EU countries by employment-population ratio, ages 15 and over, 2025

The Netherlands had the highest employment-population ratio, ages 15 and over of 27 EU countries in 2025, at 64.6%. Italy had the lowest, at 46.2%. The median was 56.8%. Source: the World Bank.

Highest64.6Netherlands
Lowest46.2Italy
Median56.827 EU countries

All EU countries, 2025

Netherlands: 64.6 %Netherlands64.6Cyprus: 63.7 %Cyprus63.7Malta: 62.1 %Malta62.1Ireland: 61.8 %Ireland61.8Denmark: 61.3 %Denmark61.3Estonia: 59.7 %Estonia59.7Sweden: 59 %Sweden59Lithuania: 58.7 %Lithuania58.7Czechia: 58.6 %Czechia58.6Germany: 58.3 %Germany58.3Hungary: 57.8 %Hungary57.8Luxembourg: 57.6 %Luxembourg57.6Slovakia: 57.2 %Slovakia57.2Austria: 56.8 %Austria56.8Poland: 56.6 %Poland56.6Latvia: 56.5 %Latvia56.5Slovenia: 55.7 %Slovenia55.7Portugal: 54.6 %Portugal54.6Bulgaria: 54.1 %Bulgaria54.1Finland: 54 %Finland54Spain: 51.5 %Spain51.5France: 51.2 %France51.2Belgium: 51.1 %Belgium51.1Croatia: 49.5 %Croatia49.5Romania: 48.3 %Romania48.3Greece: 47.5 %Greece47.5Italy: 46.2 %Italy46.2
%. Source: World Bank (modelled estimate), Employment to population ratio, 15+, total, %, modeled ILO estimate (SL.EMP.TOTL.SP.ZS). Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Full ranking

RankEU countries2025 (%)Change on 2024
1Netherlands64.6-0.3 pts
2Cyprus63.7-0.2 pts
3Malta62.1-0 pts
4Ireland61.8-0.4 pts
5Denmark61.3-0.2 pts
6Estonia59.7-0.8 pts
7Sweden59-0.3 pts
8Lithuania58.7-0.1 pts
9Czechia58.6-0.4 pts
10Germany58.3-0.5 pts
11Hungary57.8-0.1 pts
12Luxembourg57.6-0.2 pts
13Slovakia57.2-0.4 pts
14Austria56.8-0.6 pts
15Poland56.6-0.4 pts
16Latvia56.5-0.1 pts
17Slovenia55.7-0.1 pts
18Portugal54.6-0.1 pts
19Bulgaria54.1+0.2 pts
20Finland54-0.8 pts
21Spain51.5+0.2 pts
22France51.2-0.4 pts
23Belgium51.1-0.4 pts
24Croatia49.5-0.2 pts
25Romania48.3-0.4 pts
26Greece47.5+0.4 pts
27Italy46.2-0.2 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Employed people as a percentage of the population aged 15 and over. ILO modelled estimates published by the World Bank, annual.

A separate series from employment_population_ratio, which is the US civilian series for ages 16 and over from the Current Population Survey. This one covers ages 15 and over for countries and the World.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the EU countries are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

World Bank, World Development Indicators, modelled estimate. Employment to population ratio, 15+, total, %, modeled ILO estimate (SL.EMP.TOTL.SP.ZS). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.EMP.TOTL.SP.ZS. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank EU countries by employment-population ratio, ages 15 and over using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"employment_population_ratio_15_plus","level":"country","within":"European Union (27)","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=employment_population_ratio_15_plus&level=country&within=European%20Union%20(27)&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which EU country has the highest employment-population ratio, ages 15 and over?

The Netherlands, with 64.6% in 2025, according to the World Bank.

Which EU country has the lowest employment-population ratio, ages 15 and over?

Italy, with 46.2% in 2025.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: World Bank, Employment to population ratio, 15+, total, %, modeled ILO estimate (SL.EMP.TOTL.SP.ZS). Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Employment-population ratio, ages 15 and over: other rankings

EU countries: more rankings