for employment ratios can also vary.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 22 values

Employment to population ratio, 15+, female (%) (national estimate) in nearby economies

• Albania — 52.06% (2024)
• Armenia — 51.48% (2023)
• Austria — 54.11% (2025)
• Azerbaijan — 57.9% (2022)
• Belarus — 64.73% (2025)
• Belgium — 48.72% (2025)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 35.76% (2025)
• Bulgaria — 47.63% (2025)
• Croatia

More social protection & labor data for Kosovo

• Net migration — -18,380 (2025)
• Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (national estimate) — 18.25% (2024)
• Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) — 7.68% (2024)
• Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate) — 10.83% (2024)
• Employment to population ratio, 15+, male (%) (national estimate) — 49.52% (2024)
• Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (national estimate) — 33.84% (2024)
• Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (national estimate) — 22.49% (2024)
• Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (national estimate)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Kosovo's employment to population ratio, 15+, female (%) (national estimate)?

18.39% in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2000?

It is down 5.98 percentage points from 24.36% in 2000. The highest value was 24.36% in 2000 and the lowest 8.3% in 2003.

How does Kosovo rank?

18th highest of 20 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in employment to population ratio, 15+, female (%) (national estimate) unusual for Kosovo?

In 2024, Kosovo's employment to population ratio, 15+, female (%) (national estimate) rose 0.93 percentage points on 2023 (from 17.46% to 18.39%). Across the 18 yearly changes before that (2003 to 2023), the average change was +0.56 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.15 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SL.EMP.TOTL.SP.FE.NE.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), uri: https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/bulk/, publisher: ILOSTAT, type: external database, date accessed: September 28, 2026 Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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