According to the World Bank, the male Labor Force Participation Rate of South Africa was 63.57% in 2022 (a difference of +0.97 compared to 2021); and the female Labor Force Participation Rate of South Africa was 50.61% in 2022 (a difference of +1.11 compared to 2021).
Use the interactive visualization and table below to explore the values for each year between 1990-2022.
The World Bank defines Labor Force Participation Rate as "the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period" .
See also: Labor Force of South Africa.
| Year | Male Labor Force Participation Rate (%) | Female Labor Force Participation Rate (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 78.03 | 49.86 | |
| 1991 | 77.58 | 49.94 | |
| 1992 | 77.17 | 50.11 | |
| 1993 | 76.79 | 50.34 | |
| 1994 | 76.33 | 50.58 | |
| 1995 | 75.77 | 50.82 | |
| 1996 | 75.24 | 51.05 | |
| 1997 | 74.58 | 51.23 | |
| 1998 | 73.81 | 51.36 | |
| 1999 | 72.98 | 51.51 | |
| 2000 | 72.12 | 51.68 | |
| 2001 | 71.44 | 51.81 | |
| 2002 | 70.73 | 51.96 | |
| 2003 | 70.00 | 52.12 | |
| 2004 | 69.33 | 52.26 | |
| 2005 | 68.74 | 52.40 | |
| 2006 | 68.30 | 52.49 | |
| 2007 | 67.96 | 52.56 | |
| 2008 | 67.71 | 52.61 | |
| 2009 | 65.72 | 51.27 | |
| 2010 | 62.20 | 47.03 | |
| 2011 | 63.38 | 49.74 | |
| 2012 | 63.41 | 49.29 | |
| 2013 | 63.40 | 49.78 | |
| 2014 | 63.38 | 49.51 | |
| 2015 | 65.04 | 50.99 | |
| 2016 | 65.49 | 51.12 | |
| 2017 | 65.94 | 52.29 | |
| 2018 | 65.24 | 51.68 | |
| 2019 | 65.25 | 52.04 | |
| 2020 | 61.29 | 48.70 | |
| 2021 | 62.46 | 49.64 | |
| 2022 | 63.57 | 50.61 |