Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (HC) in South Africa
South Africa: Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (HC) was 37.5% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (HC) in South Africa, 2001–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (hc) in South Africa is 37.5%, measured in 2022.
The figure is up 8.3% on the previous year and up 6.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (hc) in South Africa peaked at 37.7% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 19.6%, in 2001.
That places South Africa 16th out of 78 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.
Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (HC) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 19.6% | — |
| 2003 | 25.7% | +31.1% |
| 2004 | 26.8% | +4.2% |
| 2005 | 29.4% | +9.8% |
| 2006 | 28.8% | -2.1% |
| 2007 | 28.9% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 29.5% | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 30.3% | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 31.4% | +3.6% |
| 2011 | 30.7% | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 35.2% | +14.4% |
| 2013 | 37.0% | +5.2% |
| 2014 | 37.0% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 35.6% | -3.7% |
| 2016 | 37.0% | +3.9% |
| 2017 | 36.8% | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 37.7% | +2.6% |
| 2019 | 33.7% | -10.6% |
| 2020 | 34.5% | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 34.6% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 37.5% | +8.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 37.5% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 34.3%, 1.1× the median. (26 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (HC) in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | +31.1% | 19.6% | 25.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 27.4% | 19.6% | 30.3% | 8 |
| 2010s | 35.2% | 30.7% | 37.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.5% | 34.5% | 37.5% | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More science & technology data for South Africa
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 179.34 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.79 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 114.79 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 89.37 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 4.56 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 5.88 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 14,949 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0002 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (hc) in South Africa?
- Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (hc) in South Africa was 37.5% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (hc) recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 37.7% in 2018.
- What is the lowest female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (hc) recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.6% in 2001.
- How does South Africa rank for female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (hc)?
- South Africa ranks 16th out of 78 countries with data for 2022.
- Is female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (hc) rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (HC) - Business enterprise. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 21 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release