Eswatini vs South Africa: Female employment rate
Eswatini
31.0%
in 2025
South Africa
32.9%
in 2025
Eswatini rank
160th
South Africa rank
157th
Female employment rate over time
- Eswatini
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 32.9% against 31.0% in Eswatini, a difference of 1.9%.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Eswatini's.
The two have swapped places 5 times across 35 shared years of data; in 1991 it was Eswatini ahead.
Eswatini ranks 160th and South Africa ranks 157th of 186 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, Eswatini averaged higher in 1 and South Africa in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Eswatini | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 33.0% | 33.3% | 0.4% | South Africa |
| 2000s | 31.7% | 35.1% | 3.4% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 34.0% | 33.8% | 0.2% | Eswatini |
| 2020s | 30.3% | 31.3% | 1.0% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher female employment rate, Eswatini or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 32.9% against 31.0% in Eswatini as of 2025.
- What is the difference in female employment rate between Eswatini and South Africa?
- 1.9%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Eswatini and South Africa?
- 35 years are reported by both, from 1991 to 2025.
- How do Eswatini and South Africa rank globally for female employment rate?
- Eswatini ranks 160th and South Africa ranks 157th of 186 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Female 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 female working-age population (ages 15 and older) who are employed.