Mauritania vs South Africa: Employment rate
Mauritania
36.6%
in 2025
South Africa
37.6%
in 2025
Mauritania rank
172nd
South Africa rank
170th
Employment rate over time
- Mauritania
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 37.6% against 36.6% in Mauritania, a difference of 1.0%.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 35 shared years of data; in 1991 it was South Africa ahead.
Mauritania ranks 172nd and South Africa ranks 170th of 186 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, Mauritania averaged higher in 1 and South Africa in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Mauritania | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 41.7% | 44.6% | 3.0% | South Africa |
| 2000s | 40.6% | 43.5% | 2.8% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 38.1% | 40.0% | 1.9% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 36.5% | 36.4% | 0.1% | Mauritania |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher employment rate, Mauritania or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 37.6% against 36.6% in Mauritania as of 2025.
- What is the difference in employment rate between Mauritania and South Africa?
- 1.0%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Mauritania and South Africa?
- 35 years are reported by both, from 1991 to 2025.
- How do Mauritania and South Africa rank globally for employment rate?
- Mauritania ranks 172nd and South Africa ranks 170th of 186 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Employment rate. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and older) who are employed.