Total labor force in the sample, aged 15-64, primary education and in South Africa

South Africa: Total labor force in the sample, aged 15-64, primary education and was 10.57 million in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
10.57 million
Change on year
down 7.3%
World rank
14th
of 108 countries
All-time high
11.57 million
in 2017
All-time low
0
in 2005
Years of data
21
1995–2020

Total labor force in the sample, aged 15-64, primary education and in South Africa, 1995–2020

02.5M5.0M7.5M10.0M12.5M1995200720201995: 4.5M2000: 3.8M2001: 3.7M2002: 4.5M2003: 3.1M2004: 3.2M2005: 02006: 3.6M2007: 3.6M2008: 10.4M2009: 9.9M2010: 9.6M2011: 9.6M2013: 10.0M2014: 10.1M2015: 10.6M2016: 11.1M2017: 11.6M2018: 11.4M2019: 11.4M2020: 10.6M

Source: World Bank.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 10.57 million for total labor force in the sample, aged 15-64, primary education and in 2020.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.3% on the previous year and up 10.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, total labor force in the sample, aged 15-64, primary education and in South Africa peaked at 11.57 million in 2017 and was at its lowest, 0, in 2005.

South Africa ranks 14th of 108 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.

Total labor force in the sample, aged 15-64, primary education and in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Total labor force in the sample, aged 15-64, primary education and below in South Africa, 1995 to 2020.
Year Value Change
1995 4.46 million —
2000 3.83 million -14.1%
2001 3.68 million -4.0%
2002 4.53 million +23.2%
2003 3.13 million -30.9%
2004 3.18 million +1.5%
2005 0 -100.0%
2006 3.55 million —
2007 3.56 million +0.3%
2008 10.41 million +192.1%
2009 9.93 million -4.6%
2010 9.56 million -3.7%
2011 9.64 million +0.8%
2013 10.02 million +4.0%
2014 10.11 million +0.9%
2015 10.61 million +4.9%
2016 11.12 million +4.9%
2017 11.57 million +4.0%
2018 11.38 million -1.7%
2019 11.41 million +0.3%
2020 10.57 million -7.3%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 10.57 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.01 million, 10.4× the median. (34 countries reporting)
  • South Africa's 10.57 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.96 million, 2.7× the median. (20 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Total labor force in the sample, aged 15-64, primary education and in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2008 +192.1% 3.56 million 10.41 million
2005 -100.0% 3.18 million 0

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 4.46 million 4.46 million 4.46 million 1
2000s 4.58 million 0 10.41 million 10
2010s 10.60 million 9.56 million 11.57 million 9
2020s 10.57 million 10.57 million 10.57 million 1

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 11 Tanzania 17.88 million compare
  2. 12 Ethiopia 15.44 million compare
  3. 13 Egypt 10.78 million compare
  4. 15 Turkey 10.35 million compare
  5. 16 Uganda 9.17 million compare
  6. 17 Colombia 8.25 million 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 total labor force in the sample, aged 15-64, primary education and in South Africa?
Total labor force in the sample, aged 15-64, primary education and in South Africa was 10.57 million in 2020, according to the World Bank.
What is the highest total labor force in the sample, aged 15-64, primary education and recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 11.57 million in 2017.
What is the lowest total labor force in the sample, aged 15-64, primary education and recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 0 in 2005.
How does South Africa rank for total labor force in the sample, aged 15-64, primary education and?
South Africa ranks 14th out of 108 countries with data for 2020.
Is total labor force in the sample, aged 15-64, primary education and rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 10.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from the World Bank, published as part of Total labor force in the sample, aged 15-64, primary education and below. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Total labor force in the sample, aged 15-64, primary education and in South Africa. Statizoid. Retrieved 30 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/total-labor-force-in-the-sample-aged-15-64-primary-education-and-below/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Total labor force in the sample, aged 15-64, primary education and below
Source
World Bank
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
108 places, 1,506 data points, 1970–2021
Last refreshed