Botswana vs South Africa: Female share of the labor force
Botswana
46.7%
in 2025
South Africa
46.6%
in 2025
Botswana rank
72nd
South Africa rank
75th
Female share of the labor force over time
- Botswana
- South Africa
How they compare
Botswana currently reports 46.7% against 46.6% in South Africa, a difference of 0.1%.
The two have swapped places 10 times across 36 shared years of data; in 1990 it was Botswana ahead.
Botswana ranks 72nd and South Africa ranks 75th of 186 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, Botswana averaged higher in 3 and South Africa in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Botswana | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 41.7% | 40.2% | 1.5% | Botswana |
| 2000s | 45.0% | 45.2% | 0.2% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 45.9% | 45.8% | 0.1% | Botswana |
| 2020s | 46.5% | 46.0% | 0.5% | Botswana |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher female share of the labor force, Botswana or South Africa?
- Botswana, at 46.7% against 46.6% in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in female share of the labor force between Botswana and South Africa?
- 0.1%, with Botswana ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Botswana and South Africa?
- 36 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2025.
- How do Botswana and South Africa rank globally for female share of the labor force?
- Botswana ranks 72nd and South Africa ranks 75th of 186 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) β processed by Our World in Data, published as Female share of the labor force. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Share of the working-age population economically active (employed or unemployed) who are female.