South Africa vs Uruguay: Share of workers in informal employment
South Africa
34.8%
in 2024
Uruguay
28.5%
in 2024
South Africa rank
42nd
Uruguay rank
43rd
Share of workers in informal employment over time
- South Africa
- Uruguay
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 34.8% against 28.5% in Uruguay, a difference of 6.3%.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.2 times Uruguay's.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 19 shared years of data; in 2006 it was South Africa ahead.
South Africa ranks 42nd and Uruguay ranks 43rd of 82 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, South Africa averaged higher in 2 and Uruguay in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Uruguay | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 41.7% | 43.4% | 1.6% | Uruguay |
| 2010s | 33.5% | 29.5% | 4.0% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 33.4% | 25.1% | 8.3% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of workers in informal employment, South Africa or Uruguay?
- South Africa, at 34.8% against 28.5% in Uruguay as of 2024.
- What is the difference in share of workers in informal employment between South Africa and Uruguay?
- 6.3%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Uruguay?
- 19 years are reported by both, from 2006 to 2024.
- How do South Africa and Uruguay rank globally for share of workers in informal employment?
- South Africa ranks 42nd and Uruguay ranks 43rd of 82 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- International Labour Organization – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Share of workers in informal employment. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Share of employed people working in jobs that lack basic social or legal protection and employment benefits. Does not include illegal and illicit activities. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.