South Africa vs Palestine: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force)
South Africa
32.4%
in 2025
Palestine
24.4%
in 2022
South Africa rank
2nd
Palestine rank
5th
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) over time
- South Africa
- Palestine
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 32.4% against 24.4% in Palestine, a difference of 8.0%.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.3 times Palestine's.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 32 shared years of data; in 1991 it was South Africa ahead.
South Africa ranks 2nd and Palestine ranks 5th of 187 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Palestine | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 22.9% | 10.6% | 12.3% | South Africa |
| 2000s | 22.6% | 20.6% | 2.0% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 25.8% | 22.3% | 3.5% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 32.2% | 25.6% | 6.6% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher unemployment, total (% of total labor force), South Africa or Palestine?
- South Africa, at 32.4% against 24.4% in Palestine as of 2025.
- What is the difference in unemployment, total (% of total labor force) between South Africa and Palestine?
- 8.0%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Palestine?
- 32 years are reported by both, from 1991 to 2022.
- How do South Africa and Palestine rank globally for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- South Africa ranks 2nd and Palestine ranks 5th of 187 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.