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Bar chart race of South Africa, China, India and 7 more, by Labor Force.
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South Africa
South Africa has risen from 14.74M in 1990 to 26.73M in 2025.
Labor Force
26.73M
Female Labor Force
47 %
Labor Force Participation
61 %
Male Labor Force Participation
66 %
Female Labor Force Participation
55 %
Unemployment
32 %
Male Unemployment
31 %
Female Unemployment
34 %
Self-employed
17 %
South Africa labor force and employment by year since 1960, charted over the full history with participation and unemployment trends.
Labor Force Yearly
The labor force includes individuals aged 15 and older who are either employed or actively seeking work. It excludes unpaid workers, family workers, students, and sometimes armed forces members. The size of the labor force can fluctuate throughout the year due to seasonal changes.
Female Labor Force Yearly
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate)
Labor Force Participation Yearly
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate)
Male Labor Force Participation Yearly
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate)
Female Labor Force Participation Yearly
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate)
Unemployment Yearly
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate)
Male Unemployment Yearly
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (modeled ILO estimate)
Female Unemployment Yearly
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (modeled ILO estimate)
Self-employed Yearly
Self-employed, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate)
Data Source: https://worldbank.org/
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