Pakistan vs South Africa: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)
Pakistan
55.3%
in 2025
South Africa
55.6%
in 2024
Pakistan rank
147th
South Africa rank
146th
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) over time
- Pakistan
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 55.6% against 55.3% in Pakistan, a difference of 0.3%.
The two have swapped places 8 times across 26 shared years of data; in 1980 it was Pakistan ahead.
Pakistan ranks 147th and South Africa ranks 146th of 199 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Pakistan averaged higher in 2 and South Africa in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Pakistan | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 49.4% | 36.0% | 13.4% | Pakistan |
| 1990s | 49.5% | 45.6% | 3.9% | Pakistan |
| 2000s | 49.9% | 50.4% | 0.6% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 50.7% | 53.7% | 3.0% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 49.7% | 51.3% | 1.6% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+), Pakistan or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 55.6% against 55.3% in Pakistan as of 2024.
- What is the difference in labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) between Pakistan and South Africa?
- 0.3%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Pakistan and South Africa?
- 26 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2021.
- How do Pakistan and South Africa rank globally for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Pakistan ranks 147th and South Africa ranks 146th of 199 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (national 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 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.