South Africa
ZAFSub-Saharan Africa Upper middle incomeCapital: Pretoria▶About South Africa
South Africa's GDP is $443.64B (2026), with a population of 64.0M, and GDP per capita of $6,835. Key indicators include real GDP growth of 1.2%, inflation at 3.7%, unemployment at 32.7%, government debt at 79.5% of GDP, life expectancy of 66.1 years. Data sourced from the IMF World Economic Outlook and World Bank World Development Indicators.
Located in Sub-Saharan Africa, this upper middle-income nation has a GDP of 443.643 billion USD in 2026, with a growth rate of 1.2%. The GDP per capita stands at 6834.501 USD. The economy is significantly driven by trade, with trade accounting for 61.646770473025% of GDP in 2024. The inflation rate is projected to be 3.7% in 2026, while the unemployment rate is expected to be 32.391% in 2025. The country's economic landscape is diverse, encompassing sectors such as mining, agriculture, and services. The population is approximately 64,007,187 as of 2024. Life expectancy is 66.139 years as of 2023. The society is marked by a rich cultural heritage and significant linguistic diversity, with 11 official languages. The capital is Pretoria.
▶Economy30 indicators · 2020–2027 · IMF / WB
▶Stock Markets1 indicator · 2026 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JSE All Share | 119,025.13 | 2026 | ▲ 2.8% | WB |
▶Financial Markets4 indicators · 2025–2026 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Government Bond Yield (%) | 10.23% | 2025 | ▼ 8.4% | WB |
| Central Bank Policy Rate (%) | 7.24% | 2025 | ▼ 11.2% | WB |
| Exchange Rate (per USD) | 16.4 | 2026 | — | WB |
| Exchange Rate (per EUR) | 20.18 | 2025 | ▲ 1.8% | WB |
▶Currencies1 indicator · 2026 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD/ZAR | 16.3983 | 2026 | ▼ 1.1% | WB |
▶Fiscal & Monetary24 indicators · 2022–2027 · IMF / WB
▶Trade15 indicators · 2024 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trade (% of GDP) | 61.6% | 2024 | ▼ 6.1% | WB |
| Exports of Goods & Services (% of GDP) | 31.8% | 2024 | ▼ 4.4% | WB |
| Imports of Goods & Services (% of GDP) | 29.9% | 2024 | ▼ 7.9% | WB |
| Exports of Goods & Services (USD) | $127.53B | 2024 | ▲ 0.5% | WB |
| Imports of Goods & Services (USD) | $119.76B | 2024 | ▼ 3.2% | WB |
| Merchandise Exports (USD) | $110.08B | 2024 | ▼ 0.7% | WB |
| Merchandise Imports (USD) | $123.47B | 2024 | ▼ 5.6% | WB |
| FDI Inflows (% of GDP) | 0.6% | 2024 | ▼ 42.6% | WB |
| FDI Outflows (% of GDP) | -0.3% | 2024 | ▲ 57.0% | WB |
| FDI Net Inflows (USD) | $2.33B | 2024 | ▼ 39.7% | WB |
| Personal Remittances Received (USD) | $855.4M | 2024 | ▲ 6.5% | WB |
| Personal Remittances Received (% of GDP) | 0.2% | 2024 | ▲ 1.2% | WB |
| High-Tech Exports (% of manufactured) | 5.7% | 2024 | ▲ 15.1% | WB |
| Current Account Balance (% of GDP) | -0.6% | 2024 | ▲ 41.8% | WB |
| Current Account Balance (USD) | $-2.58B | 2024 | ▲ 38.7% | WB |
▶External Debt7 indicators · 2023–2024 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| External Debt (% of GNI) | 44.8% | 2024 | ▲ 1.5% | WB |
| External Debt Stocks (USD) | $175.90B | 2024 | ▲ 6.1% | WB |
| Total Debt Service (% of GNI) | 5.7% | 2024 | ▼ 5.6% | WB |
| Present Value of External Debt (USD) | $94.14B | 2024 | — | WB |
| Use of IMF Credit (USD) | $7.63B | 2024 | ▼ 22.9% | WB |
| Net ODA Received (% of GNI) | 0.4% | 2023 | ▲ 55.2% | WB |
| Net ODA Received (USD) | $1.51B | 2023 | ▲ 46.3% | WB |
▶Finance11 indicators · 2021–2024 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic Credit by Financial Sector (% of GDP) | 119.0% | 2023 | ▲ 0.4% | WB |
| Domestic Credit to Private Sector (% of GDP) | 90.4% | 2023 | ▼ 1.3% | WB |
| Stock Market Capitalization (% of GDP) | 245.7% | 2024 | ▼ 8.6% | WB |
| Stock Market Capitalization (USD) | $985.70B | 2024 | ▼ 3.9% | WB |
| Stock Market Turnover (% of GDP) | 47.9% | 2024 | ▼ 8.7% | WB |
| Listed Domestic Companies | 220 | 2024 | ▼ 1.8% | WB |
| Bank Capital to Assets Ratio (%) | 8.1% | 2021 | — | WB |
| Bank Nonperforming Loans (%) | 4.5% | 2021 | — | WB |
| Account Ownership at Financial Institution (%) | 81.1% | 2024 | ▼ 5.0% | WB |
| Account Ownership, Female (%) | 81.0% | 2024 | ▼ 6.0% | WB |
| Account Ownership, Male (%) | 81.3% | 2024 | ▼ 3.9% | WB |
▶Private Sector3 indicators · 2020 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firms with Female Top Manager (%) | 10.6% | 2020 | — | WB |
| Firms Offering Training (%) | 7.9% | 2020 | — | WB |
| Firms Using Computers (%) | 17.1% | 2020 | — | WB |
▶People23 indicators · 2023–2025 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 64.0M | 2024 | ▲ 1.3% | WB |
| Population Growth (%) | 1.2% | 2024 | ▼ 5.9% | WB |
| Population Density (per km²) | 52 | 2023 | ▲ 1.3% | WB |
| Surface Area (sq km) | 1.2M | 2023 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Land Area (sq km) | 1.2M | 2023 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Urban Population (%) | 63.7% | 2024 | ▲ 0.2% | WB |
| Urban Population (total) | 40.8M | 2024 | ▲ 1.4% | WB |
| Rural Population (%) | 36.3% | 2024 | ▼ 0.3% | WB |
| Life Expectancy at Birth | 66.1 years | 2023 | ▲ 1.0% | WB |
| Life Expectancy, Male | 62.6 years | 2023 | ▲ 1.3% | WB |
| Life Expectancy, Female | 69.6 years | 2023 | ▲ 0.8% | WB |
| Fertility Rate (births per woman) | 2.2 | 2023 | ▼ 0.5% | WB |
| Birth Rate (per 1,000) | 18.8 | 2023 | ▼ 1.6% | WB |
| Death Rate (per 1,000) | 9.2 | 2023 | ▼ 1.7% | WB |
| Net Migration | 146,370 | 2025 | ▼ 12.3% | WB |
| Population Ages 0–14 (%) | 25.9% | 2024 | ▼ 0.8% | WB |
| Population Ages 15–64 (%) | 67.4% | 2024 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Population Ages 65+ (%) | 6.7% | 2024 | ▲ 2.7% | WB |
| Age Dependency Ratio (%) | 48.3% | 2024 | ▼ 0.1% | WB |
| Old-Age Dependency Ratio (%) | 9.9% | 2024 | ▲ 2.7% | WB |
| Youth Dependency Ratio (%) | 38.4% | 2024 | ▼ 0.8% | WB |
| Mortality Rate, Adult Male (per 1,000) | 327.2 | 2023 | ▼ 5.2% | WB |
| Mortality Rate, Adult Female (per 1,000) | 212.6 | 2023 | ▼ 4.9% | WB |
▶Labor20 indicators · 2024–2025 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Labor Force | 26.7M | 2025 | ▲ 1.4% | WB |
| Labor Force Participation (%) | 55.6% | 2025 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Female Labor Force Participation (%) | 49.9% | 2025 | ▲ 0.2% | WB |
| Male Labor Force Participation (%) | 61.7% | 2025 | ▼ 0.1% | WB |
| Unemployment (%) | 32.4% | 2025 | ▲ 0.3% | WB |
| Female Unemployment (%) | 34.0% | 2025 | ▼ 1.3% | WB |
| Male Unemployment (%) | 31.0% | 2025 | ▲ 1.9% | WB |
| Youth Unemployment (%) | 59.9% | 2025 | ▼ 0.5% | WB |
| Employment in Agriculture (%) | 5.4% | 2025 | ▼ 0.6% | WB |
| Employment in Industry (%) | 20.8% | 2025 | ▼ 0.2% | WB |
| Employment in Services (%) | 73.8% | 2025 | ▲ 0.1% | WB |
| Self-Employed (%) | 55.6% | 2024 | ▲ 1.0% | WB |
| Vulnerable Employment (%) | 11.7% | 2025 | ▼ 0.3% | WB |
| Wage & Salaried Workers (% of total) | 82.7% | 2025 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Part-Time Employment (%) | 15.7% | 2024 | ▼ 0.3% | WB |
| Employers (% of total employment) | 5.6% | 2025 | ▲ 0.3% | WB |
| Labor Force, Female (% of total) | 46.6% | 2025 | ▲ 0.2% | WB |
| Employment to Population Ratio (%) | 37.6% | 2025 | ▼ 0.1% | WB |
| Self-Employed (% of total) | 17.3% | 2025 | ▼ 0.1% | WB |
| NEET Youth (% not in education/employment) | 34.6% | 2024 | ▲ 1.9% | WB |
▶Education21 indicators · 2015–2025 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education Spending (% of GDP) | 6.0% | 2024 | ▼ 1.7% | WB |
| Education Spending (% of govt expenditure) | 19.1% | 2025 | ▲ 3.4% | WB |
| Adult Literacy Rate (%) | 91.2% | 2024 | ▲ 1.3% | WB |
| Female Literacy Rate (%) | 90.8% | 2024 | ▲ 1.6% | WB |
| Male Literacy Rate (%) | 91.5% | 2024 | ▲ 0.9% | WB |
| Youth Literacy Rate (%) | 97.2% | 2024 | ▲ 0.5% | WB |
| Primary School Enrollment (%) | 101.8% | 2023 | ▼ 0.6% | WB |
| Secondary School Enrollment (%) | 104.1% | 2023 | ▼ 0.4% | WB |
| Tertiary School Enrollment (%) | 23.5% | 2023 | ▼ 1.0% | WB |
| Primary Completion Rate (%) | 95.3% | 2023 | ▼ 1.8% | WB |
| Lower Secondary Completion Rate (%) | 88.3% | 2023 | ▲ 1.6% | WB |
| Out-of-School Children, Primary | 448,146 | 2023 | ▲ 4.1% | WB |
| Out-of-School Girls, Primary | 218,959 | 2023 | ▲ 4.8% | WB |
| Primary School Teachers | 287,310 | 2023 | — | WB |
| Secondary School Teachers | 181,739 | 2023 | ▼ 0.2% | WB |
| Pupil-Teacher Ratio, Primary | 30 | 2015 | — | WB |
| Pupil-Teacher Ratio, Secondary | 28 | 2017 | — | WB |
| Expenditure per Student, Primary (% of GDP/cap) | 38.7% | 2018 | — | WB |
| Pupil-Teacher Ratio (Primary) | 95.4 | 2022 | ▲ 2.8% | WB |
| Education Spending, Secondary (% of govt) | 30.8% | 2018 | — | WB |
| Education Spending, Tertiary (% of govt) | 15.3% | 2018 | — | WB |
▶Health39 indicators · 2017–2024 · WHO
▶Energy & Environment16 indicators · 2020–2024 · WB / WHO
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CO₂ Emissions (tonnes per capita) | 6.9 | 2024 | ▲ 1.7% | WB |
| CO₂ Emissions (total kilotonnes) | 440 | 2024 | ▲ 3.0% | WB |
| Energy Use (kg oil eq. per capita) | 1,939 | 2023 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Electric Power Consumption (kWh per capita) | 3,247 | 2023 | ▼ 4.6% | WB |
| Renewable Electricity Output (%) | 6.4% | 2021 | — | WB |
| Renewable Energy Consumption (%) | 9.7% | 2021 | ▼ 1.0% | WB |
| Access to Electricity (%) | 87.7% | 2023 | ▲ 1.4% | WB |
| Access to Clean Fuels for Cooking (%) | 89.8% | 2023 | ▲ 0.7% | WB |
| PM2.5 Air Pollution (µg/m³) | 23.8 | 2020 | — | WB |
| Forest Area (%) | 14.0% | 2023 | ▼ 0.2% | WB |
| Forest Area (sq km) | 169,409 | 2023 | ▼ 0.2% | WB |
| Arable Land (%) | 9.9% | 2023 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Terrestrial Protected Areas (%) | 12.8% | 2024 | ▲ 0.8% | WB |
| Marine Protected Areas (%) | 15.4% | 2024 | ▼ 0.6% | WB |
| Access to Basic Drinking Water (%) | 90.2% | 2024 | ▼ 0.3% | WHO |
| Access to Basic Sanitation (%) | 77.4% | 2024 | ▲ 0.8% | WHO |
▶Agriculture11 indicators · 2022–2023 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Land (%) | 79.4% | 2023 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Cereal Yield (kg per hectare) | 5,726 | 2023 | ▲ 7.5% | WB |
| Food Production Index (2014–2016=100) | 113.2 | 2022 | ▼ 0.9% | WB |
| Crop Production Index (2014–2016=100) | 124.1 | 2022 | ▼ 0.8% | WB |
| Livestock Production Index (2014–2016=100) | 103.2 | 2022 | ▼ 0.9% | WB |
| Land Under Cereal Production (hectares) | 3.3M | 2023 | ▼ 1.9% | WB |
| Total Fisheries Production (metric tonnes) | 478,243 | 2023 | ▼ 17.4% | WB |
| Fertilizer Consumption (kg per hectare) | 77.2 | 2023 | ▼ 15.6% | WB |
| Prevalence of Undernourishment (%) | 10.0% | 2023 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Annual Freshwater Withdrawals (% of internal) | 47.1% | 2022 | ▲ 1.1% | WB |
| Cereal Production (metric tons) | 19.0M | 2023 | ▲ 5.4% | WB |
▶Technology13 indicators · 2021–2024 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internet Users (%) | 75.7% | 2023 | ▲ 0.3% | WB |
| Mobile Subscriptions (per 100 people) | 172 | 2023 | ▲ 6.7% | WB |
| Fixed Broadband Subscriptions (per 100) | 3.4 | 2023 | ▲ 9.1% | WB |
| Secure Internet Servers (per million) | 16,658.2 | 2024 | ▲ 12.7% | WB |
| R&D Spending (% of GDP) | 0.62% | 2022 | ▲ 0.4% | WB |
| Patent Applications, Residents | 1,804 | 2021 | — | WB |
| Patent Applications, Non-Residents | 9,156 | 2021 | — | WB |
| Scientific Journal Articles | 16,651 | 2022 | ▲ 3.5% | WB |
| High-Technology Exports (USD) | $2.45B | 2024 | ▲ 10.8% | WB |
| ICT Service Exports (% of service exports) | 9.5% | 2024 | ▲ 2.5% | WB |
| ICT Service Exports (USD) | $1.53B | 2024 | ▲ 14.3% | WB |
| Industrial Design Applications, Resident | 728 | 2021 | — | WB |
| Researchers in R&D (per million) | 444 | 2022 | ▼ 2.3% | WB |
▶Infrastructure9 indicators · 2008–2023 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Transport, Passengers Carried | 15.5M | 2023 | ▲ 27.4% | WB |
| Air Transport, Freight (million ton-km) | 59.7 | 2023 | ▼ 58.4% | WB |
| Container Port Traffic (TEU) | 4.1M | 2022 | ▼ 8.2% | WB |
| Rail Lines (total km) | 20,953 | 2021 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Railways, Passengers (million km) | 3,502 | 2020 | — | WB |
| Railways, Goods (million ton-km) | 113,342 | 2008 | — | WB |
| Logistics Performance Index (1–5) | 3.70 | 2022 | — | WB |
| Electricity from Oil (%) | 3.5% | 2023 | ▲ 43.0% | WB |
| Electricity from Nuclear (%) | 3.7% | 2023 | ▼ 16.4% | WB |
▶Gender8 indicators · 2017–2025 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women in Parliament (%) | 44.7% | 2024 | ▼ 2.5% | WB |
| Female Labor Force Participation, 15+ (%) | 49.8% | 2024 | ▲ 1.5% | WB |
| Female Wage & Salaried Workers (%) | 85.3% | 2025 | ▲ 0.0% | WB |
| Girls Out-of-School Rate (%) | 99.8% | 2017 | — | WB |
| Adolescent Fertility Rate (per 1,000) | 51.6 | 2023 | ▼ 0.3% | WB |
| Gender Parity Index, Primary | 103.67 | 2017 | — | WB |
| Gender Parity Index, Secondary | 1.09 | 2020 | — | WB |
| Gender Parity in Primary Education | 0.96 | 2020 | — | WB |
▶Governance10 indicators · 2023 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control of Corruption | -0.28 | 2023 | ▲ 13.8% | WB |
| Government Effectiveness | -0.26 | 2023 | ▼ 135.7% | WB |
| Political Stability | -0.67 | 2023 | ▲ 2.3% | WB |
| Regulatory Quality | -0.22 | 2023 | ▼ 20.8% | WB |
| Rule of Law | 0.09 | 2023 | ▲ 111.5% | WB |
| Voice & Accountability | 0.74 | 2023 | ▲ 3.0% | WB |
| Control of Corruption (percentile rank) | 45.8% | 2023 | ▲ 4.3% | WB |
| Government Effectiveness (percentile rank) | 40.6% | 2023 | ▼ 14.0% | WB |
| Rule of Law (percentile rank) | 54.2% | 2023 | ▲ 0.9% | WB |
| Political Stability (percentile rank) | 20.9% | 2023 | ▲ 0.5% | WB |
▶Military6 indicators · 2020–2024 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Military Spending (% of GDP) | 0.7% | 2024 | ▼ 7.2% | WB |
| Military Expenditure (USD) | $2.84B | 2024 | ▼ 1.4% | WB |
| Armed Forces Personnel | 89,000 | 2020 | — | WB |
| Armed Forces (% of labor force) | 0.4% | 2020 | — | WB |
| Military Spending (% of govt expenditure) | 2.1% | 2024 | ▼ 8.8% | WB |
| Intentional Homicides (per 100,000) | 43.7 | 2022 | ▲ 6.8% | WB |
▶Social Protection8 indicators · 2019–2021 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Insurance Coverage (%) | 3.4% | 2021 | — | — |
| Social Assistance Coverage (%) | 76.7% | 2021 | — | — |
| Labor Market Programs Coverage (%) | 3.3% | 2019 | — | — |
| Social Protection Coverage (%) | 78.4% | 2021 | — | — |
| Human Capital Index (0–1) | 0.43 | 2020 | — | WB |
| Human Capital Index, Female | 0.45 | 2020 | — | WB |
| Human Capital Index, Male | 0.41 | 2020 | — | WB |
| Learning-Adjusted Years of School | 5.6 years | 2020 | — | WB |
▶Tourism5 indicators · 2020 · WB
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Tourism, Arrivals | 3.9M | 2020 | — | WB |
| Tourism Receipts (USD) | $2.72B | 2020 | — | WB |
| Tourism Expenditures (USD) | $1.59B | 2020 | — | WB |
| Tourism Receipts (% of total exports) | 2.9% | 2020 | — | WB |
| International Tourism, Transport Services (USD) | $109.0M | 2020 | — | WB |
▶Urban Development8 indicators · 2022–2025 · WB / WHO
| Indicator | Value | Year | Δ YoY | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Population Growth (%) | 1.4% | 2024 | ▼ 4.9% | WB |
| Population in Largest City | 6.4M | 2025 | ▲ 1.9% | WB |
| Population in Largest City (% of urban) | 15.6% | 2025 | ▲ 0.5% | WB |
| Population in Agglomerations >1M (% of total) | 36.1% | 2025 | ▲ 0.6% | WB |
| Population in Slums (% of urban) | 24.2% | 2022 | — | WB |
| Rural Population Growth (%) | 0.9% | 2024 | ▼ 8.6% | WB |
| Access to Safely Managed Drinking Water (%) | 68.0% | 2024 | ▼ 0.8% | WHO |
| Access to Safely Managed Sanitation (%) | 73.8% | 2024 | ▲ 0.8% | WHO |