Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (HC) in South Africa
South Africa: Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (HC) was 62.7% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (HC) in South Africa, 2001–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 62.7% for female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (hc) in 2022. That is the highest value across all 21 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.0% on the previous year and up 17.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (hc) in South Africa peaked at 62.7% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 45.3%, in 2005.
South Africa ranks 7th of 65 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
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 | 46.2% | — |
| 2003 | 51.1% | +10.6% |
| 2004 | 49.5% | -3.3% |
| 2005 | 45.3% | -8.5% |
| 2006 | 49.6% | +9.6% |
| 2007 | 49.2% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 46.6% | -5.4% |
| 2009 | 49.6% | +6.4% |
| 2010 | 58.8% | +18.7% |
| 2011 | 54.7% | -6.9% |
| 2012 | 53.3% | -2.6% |
| 2013 | 53.6% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 53.8% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 55.7% | +3.6% |
| 2016 | 53.7% | -3.6% |
| 2017 | 57.4% | +6.9% |
| 2018 | 61.1% | +6.4% |
| 2019 | 58.5% | -4.3% |
| 2020 | 58.5% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 61.5% | +5.2% |
| 2022 | 62.7% | +2.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 62.7% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 43.7%, 1.4× the median. (26 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 62.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 43.0%, 1.5× the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 48.4% | 45.3% | 51.1% | 8 |
| 2010s | 56.1% | 53.3% | 61.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 60.9% | 58.5% | 62.7% | 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 62.7% 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 62.7% in 2022.
- What is the lowest female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (hc) recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.3% in 2005.
- How does South Africa rank for female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (hc)?
- South Africa ranks 7th out of 65 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 17.7%. 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) - Private non-profit. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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