Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) vs South Africa: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force)
Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)
10.0%
in 2021
South Africa
32.3%
in 2024
Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) rank
1st
South Africa rank
2nd
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) over time
- Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 32.3% against 10.0% in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income), a difference of 22.3%.
That makes South Africa's figure about 3.2 times Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)'s.
Across all 26 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) ranks 1st and South Africa ranks 2nd of 33 groups.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.7% | 32.3% | 23.7% | South Africa |
| 2000s | 8.8% | 28.6% | 19.8% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 9.1% | 25.8% | 16.6% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 9.6% | 31.6% | 22.0% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher unemployment, total (% of total labor force), Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 32.3% against 10.0% in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) as of 2024.
- What is the difference in unemployment, total (% of total labor force) between Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) and South Africa?
- 22.3%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) and South Africa?
- 26 years are reported by both, from 1995 to 2021.
- How do Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) and South Africa rank globally for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) ranks 1st and South Africa ranks 2nd of 33 groups.
- Where does this data come from?
- Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.