European Union 28 vs South Africa: Employment
Employment over time
- European Union 28
- South Africa
How they compare
European Union 28 currently reports 242,261 against 18,073 in South Africa, a difference of 224,188.
That makes European Union 28's figure about 13.4 times South Africa's.
Across all 35 years both countries report, European Union 28 has been ahead every year.
European Union 28 ranks 34th and South Africa ranks 36th of 87 groups.
European Union 28 has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | European Union 28 | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 199,386 | 12,468 | 186,918 | European Union 28 |
| 2000s | 214,566 | 14,622 | 199,944 | European Union 28 |
| 2010s | 225,451 | 15,992 | 209,460 | European Union 28 |
| 2020s | 239,756 | 16,851 | 222,905 | European Union 28 |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher employment, European Union 28 or South Africa?
- European Union 28, at 242,261 against 18,073 in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in employment between European Union 28 and South Africa?
- 224,188, with European Union 28 ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for European Union 28 and South Africa?
- 35 years are reported by both, from 1991 to 2025.
- How do European Union 28 and South Africa rank globally for employment?
- European Union 28 ranks 34th and South Africa ranks 36th of 87 groups.
- Where does this data come from?
- International Labour Organization, published as Employment (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Imputed observations are not based on national data, are subject to high uncertainty and should not be used for country comparisons or rankings. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. The employed comprise all persons of working age who, during a specified brief period, were in one of the following categories: a) paid employment (whether at work or with a job but not at work); or b) self-employment (whether at work or with an enterprise but not at work). Data disaggregated by economic activity are provided according to the latest version of the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) available for that year. Data may have been regrouped from national classifications, which may not be strictly compatible with ISIC. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.