Annual growth rate of real GDP per employed person (%) in South Africa
South Africa: Annual growth rate of real GDP per employed person (%) was -0.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Annual growth rate of real GDP per employed person in South Africa, 2000–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual growth rate of real gdp per employed person in South Africa is -0.1%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 95.3% on the previous year and up 97.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual growth rate of real gdp per employed person in South Africa peaked at 7.0% in 2021 and was at its lowest, -5.2%, in 2023.
That places South Africa 170th out of 201 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual growth rate of real GDP per employed person (%) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2.2% | — |
| 2001 | 0.8% | -66.1% |
| 2002 | 1.7% | +128.9% |
| 2003 | 1.2% | -28.2% |
| 2004 | 2.7% | +113.6% |
| 2005 | 3.5% | +33.0% |
| 2006 | 3.9% | +9.0% |
| 2007 | 3.8% | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 1.9% | -49.7% |
| 2009 | 1.7% | -10.4% |
| 2010 | 6.3% | +268.0% |
| 2011 | 1.6% | -74.4% |
| 2012 | 0.1% | -96.9% |
| 2013 | -0.8% | -1700.0% |
| 2014 | -0.5% | -35.0% |
| 2015 | -3.0% | +467.3% |
| 2016 | 1.4% | -147.5% |
| 2017 | -0.1% | -105.7% |
| 2018 | -0.5% | +550.0% |
| 2019 | -0.0% | -98.1% |
| 2020 | 1.4% | -14200.0% |
| 2021 | 7.0% | +399.3% |
| 2022 | -3.6% | -151.4% |
| 2023 | -5.2% | +44.8% |
| 2024 | -1.7% | -67.6% |
| 2025 | -0.1% | -95.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's -0.1% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2.4%. (51 countries reporting)
- South Africa's -0.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.1%. (44 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual growth rate of real GDP per employed person (%) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +14200.0% | -0.0% | 1.4% |
| 2013 | -1700.0% | 0.1% | -0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.4% | 0.8% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5% | -3.0% | 6.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.4% | -5.2% | 7.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More economy & growth data for South Africa
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate 108.41 % change on previous year (2025)
- 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)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 6.87 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0145 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 95.75 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 1.77 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0106 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 69.91 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate -28.9 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual growth rate of real gdp per employed person in South Africa?
- Annual growth rate of real gdp per employed person in South Africa was -0.1% in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest annual growth rate of real gdp per employed person recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 7.0% in 2021.
- What is the lowest annual growth rate of real gdp per employed person recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -5.2% in 2023.
- How does South Africa rank for annual growth rate of real gdp per employed person?
- South Africa ranks 170th out of 201 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual growth rate of real gdp per employed person rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 97.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Annual growth rate of real GDP per employed person (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).