Bangladesh vs South Africa: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages)
Bangladesh
61.3%
in 2025
South Africa
60.6%
in 2025
Bangladesh rank
136th
South Africa rank
139th
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) over time
- Bangladesh
- South Africa
How they compare
Bangladesh currently reports 61.3% against 60.6% in South Africa, a difference of 0.7%.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 36 shared years of data; in 1990 it was South Africa ahead.
Bangladesh ranks 136th and South Africa ranks 139th of 187 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, Bangladesh averaged higher in 2 and South Africa in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Bangladesh | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 58.3% | 61.4% | 3.1% | South Africa |
| 2000s | 59.4% | 60.0% | 0.6% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 59.6% | 57.8% | 1.8% | Bangladesh |
| 2020s | 62.7% | 58.3% | 4.4% | Bangladesh |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages), Bangladesh or South Africa?
- Bangladesh, at 61.3% against 60.6% in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) between Bangladesh and South Africa?
- 0.7%, with Bangladesh ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Bangladesh and South Africa?
- 36 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2025.
- How do Bangladesh and South Africa rank globally for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages)?
- Bangladesh ranks 136th and South Africa ranks 139th of 187 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15-64 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.