Fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate in South Africa
South Africa: Fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate was 49.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate in South Africa, 1960–2024
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate in South Africa stood at 49.8%. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 7.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate in South Africa peaked at 49.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 16.7%, in 1960.
That places South Africa 124th out of 194 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 16.7% | — |
| 1970 | 24.1% | +44.3% |
| 1980 | 22.8% | -5.4% |
| 1985 | 26.7% | +17.1% |
| 1991 | 29.5% | +10.5% |
| 1994 | 38.9% | +31.9% |
| 1996 | 36.6% | -5.9% |
| 1997 | 33.8% | -7.7% |
| 1998 | 37.1% | +9.8% |
| 1999 | 43.9% | +18.3% |
| 2000 | 42.6% | -2.9% |
| 2001 | 42.2% | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 40.8% | -3.4% |
| 2003 | 39.9% | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 38.0% | -4.8% |
| 2005 | 39.9% | +4.9% |
| 2006 | 40.5% | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 40.5% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 47.9% | +18.3% |
| 2009 | 46.3% | -3.5% |
| 2010 | 44.6% | -3.5% |
| 2011 | 45.0% | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 45.2% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 46.2% | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 46.4% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 47.6% | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 47.6% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 48.5% | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 48.4% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 48.5% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 44.1% | -9.1% |
| 2021 | 45.4% | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 47.1% | +3.8% |
| 2023 | 49.0% | +4.1% |
| 2024 | 49.8% | +1.5% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 49.8% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 52.2%, 95% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 49.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 57.6%, 86% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | +44.3% | 16.7% | 24.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 16.7% | 16.7% | 16.7% | 1 |
| 1970s | 24.1% | 24.1% | 24.1% | 1 |
| 1980s | 24.8% | 22.8% | 26.7% | 2 |
| 1990s | 36.6% | 29.5% | 43.9% | 6 |
| 2000s | 41.9% | 38.0% | 47.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.8% | 44.6% | 48.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.1% | 44.1% | 49.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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 fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate in South Africa?
- Fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate in South Africa was 49.8% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 49.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.7% in 1960.
- How does South Africa rank for fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate?
- South Africa ranks 124th out of 194 countries with data for 2024.
- Is fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.3%. 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, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fertility rate versus female labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the female working-age population who are economically active (employed or unemployed). Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.