Ireland vs South Africa: Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE)
Ireland
48.4%
in 2021
South Africa
47.8%
in 2022
Ireland rank
30th
South Africa rank
33rd
Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) over time
- Ireland
- South Africa
How they compare
Ireland currently reports 48.4% against 47.8% in South Africa, a difference of 0.6%.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 17 shared years of data; in 2003 it was Ireland ahead.
Ireland ranks 30th and South Africa ranks 33rd of 74 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, Ireland averaged higher in 2 and South Africa in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Ireland | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 39.7% | 42.4% | 2.7% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 44.8% | 44.5% | 0.3% | Ireland |
| 2020s | 48.4% | 47.1% | 1.4% | Ireland |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte), Ireland or South Africa?
- Ireland, at 48.4% against 47.8% in South Africa as of 2021.
- What is the difference in female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) between Ireland and South Africa?
- 0.6%, with Ireland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Ireland and South Africa?
- 17 years are reported by both, from 2003 to 2021.
- How do Ireland and South Africa rank globally for female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte)?
- Ireland ranks 30th and South Africa ranks 33rd of 74 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) - Higher education. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release