Labor force (15-64 years), female in South Africa

South Africa: Labor force (15-64 years), female was 9.29 million in 2011. ▲ Rising

Latest (2011)
9.29 million
Change on year
up 1.5%
World rank
5th
of 52 countries
All-time high
9.59 million
in 2008
All-time low
3.79 million
in 1990
Years of data
22
1990–2011

Labor force (15-64 years), female in South Africa, 1990–2011

02.0M4.0M6.0M8.0M10.0M1990200020111990: 3.8M1991: 4.1M1992: 4.4M1993: 4.7M1994: 5.0M1995: 5.3M1996: 5.6M1997: 5.9M1998: 6.1M1999: 6.4M2000: 7.8M2001: 8.1M2002: 8.3M2003: 8.5M2004: 8.7M2005: 8.9M2006: 9.0M2007: 9.2M2008: 9.6M2009: 9.3M2010: 9.1M2011: 9.3M

Source: International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database.

Analysis

In 2011, labor force (15-64 years), female in South Africa stood at 9.29 million.

That represents a change of up 1.5% on the previous year and up 15.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, labor force (15-64 years), female in South Africa peaked at 9.59 million in 2008 and was at its lowest, 3.79 million, in 1990.

That places South Africa 5th out of 52 countries with data for 2011, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.

Labor force (15-64 years), female in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Labor force (15-64 years), female in South Africa, 1990 to 2011.
Year Value Change
1990 3.79 million
1991 4.06 million +7.3%
1992 4.39 million +8.1%
1993 4.72 million +7.4%
1994 5.03 million +6.6%
1995 5.33 million +5.9%
1996 5.59 million +5.0%
1997 5.86 million +4.8%
1998 6.14 million +4.7%
1999 6.39 million +4.1%
2000 7.80 million +22.1%
2001 8.06 million +3.3%
2002 8.29 million +2.9%
2003 8.53 million +2.9%
2004 8.71 million +2.1%
2005 8.89 million +2.1%
2006 9.04 million +1.8%
2007 9.21 million +1.9%
2008 9.59 million +4.2%
2009 9.35 million -2.6%
2010 9.15 million -2.1%
2011 9.29 million +1.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 5.13 million 3.79 million 6.39 million 10
2000s 8.75 million 7.80 million 9.59 million 10
2010s 9.22 million 9.15 million 9.29 million 2

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 2 Ethiopia 22.23 million compare
  2. 3 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 14.42 million compare
  3. 4 Tanzania, United Republic of 12.56 million compare
  4. 6 Kenya 8.37 million compare
  5. 7 Egypt 7.81 million compare
  6. 8 Uganda 7.62 million compare

See the full ranking of 58 places →

More work & labour data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is labor force (15-64 years), female in South Africa?
Labor force (15-64 years), female in South Africa was 9.29 million in 2011, according to International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database.
What is the highest labor force (15-64 years), female recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 9.59 million in 2008.
What is the lowest labor force (15-64 years), female recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 3.79 million in 1990.
How does South Africa rank for labor force (15-64 years), female?
South Africa ranks 5th out of 52 countries with data for 2011.
Is labor force (15-64 years), female rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 15.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database, published as part of Labor force (15-64 years), female. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Labor force (15-64 years), female in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database. Retrieved 22 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/labor-force-15-64-years-female/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Labor force (15-64 years), female
Source
International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
58 places, 1,276 data points, 1990–2011
Last refreshed

The labor force comprising people ages 15 to 64 who meet the International Labour Organization definition of the economically active population: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. It includes both the employed and the unemployed. While national practices vary in the treatment of such groups as the armed forces and seasonal or part-time workers, in general the labor force includes the armed forces, the unemployed, and first-time job-seekers, but excludes homemakers and other unpaid caregivers and workers in the informal sector.