Employment rate, aged 25-64 in South Africa

South Africa: Employment rate, aged 25-64 was 0.7% in 2020. ▬ Flat

Latest (2020)
0.7%
Change on year
down 1.5%
World rank
105th
of 108 countries
All-time high
0.8%
in 2008
All-time low
0.6%
in 2002
Years of data
21
1995–2020

Employment rate, aged 25-64 in South Africa, 1995–2020

00.20.40.60.81995200720201995: 0.769 % of labor force aged 25-642000: 0.783 % of labor force aged 25-642001: 0.781 % of labor force aged 25-642002: 0.645 % of labor force aged 25-642003: 0.774 % of labor force aged 25-642004: 0.778 % of labor force aged 25-642006: 0.691 % of labor force aged 25-642007: 0.71 % of labor force aged 25-642008: 0.818 % of labor force aged 25-642009: 0.806 % of labor force aged 25-642010: 0.795 % of labor force aged 25-642011: 0.793 % of labor force aged 25-642012: 0.793 % of labor force aged 25-642013: 0.794 % of labor force aged 25-642014: 0.788 % of labor force aged 25-642015: 0.784 % of labor force aged 25-642016: 0.771 % of labor force aged 25-642017: 0.762 % of labor force aged 25-642018: 0.763 % of labor force aged 25-642019: 0.75 % of labor force aged 25-642020: 0.739 % of labor force aged 25-64

Source: World Bank. Measured in % of labor force aged 25-64.

Analysis

The most recent figure for employment rate, aged 25-64 in South Africa is 0.7%, measured in 2020.

The figure is down 1.5% on the previous year and down 7.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, employment rate, aged 25-64 in South Africa peaked at 0.8% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 0.6%, in 2002.

That places South Africa 105th out of 108 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Employment rate, aged 25-64 in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Employment rate, aged 25-64 (% of labor force aged 25-64) in South Africa, 1995 to 2020.
Year % of labor force aged 25-64 Change
1995 0.8%
2000 0.8% +1.9%
2001 0.8% -0.3%
2002 0.6% -17.3%
2003 0.8% +20.0%
2004 0.8% +0.4%
2006 0.7% -11.1%
2007 0.7% +2.7%
2008 0.8% +15.2%
2009 0.8% -1.4%
2010 0.8% -1.4%
2011 0.8% -0.3%
2012 0.8% +0.0%
2013 0.8% +0.1%
2014 0.8% -0.7%
2015 0.8% -0.5%
2016 0.8% -1.6%
2017 0.8% -1.2%
2018 0.8% +0.1%
2019 0.7% -1.8%
2020 0.7% -1.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 0.8% 0.8% 0.8% 1
2000s 0.8% 0.6% 0.8% 9
2010s 0.8% 0.7% 0.8% 10
2020s 0.7% 0.7% 0.7% 1

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 102 Croatia 0.8% compare
  2. 103 Greece 0.8% compare
  3. 104 Albania 0.7% compare
  4. 106 Georgia 0.7% compare
  5. 107 Kosovo 0.6% compare
  6. 107 Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) 0.6% compare

See the full ranking of 108 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is employment rate, aged 25-64 in South Africa?
Employment rate, aged 25-64 in South Africa was 0.7% in 2020, according to the World Bank.
What is the highest employment rate, aged 25-64 recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 0.8% in 2008.
What is the lowest employment rate, aged 25-64 recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 0.6% in 2002.
How does South Africa rank for employment rate, aged 25-64?
South Africa ranks 105th out of 108 countries with data for 2020.
Is employment rate, aged 25-64 rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from the World Bank, published as part of Employment rate, aged 25-64 (% of labor force aged 25-64). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Employment rate, aged 25-64 in South Africa. Statizoid. Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/employment-rate-aged-25-64-percent-of-labor-force-aged-25-64/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Employment rate, aged 25-64 (% of labor force aged 25-64)
Unit
% of labor force aged 25-64
Source
World Bank
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
108 places, 1,528 data points, 1970–2021
Last refreshed