Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) in Southern Africa
Southern Africa: Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) was 56.11 in 2027. ▼ Falling
Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) in Southern Africa, 1990–2027
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2027, labour force participation rate (ilo modelled estimates) in Southern Africa stood at 56.11.
The figure is up 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labour force participation rate (ilo modelled estimates) in Southern Africa peaked at 58.63 in 1990 and was at its lowest, 51.25, in 2020.
Southern Africa ranks 68th of 85 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 38 years of available data.
Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) in Southern Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 58.63 | — |
| 1991 | 58.56 | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 58.56 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 58.47 | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 58.45 | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 58.51 | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 58.49 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | 58.38 | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 58.17 | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 57.93 | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 57.67 | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 57.43 | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 57.18 | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 56.95 | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 56.75 | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 56.59 | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 56.47 | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 56.38 | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 56.32 | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 54.71 | -2.9% |
| 2010 | 53.1 | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 53.03 | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 53.34 | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 53.97 | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 54.12 | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 55.22 | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 55.3 | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 55.82 | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 55.58 | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 55.65 | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 51.25 | -7.9% |
| 2021 | 52.66 | +2.8% |
| 2022 | 54.11 | +2.7% |
| 2023 | 55.59 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | 56.09 | +0.9% |
| 2025 | 56.1 | +0.0% |
| 2026 | 56.11 | +0.0% |
| 2027 | 56.11 | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 58.42 | 57.93 | 58.63 | 10 |
| 2000s | 56.64 | 54.71 | 57.67 | 10 |
| 2010s | 54.51 | 53.03 | 55.82 | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.75 | 51.25 | 56.11 | 8 |
Countries ranked near Southern Africa
More work & labour data for Southern Africa
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 52,126 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.1816 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.1951 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.1707 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.9822 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.9762 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 19,568 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 66,232 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 108,649 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 56,523 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labour force participation rate (ilo modelled estimates) in Southern Africa?
- Labour force participation rate (ilo modelled estimates) in Southern Africa was 56.11 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest labour force participation rate (ilo modelled estimates) recorded in Southern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 58.63 in 1990.
- What is the lowest labour force participation rate (ilo modelled estimates) recorded in Southern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 51.25 in 2020.
- How does Southern Africa rank for labour force participation rate (ilo modelled estimates)?
- Southern Africa ranks 68th out of 85 groups with data for 2027.
- Is labour force participation rate (ilo modelled estimates) rising or falling in Southern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Southern Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 38 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
Imputed observations are not based on national data, are subject to high uncertainty and should not be used for country comparisons or rankings. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. The labour force participation rate is the labour force as a percent of the working-age population. The labour force is the sum of all persons of working age who are employed and those who are unemployed. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.