The labour force of a country refers to the total number of people who are either employed or unemployed and are within the working age (usually defined as 15-64 years) and are actively seeking employment. This includes individuals who are currently employed, those who are unemployed and actively looking for work, and those who are available for work but not actively seeking it. It does not include people who are not within the working age, such as children and the elderly, or those who are not actively seeking employment, such as students or those who have retired.