India vs South Africa: Labor force participation rate
India
55.66
in 2025
South Africa
55.58
in 2025
India rank
135th
South Africa rank
136th
Labor force participation rate over time
- India
- South Africa
How they compare
India currently reports 55.66 against 55.58 in South Africa, a difference of 0.08.
The two have swapped places 5 times across 36 shared years of data; in 1990 it was South Africa ahead.
India ranks 135th and South Africa ranks 136th of 186 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, India averaged higher in 3 and South Africa in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | India | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 58.53 | 57.93 | 0.5996 | India |
| 2000s | 58.6 | 56.16 | 2.44 | India |
| 2010s | 53.23 | 53.84 | 0.6131 | South Africa |
| 2020s | 53.94 | 53.71 | 0.2342 | India |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher labor force participation rate, India or South Africa?
- India, at 55.66 against 55.58 in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in labor force participation rate between India and South Africa?
- 0.08, with India ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for India and South Africa?
- 36 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2025.
- How do India and South Africa rank globally for labor force participation rate?
- India ranks 135th and South Africa ranks 136th of 186 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Our World in Data, published as Labor force participation rate. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.