Employment in services — all countries

Employment in services — Southern Africa

Employment in services in Southern Africa in 2025 — 71.7%. Since 1991, the indicator has risen by 7.5 pp.

2025 71.7% +0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 71.8%2023
Period minimum 63.6%2002

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Employment in services — Southern Africa, 1991–202562.56567.57072.519911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 64.2%1992: 64.3%1993: 64.4%1994: 64.5%1995: 64.7%1996: 64.9%1997: 65.1%1998: 65.1%1999: 65.3%2000: 65.7%2001: 65.1%2002: 63.6%2003: 64.8%2004: 64.6%2005: 66.4%2006: 66.5%2007: 66.8%2008: 67%2009: 67.9%2010: 68.5%2011: 69.2%2012: 69.7%2013: 69.3%2014: 69.8%2015: 68.8%2016: 69.4%2017: 69.7%2018: 70%2019: 70.7%2020: 71.2%2021: 71.6%2022: 71.3%2023: 71.8%2024: 71.6%2025: 71.7%
Change over the period: +7.5 pp Annual average: 0.22 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Southern Africa

Southern Africa 71.7%
World 50.6%
Employment in services — Southern Africa, by year Southern Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 71.7 +0.1 pp
2024 71.6 −0.1 pp
2023 71.8 +0.5 pp
2022 71.3 −0.3 pp
2021 71.6 +0.4 pp
2020 71.2 +0.5 pp
2019 70.7 +0.7 pp
2018 70 +0.3 pp
2017 69.7 +0.3 pp
2016 69.4 +0.6 pp
2015 68.8 −1 pp
2014 69.8 +0.5 pp
2013 69.3 −0.3 pp
2012 69.7 +0.4 pp
2011 69.2 +0.7 pp
2010 68.5 +0.7 pp
2009 67.9 +0.9 pp
2008 67 +0.2 pp
2007 66.8 +0.2 pp
2006 66.5 +0.2 pp
2005 66.4 +1.8 pp
2004 64.6 −0.2 pp
2003 64.8 +1.2 pp
2002 63.6 −1.5 pp
2001 65.1 −0.6 pp
2000 65.7 +0.3 pp
1999 65.3 +0.3 pp
1998 65.1 +0 pp
1997 65.1 +0.1 pp
1996 64.9 +0.2 pp
1995 64.7 +0.2 pp
1994 64.5 +0.1 pp
1993 64.4 +0.1 pp
1992 64.3 +0 pp
1991 64.2

About the indicator

The share of total employment in the service sector: trade, transport, communications, finance, business services, public administration, education, health care. In high-income countries it exceeds 70–80%; the rise of this share is the main line of structural change in labor markets over the past half century.

Source: ILOSTAT (ILO), license CC BY 4.0.