Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), per in South Africa

South Africa: Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), per was 0.0173 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
0.0173 units per square kilometre
Change on year
down 1.7%
World rank
113th
of 186 countries
All-time high
0.018 units per square kilometre
in 2020
All-time low
0.0088 units per square kilometre
in 1990
Years of data
34
1990–2023

Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), per in South Africa, 1990–2023

00.0050.010.0150.021990200620231990: 0.009 units per square kilometre1991: 0.009 units per square kilometre1992: 0.009 units per square kilometre1993: 0.009 units per square kilometre1994: 0.01 units per square kilometre1995: 0.01 units per square kilometre1996: 0.01 units per square kilometre1997: 0.01 units per square kilometre1998: 0.01 units per square kilometre1999: 0.011 units per square kilometre2000: 0.011 units per square kilometre2001: 0.011 units per square kilometre2002: 0.011 units per square kilometre2003: 0.012 units per square kilometre2004: 0.012 units per square kilometre2005: 0.012 units per square kilometre2006: 0.013 units per square kilometre2007: 0.013 units per square kilometre2008: 0.013 units per square kilometre2009: 0.014 units per square kilometre2010: 0.015 units per square kilometre2011: 0.015 units per square kilometre2012: 0.015 units per square kilometre2013: 0.015 units per square kilometre2014: 0.015 units per square kilometre2015: 0.015 units per square kilometre2016: 0.015 units per square kilometre2017: 0.015 units per square kilometre2018: 0.016 units per square kilometre2019: 0.016 units per square kilometre2020: 0.018 units per square kilometre2021: 0.018 units per square kilometre2022: 0.018 units per square kilometre2023: 0.017 units per square kilometre

Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.

Analysis

In 2023, persons outside the labour force (ilo modelled estimates) (15+), per in South Africa stood at 0.0173 units per square kilometre.

The figure is down 1.7% on the previous year and up 14.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, persons outside the labour force (ilo modelled estimates) (15+), per in South Africa peaked at 0.018 units per square kilometre in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.0088 units per square kilometre, in 1990.

That places South Africa 113th out of 186 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.

Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), per in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), per square kilometre in South Africa, 1990 to 2023.
Year units per square kilometre Change
1990 0.0088 units per square kilometre
1991 0.009 units per square kilometre +2.8%
1992 0.0092 units per square kilometre +1.7%
1993 0.0094 units per square kilometre +2.7%
1994 0.0096 units per square kilometre +1.8%
1995 0.0096 units per square kilometre +0.5%
1996 0.0098 units per square kilometre +1.2%
1997 0.0099 units per square kilometre +1.9%
1998 0.0102 units per square kilometre +2.9%
1999 0.0105 units per square kilometre +2.9%
2000 0.0108 units per square kilometre +2.8%
2001 0.0111 units per square kilometre +2.8%
2002 0.0114 units per square kilometre +2.9%
2003 0.0118 units per square kilometre +2.8%
2004 0.0121 units per square kilometre +2.6%
2005 0.0123 units per square kilometre +2.2%
2006 0.0126 units per square kilometre +2.0%
2007 0.0128 units per square kilometre +1.9%
2008 0.0131 units per square kilometre +1.8%
2009 0.0138 units per square kilometre +5.7%
2010 0.0145 units per square kilometre +5.3%
2011 0.0148 units per square kilometre +1.8%
2012 0.015 units per square kilometre +1.1%
2013 0.0151 units per square kilometre +0.7%
2014 0.0153 units per square kilometre +1.4%
2015 0.0152 units per square kilometre -0.5%
2016 0.0153 units per square kilometre +0.6%
2017 0.0152 units per square kilometre -0.7%
2018 0.0156 units per square kilometre +2.7%
2019 0.0159 units per square kilometre +2.0%
2020 0.018 units per square kilometre +13.0%
2021 0.0179 units per square kilometre -1.0%
2022 0.0176 units per square kilometre -1.3%
2023 0.0173 units per square kilometre -1.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 0.0096 units per square kilometre 0.0088 units per square kilometre 0.0105 units per square kilometre 10
2000s 0.0122 units per square kilometre 0.0108 units per square kilometre 0.0138 units per square kilometre 10
2010s 0.0152 units per square kilometre 0.0145 units per square kilometre 0.0159 units per square kilometre 10
2020s 0.0177 units per square kilometre 0.0173 units per square kilometre 0.018 units per square kilometre 4

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 110 Ecuador 0.0193 units per square kilometre compare
  2. 111 Mexico 0.0192 units per square kilometre compare
  3. 112 Côte d'Ivoire 0.0189 units per square kilometre compare
  4. 114 Benin 0.0173 units per square kilometre compare
  5. 115 Guinea-Bissau 0.0164 units per square kilometre compare
  6. 116 Guinea 0.0163 units per square kilometre compare

See the full ranking of 189 places →

More work & labour data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is persons outside the labour force (ilo modelled estimates) (15+), per in South Africa?
Persons outside the labour force (ilo modelled estimates) (15+), per in South Africa was 0.0173 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest persons outside the labour force (ilo modelled estimates) (15+), per recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 0.018 units per square kilometre in 2020.
What is the lowest persons outside the labour force (ilo modelled estimates) (15+), per recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 0.0088 units per square kilometre in 1990.
How does South Africa rank for persons outside the labour force (ilo modelled estimates) (15+), per?
South Africa ranks 113th out of 186 countries with data for 2023.
Is persons outside the labour force (ilo modelled estimates) (15+), per rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 14.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), per in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/persons-outside-the-labour-force-ilo-modelled-estimates-15-per-square-kilometre/south-africa/

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<a href="https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/persons-outside-the-labour-force-ilo-modelled-estimates-15-per-square-kilometre/south-africa/">Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), per in South Africa</a> — Statizoid

How this figure is calculated

Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.

Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) ÷ Land area (sq. km)

Computed from

Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.

About this data

Indicator
Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), per square kilometre
Unit
units per square kilometre
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
189 places, 6,274 data points, 1990–2023
Last refreshed

Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.