Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in South Africa
South Africa: Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) was 37.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in South Africa, 1994–2024
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in South Africa is 37.6%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and down 6.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in South Africa peaked at 43.3% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 27.7%, in 1997.
That places South Africa 166th out of 178 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 38.2% | — |
| 1995 | 30.5% | -20.1% |
| 1996 | 34.8% | +14.0% |
| 1997 | 27.7% | -20.4% |
| 1998 | 34.0% | +22.7% |
| 1999 | 36.8% | +8.2% |
| 2000 | 35.6% | -3.3% |
| 2001 | 35.1% | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 33.1% | -5.9% |
| 2003 | 33.0% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 33.1% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 34.3% | +3.6% |
| 2006 | 35.0% | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 36.0% | +2.9% |
| 2008 | 43.3% | +20.3% |
| 2009 | 41.3% | -4.7% |
| 2010 | 39.4% | -4.6% |
| 2011 | 39.3% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 39.5% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 40.0% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 40.0% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 40.9% | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 40.2% | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 40.4% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 40.3% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 39.5% | -1.9% |
| 2020 | 35.8% | -9.5% |
| 2021 | 34.3% | -4.0% |
| 2022 | 35.7% | +4.0% |
| 2023 | 37.4% | +4.6% |
| 2024 | 37.6% | +0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 33.7% | 27.7% | 38.2% | 6 |
| 2000s | 36.0% | 33.0% | 43.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.0% | 39.3% | 40.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 36.2% | 34.3% | 37.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 163 Morocco 39.1% compare
- 164 Syrian Arab Republic 39.0% compare
- 165 Tunisia 38.5% compare
- 167 Iran, Islamic Republic of 37.6% compare
- 168 Puerto Rico 37.2% compare
- 169 Algeria 36.9% compare
More work & labour data for South Africa
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.2264 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.242 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.2122 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.8748 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 58,057 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 14,698 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 49,126 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 45,189 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 94,314 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in South Africa?
- Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in South Africa was 37.6% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 43.3% in 2008.
- What is the lowest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.7% in 1997.
- How does South Africa rank for employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%)?
- South Africa ranks 166th out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
- Is employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 31 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed.