South Africa vs United Kingdom: Government spending vs. GDP, per unit of GDP

South Africa
0.1676 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP
in 2025
United Kingdom
0.1706 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP
in 2025
South Africa rank
43rd
United Kingdom rank
40th

Government spending vs. GDP, per unit of GDP over time

  • South Africa
  • United Kingdom
00.511.52196019922025

How they compare

United Kingdom currently reports 0.1706 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP against 0.1676 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP in South Africa, a difference of 0.003 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 56 shared years of data; in 1970 it was United Kingdom ahead.

South Africa ranks 43rd and United Kingdom ranks 40th of 166 countries.

United Kingdom has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade South Africa United Kingdom Difference Ahead
1970s 0.548 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP 1.4 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.8533 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP United Kingdom
1980s 0.3574 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.5812 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.2238 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP United Kingdom
1990s 0.255 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.292 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.0369 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP United Kingdom
2000s 0.2159 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.218 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.0021 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP United Kingdom
2010s 0.167 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.2034 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.0364 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP United Kingdom
2020s 0.1801 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.1919 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP 0.0119 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP United Kingdom

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher government spending vs. gdp, per unit of gdp, South Africa or United Kingdom?
United Kingdom, at 0.1706 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP against 0.1676 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP in South Africa as of 2025.
What is the difference in government spending vs. gdp, per unit of gdp between South Africa and United Kingdom?
0.003 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP, with United Kingdom ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and United Kingdom?
56 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2025.
How do South Africa and United Kingdom rank globally for government spending vs. gdp, per unit of gdp?
South Africa ranks 43rd and United Kingdom ranks 40th of 166 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Statizoid (derived), published as Government spending vs. GDP, per unit of GDP. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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South Africa vs United Kingdom: Government spending vs. GDP, per unit of GDP. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 28 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/compare/government-spending-vs-gdp-per-unit-of-gdp/south-africa/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Government spending vs. GDP, per unit of GDP
Unit
constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
166 places, 7,051 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Government spending vs. GDP divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.