Economic complexity rank vs. GDP per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Economic complexity rank vs. GDP per capita was 42 in 2016. ▼ Falling
Economic complexity rank vs. GDP per capita in South Africa, 1964–2016
Source: Observatory of Economic Complexity and Atlas of Economic Complexity (2016) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2016, economic complexity rank vs. gdp per capita in South Africa stood at 42. That is the lowest value across all 53 years on record.
The figure is down 23.6% on the previous year and down 8.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, economic complexity rank vs. gdp per capita in South Africa peaked at 63 in 1976 and was at its lowest, 42, in 1999.
That places South Africa 74th out of 121 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 53 years of available data.
Economic complexity rank vs. GDP per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 51 | — |
| 1965 | 55 | +7.8% |
| 1966 | 49 | -10.9% |
| 1967 | 50 | +2.0% |
| 1968 | 56 | +12.0% |
| 1969 | 54 | -3.6% |
| 1970 | 55 | +1.9% |
| 1971 | 55 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 53 | -3.6% |
| 1973 | 54 | +1.9% |
| 1974 | 58 | +7.4% |
| 1975 | 59 | +1.7% |
| 1976 | 63 | +6.8% |
| 1977 | 54 | -14.3% |
| 1978 | 63 | +16.7% |
| 1979 | 55 | -12.7% |
| 1980 | 49 | -10.9% |
| 1981 | 51 | +4.1% |
| 1982 | 51 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 51 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 57 | +11.8% |
| 1985 | 53 | -7.0% |
| 1986 | 51 | -3.8% |
| 1987 | 59 | +15.7% |
| 1988 | 61 | +3.4% |
| 1989 | 62 | +1.6% |
| 1990 | 58 | -6.5% |
| 1991 | 52 | -10.3% |
| 1992 | 53 | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 53 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 47 | -11.3% |
| 1995 | 45 | -4.3% |
| 1996 | 48 | +6.7% |
| 1997 | 43 | -10.4% |
| 1998 | 45 | +4.7% |
| 1999 | 42 | -6.7% |
| 2000 | 46 | +9.5% |
| 2001 | 52 | +13.0% |
| 2002 | 52 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 49 | -5.8% |
| 2004 | 50 | +2.0% |
| 2005 | 46 | -8.0% |
| 2006 | 46 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 50 | +8.7% |
| 2008 | 53 | +6.0% |
| 2009 | 57 | +7.5% |
| 2010 | 55 | -3.5% |
| 2011 | 57 | +3.6% |
| 2012 | 59 | +3.5% |
| 2013 | 57 | -3.4% |
| 2014 | 58 | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 55 | -5.2% |
| 2016 | 42 | -23.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 52.5 | 49 | 56 | 6 |
| 1970s | 56.9 | 53 | 63 | 10 |
| 1980s | 54.5 | 49 | 62 | 10 |
| 1990s | 48.6 | 42 | 58 | 10 |
| 2000s | 50.1 | 46 | 57 | 10 |
| 2010s | 54.71 | 42 | 59 | 7 |
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)
- Services, value added (constant LCU), per capita 48,868 constant LCU per person (2025)
- GDP deflator (base year varies by country), annual growth rate 2.79 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), annual growth 6.34 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.8998 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per capita 5,937 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), annual growth 3.79 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per unit of GDP 16.1 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per capita 106,203 current LCU per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is economic complexity rank vs. gdp per capita in South Africa?
- Economic complexity rank vs. gdp per capita in South Africa was 42 in 2016, according to Observatory of Economic Complexity and Atlas of Economic Complexity (2016) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest economic complexity rank vs. gdp per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 63 in 1976.
- What is the lowest economic complexity rank vs. gdp per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 42 in 1999.
- How does South Africa rank for economic complexity rank vs. gdp per capita?
- South Africa ranks 74th out of 121 countries with data for 2016.
- Is economic complexity rank vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Observatory of Economic Complexity and Atlas of Economic Complexity (2016) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Economic complexity rank vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Economic complexity corresponds to ranking in the Economic Complexity Index (ECI). Countries lower on the y-axis are considered more economically complex. GDP per capita is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.