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

The Netherlands had the highest employment-population ratio, ages 15 and over of 27 EU countries in 2015, at 61.9%. Greece had the lowest, at 38.4%. The median was 52.8%. Source: the World Bank.

Highest61.9Netherlands
Lowest38.4Greece
Median52.827 EU countries

All EU countries, 2015

Netherlands: 61.9 %Netherlands61.9Sweden: 59.2 %Sweden59.2Estonia: 57.9 %Estonia57.9Denmark: 57.6 %Denmark57.6Germany: 57.4 %Germany57.4Austria: 56.7 %Austria56.7Czechia: 56.4 %Czechia56.4Luxembourg: 55.8 %Luxembourg55.8Ireland: 55.7 %Ireland55.7Cyprus: 54.5 %Cyprus54.5Latvia: 54.1 %Latvia54.1Lithuania: 53.8 %Lithuania53.8Finland: 53.3 %Finland53.3Poland: 52.8 %Poland52.8Slovakia: 52.8 %Slovakia52.8Malta: 52.6 %Malta52.6Slovenia: 52.4 %Slovenia52.4Hungary: 52.4 %Hungary52.4Portugal: 51.3 %Portugal51.3France: 49.9 %France49.9Bulgaria: 49.3 %Bulgaria49.3Belgium: 48.8 %Belgium48.8Romania: 47.7 %Romania47.7Spain: 45.7 %Spain45.7Croatia: 44.1 %Croatia44.1Italy: 42.8 %Italy42.8Greece: 38.4 %Greece38.4
%. 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 countries2015 (%)Change on 2014
1Netherlands61.9+0.6 pts
2Sweden59.2+0.4 pts
3Estonia57.9+1.3 pts
4Denmark57.6+0.5 pts
5Germany57.4+0.1 pts
6Austria56.7-0 pts
7Czechia56.4+0.7 pts
8Luxembourg55.8+0.4 pts
9Ireland55.7+1.3 pts
10Cyprus54.5+0.4 pts
11Latvia54.1+1.3 pts
12Lithuania53.8+1.1 pts
13Finland53.3-0.4 pts
14Poland52.8+0.9 pts
15Slovakia52.8-0.1 pts
16Malta52.6+0.6 pts
17Slovenia52.4+0.2 pts
18Hungary52.4+1.6 pts
19Portugal51.3+0.7 pts
20France49.9-0.2 pts
21Bulgaria49.3+1.5 pts
22Belgium48.8-0.2 pts
23Romania47.7+0.7 pts
24Spain45.7+1.3 pts
25Croatia44.1+0.9 pts
26Italy42.8+0.3 pts
27Greece38.4+0.9 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 61.9% in 2015, according to the World Bank.

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

Greece, with 38.4% in 2015.

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