Potential labour force rate in Southern Africa

Southern Africa: Potential labour force rate was 15.06 in 2027. ▲ Rising

Latest (2027)
15.06
Change on year
up 0.3%
Rank
2nd
of 87 groups
All-time high
17.23
in 2020
All-time low
9.63
in 2008
Years of data
24
2004–2027

Potential labour force rate in Southern Africa, 2004–2027

0510152004201520272004: 102005: 9.92006: 9.72007: 9.72008: 9.62009: 11.62010: 13.82011: 14.12012: 142013: 13.72014: 13.42015: 12.62016: 12.82017: 12.72018: 13.62019: 13.72020: 17.22021: 16.32022: 15.42023: 13.82024: 14.12025: 152026: 152027: 15.1

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

In 2027, potential labour force rate in Southern Africa stood at 15.06.

That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 19.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, potential labour force rate in Southern Africa peaked at 17.23 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 9.63, in 2008.

That places Southern Africa 2nd out of 87 groups with data for 2027, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.

Potential labour force rate in Southern Africa, year by year

Annual values for Potential labour force rate (ILO modelled estimates) in Southern Africa, 2004 to 2027.
Year Value Change
2004 9.98
2005 9.87 -1.1%
2006 9.74 -1.4%
2007 9.65 -0.9%
2008 9.63 -0.2%
2009 11.56 +20.0%
2010 13.8 +19.4%
2011 14.13 +2.4%
2012 13.99 -1.0%
2013 13.73 -1.9%
2014 13.39 -2.5%
2015 12.59 -6.0%
2016 12.77 +1.5%
2017 12.66 -0.9%
2018 13.58 +7.3%
2019 13.66 +0.6%
2020 17.23 +26.1%
2021 16.3 -5.4%
2022 15.4 -5.5%
2023 13.79 -10.5%
2024 14.05 +1.9%
2025 14.98 +6.6%
2026 15.02 +0.2%
2027 15.06 +0.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 10.07 9.63 11.56 6
2010s 13.43 12.59 14.13 10
2020s 15.23 13.79 17.23 8

More work & labour data for Southern Africa

All data for Southern Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is potential labour force rate in Southern Africa?
Potential labour force rate in Southern Africa was 15.06 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest potential labour force rate recorded in Southern Africa?
The highest recorded value was 17.23 in 2020.
What is the lowest potential labour force rate recorded in Southern Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 9.63 in 2008.
How does Southern Africa rank for potential labour force rate?
Southern Africa ranks 2nd out of 87 groups with data for 2027.
Is potential labour force rate rising or falling in Southern Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 19.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Southern Africa data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Potential labour force rate (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Potential labour force rate in Southern Africa. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 24 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/potential-labour-force-rate-ilo-modelled-estimates/southern-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Potential labour force rate (ILO modelled estimates)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
87 places, 2,088 data points, 2004–2027
Last refreshed

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 potential labour force rate is the potential labour force as a percent of the extended labour force. The potential labour force refers to persons not in employment who express an interest in this form of work but for whom existing conditions limit their active job search and/or their availability. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.