Bulgaria vs South Africa: Female labor force participation rate
Bulgaria
50.4%
in 2025
South Africa
49.9%
in 2025
Bulgaria rank
118th
South Africa rank
119th
Female labor force participation rate over time
- Bulgaria
- South Africa
How they compare
Bulgaria currently reports 50.4% against 49.9% in South Africa, a difference of 0.5%.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 36 shared years of data; in 1990 it was Bulgaria ahead.
Bulgaria ranks 118th and South Africa ranks 119th of 186 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, Bulgaria averaged higher in 2 and South Africa in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Bulgaria | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 44.5% | 45.4% | 0.9% | South Africa |
| 2000s | 46.4% | 47.3% | 0.9% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 48.5% | 46.9% | 1.6% | Bulgaria |
| 2020s | 50.2% | 47.6% | 2.7% | Bulgaria |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher female labor force participation rate, Bulgaria or South Africa?
- Bulgaria, at 50.4% against 49.9% in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in female labor force participation rate between Bulgaria and South Africa?
- 0.5%, with Bulgaria ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Bulgaria and South Africa?
- 36 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2025.
- How do Bulgaria and South Africa rank globally for female labor force participation rate?
- Bulgaria ranks 118th and South Africa ranks 119th of 186 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) β processed by Our World in Data, published as Female labor force participation rate. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Share of the female working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).