Adjusted savings: energy depletion in South Africa
South Africa: Adjusted savings: energy depletion was 1.7% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Adjusted savings: energy depletion in South Africa, 1971–2021
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of GNI.
Analysis
In 2021, adjusted savings: energy depletion in South Africa stood at 1.7%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 58.5% on the previous year and down 45.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adjusted savings: energy depletion in South Africa peaked at 5.4% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 0.5%, in 1971.
That places South Africa 42nd out of 202 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Adjusted savings: energy depletion in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of GNI | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 0.5% | — |
| 1972 | 0.5% | +4.6% |
| 1973 | 0.5% | -4.3% |
| 1974 | 0.8% | +49.2% |
| 1975 | 1.6% | +101.0% |
| 1976 | 1.9% | +20.7% |
| 1977 | 2.0% | +5.5% |
| 1978 | 1.8% | -10.9% |
| 1979 | 1.7% | -5.5% |
| 1980 | 1.7% | +3.1% |
| 1981 | 2.7% | +54.4% |
| 1982 | 3.3% | +23.1% |
| 1983 | 2.2% | -34.5% |
| 1984 | 2.3% | +5.5% |
| 1985 | 3.5% | +54.0% |
| 1986 | 2.3% | -34.6% |
| 1987 | 1.4% | -39.7% |
| 1988 | 1.5% | +10.9% |
| 1989 | 1.8% | +18.8% |
| 1990 | 1.7% | -4.8% |
| 1991 | 1.5% | -15.8% |
| 1992 | 1.3% | -7.7% |
| 1993 | 1.3% | -7.0% |
| 1994 | 1.3% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 1.6% | +24.3% |
| 1996 | 1.6% | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 1.4% | -14.1% |
| 1998 | 1.0% | -27.9% |
| 1999 | 0.9% | -9.3% |
| 2000 | 1.6% | +81.4% |
| 2001 | 2.2% | +33.6% |
| 2002 | 1.8% | -15.5% |
| 2003 | 1.3% | -28.1% |
| 2004 | 2.5% | +86.7% |
| 2005 | 2.2% | -12.2% |
| 2006 | 2.3% | +5.7% |
| 2007 | 2.7% | +19.4% |
| 2008 | 5.4% | +99.0% |
| 2009 | 1.9% | -65.1% |
| 2010 | 2.6% | +37.2% |
| 2011 | 3.2% | +21.9% |
| 2012 | 2.6% | -17.6% |
| 2013 | 2.4% | -9.8% |
| 2014 | 1.8% | -24.0% |
| 2015 | 1.0% | -42.9% |
| 2016 | 1.2% | +15.2% |
| 2017 | 1.4% | +21.8% |
| 2018 | 1.7% | +17.1% |
| 2019 | 1.4% | -19.3% |
| 2020 | 1.1% | -18.9% |
| 2021 | 1.7% | +58.5% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 1.7% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.3%, 5.4× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 1.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.0%, 1511.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.3% | 0.5% | 2.0% | 9 |
| 1980s | 2.3% | 1.4% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.3% | 0.9% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.4% | 1.3% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.9% | 1.0% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.4% | 1.1% | 1.7% | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More economy & growth data for South Africa
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.4836 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.4 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps -4.01 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0094 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -61.95 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled -2.16 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -192.73 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0051 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -33.37 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 16.18 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adjusted savings: energy depletion in South Africa?
- Adjusted savings: energy depletion in South Africa was 1.7% in 2021, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest adjusted savings: energy depletion recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 5.4% in 2008.
- What is the lowest adjusted savings: energy depletion recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5% in 1971.
- How does South Africa rank for adjusted savings: energy depletion?
- South Africa ranks 42nd out of 202 countries with data for 2021.
- Is adjusted savings: energy depletion rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 45.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Adjusted savings: energy depletion (% of GNI). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Energy depletion is the ratio of the value of the stock of energy resources to the remaining reserve lifetime (capped at 25 years). It covers coal, crude oil, and natural gas. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross National Income (GNI) which is the total income earned by all residents within an economic territory during an accounting period. It is equal to gross domestic product plus earned income receivable from abroad minus earned income payable abroad.