- By Ridam Sharma
- Thu, 13 Nov 2025 11:59 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Hardest Working Countries In 2025: Work habits across the world significantly differ, and it can be due to numerous reasons, from social and cultural differences to even polarity in mindsets. As of 2025, some nations are inclined towards work-life balance. While others are dedicatedly to following their traditional long working hours. The global workflow is also largely dependent on the economic demands of the world. You will also see a massive gender disparity in the number of average working hours. To know more, here is a list of the top 10 hardest-working countries in the world, along with India’s ranking on the list, according to the data by the International Labour Organization and World Population Review report.
List Of Top 10 Hardest Working Countries In 2025:
| Country | Avg Weekly Hours Worked (ILO 2025) | Avg Weekly Hours Worked (Men) | Avg Weekly Hours Worked (Women) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bhutan | 54.5 | 55 | 53.7 |
| Sudan | 50.8 | 51.9 | 45.7 |
| Lesotho | 50.2 | 51.5 | 48.4 |
| Republic of the Congo | 48.7 | 49.2 | 48.3 |
| United Arab Emirates | 48.4 | 48.3 | 48.5 |
| Sao Tome and Principe | 48.2 | 47.5 | 48.9 |
| Jordan | 47.8 | 48.5 | 43.6 |
| Liberia | 47.5 | 49 | 45.9 |
| Pakistan | 47.5 | 51.1 | 35 |
| Qatar | 46.8 | 46.6 | 47.6 |
Source: ILOSTAT and World Population Review Report
Which Are The Top 10 Hardest Working Countries In 2025 And Why?
1. Bhutan:
Bhutan is the hardest-working country in the world, with an average of 54.5 hours of work per week. The nation is also known for its good work ethic with well well-committed population, especially in the agriculture and tourism sectors. Here, on average, men work for about 55 hours every week. While women work for 53.7 hours a week.
2. Sudan:
Sudan is the second hardest-working nation in the world, with about 50.8 hours of work on a weekly basis. Here, the workplace is all about traditional philosophy, hierarchy and a relationship-based work culture. The men of Sudan work for about 51.9 hours a week, while women work an average of 45.7 hours per week.
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3. Lesotho:
Lesotho is the third hardest working country in the world, with an average hours of weekly working 50.2 hours. The nation showcases more male working hours, which is about 51.5. While 48.4 weekly hours of women. The African nation greatly depends on the agricultural sector and migrant labour.
4. Republic of the Congo:
In the Republic of the Congo, the average working hours per week is 48.7 hours, with men and women almost equally standing with average weekly work hours of 49.2 and 48.3. The workforce here mainly depends on natural resource extraction for its livelihood.
Also Read: Top 10 Most Kind Countries In The World: Know Where India Ranks
5. United Arab Emirates:
Average working hours in the UAE are 48.4 hours per week. Surprisingly, here, men and women share almost equal average weekly working hours, which are 48.3 and 48.5, respectively. These unique stats also showcase the nation’s modern labour system, leading to rapid economic growth and urbanisation.
6. Sao Tome And Principe:
Sao Tome and Principe is a small island nation and still has an average weekly working hours of 48.2, which is more than many big nations. Surprisingly, here, women are working more hours than men. Alongside, agriculture and fishing are the main profitable activities here.
7. Jordan:
Jordan records 47.8 hours of work per week, which highlights the nation's developing economy and manpower demands of the country. Here, men work for 48.5 hours, while women work for 43.6 hours, per week.
8. Liberia:
Liberians work for an average of 47.5 hours per week. Here, men work for 49 hours and women for 45.9 hours. The labour-intensive economy, with a main focus on rebuilding infrastructure and services, is the main aspect of the nation's long working hours.
9. Pakistan:
Surprisingly, India’s neighbouring country, Pakistan, also has long working hours with a significant gender gap. Here, on average, people work for 47.5 hours per week. However, the highlight is concerning the difference between males at 51.1 weekly working hours and females at 35 weekly working hours.
10. Qatar:
People in Qatar work for 46.8 hours a week on average. Additionally, women work more than 47.6 hours. While men work for 46.6 hours per week, due to economic growth led by energy sectors, and rising demands for a hardworking labour force.
Know How Hard-Working India Is?
India is not among the top 10 hardest-working countries in the world in 2025. The nation of billions ranks in 15th position with an overall average of 45.8 weekly working hours. Here, men work more than women, as men's average weekly working hours are only 49.8 hours, while women's are just 35.9 hours. India’s ranking is not much lower, but the nation is still facing challenges like unemployment, gender disparity in the earning population and low work-life balance.
The 2025 list of most hardest-working countries showcases diverse work cultures and economic demands across the globe. While, Asian nation, Bhutan, leads the ranking with more than 50 hours of work in a week, some nations are looking for that perfect work-life balance. At last, the hardest working nations also highlight global labour trends and geographic, economic and cultural factors that define work habits in 2025.