External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$), per capita in South Africa
South Africa: External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$), per capita was 2,748 DOD, current US$ per person in 2024. ◆ Volatile
External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$), per capita in South Africa, 1994–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in DOD, current US$ per person.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 2,748 DOD, current US$ per person for external debt stocks, total (dod, current us$), per capita in 2024.
That represents a change of up 4.7% on the previous year and up 2.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external debt stocks, total (dod, current us$), per capita in South Africa peaked at 3,201 DOD, current US$ per person in 2019 and was at its lowest, 492.48 DOD, current US$ per person, in 1994.
That places South Africa 42nd out of 122 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$), per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | DOD, current US$ per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 492.48 DOD, current US$ per person | — |
| 1995 | 569.31 DOD, current US$ per person | +15.6% |
| 1996 | 577.31 DOD, current US$ per person | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 670.81 DOD, current US$ per person | +16.2% |
| 1998 | 562.8 DOD, current US$ per person | -16.1% |
| 1999 | 550.39 DOD, current US$ per person | -2.2% |
| 2000 | 565.49 DOD, current US$ per person | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 539.88 DOD, current US$ per person | -4.5% |
| 2002 | 730.96 DOD, current US$ per person | +35.4% |
| 2003 | 827.07 DOD, current US$ per person | +13.1% |
| 2004 | 898.39 DOD, current US$ per person | +8.6% |
| 2005 | 911.19 DOD, current US$ per person | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 1,159 DOD, current US$ per person | +27.2% |
| 2007 | 1,441 DOD, current US$ per person | +24.3% |
| 2008 | 1,453 DOD, current US$ per person | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 1,631 DOD, current US$ per person | +12.3% |
| 2010 | 2,203 DOD, current US$ per person | +35.1% |
| 2011 | 2,343 DOD, current US$ per person | +6.3% |
| 2012 | 2,751 DOD, current US$ per person | +17.4% |
| 2013 | 2,591 DOD, current US$ per person | -5.8% |
| 2014 | 2,686 DOD, current US$ per person | +3.7% |
| 2015 | 2,252 DOD, current US$ per person | -16.2% |
| 2016 | 2,516 DOD, current US$ per person | +11.7% |
| 2017 | 3,037 DOD, current US$ per person | +20.7% |
| 2018 | 3,074 DOD, current US$ per person | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 3,201 DOD, current US$ per person | +4.1% |
| 2020 | 2,897 DOD, current US$ per person | -9.5% |
| 2021 | 2,755 DOD, current US$ per person | -4.9% |
| 2022 | 2,753 DOD, current US$ per person | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 2,624 DOD, current US$ per person | -4.7% |
| 2024 | 2,748 DOD, current US$ per person | +4.7% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 2,748 DOD, current US$ per person is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4,115 DOD, current US$ per person, 67% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 2,748 DOD, current US$ per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 568.34 DOD, current US$ per person, 4.8× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 570.52 DOD, current US$ per person | 492.48 DOD, current US$ per person | 670.81 DOD, current US$ per person | 6 |
| 2000s | 1,016 DOD, current US$ per person | 539.88 DOD, current US$ per person | 1,631 DOD, current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,665 DOD, current US$ per person | 2,203 DOD, current US$ per person | 3,201 DOD, current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,755 DOD, current US$ per person | 2,624 DOD, current US$ per person | 2,897 DOD, current US$ per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 39 Brazil 2,856 DOD, current US$ per person compare
- 40 Kosovo 2,757 DOD, current US$ per person compare
- 40 Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) 2,757 DOD, current US$ per person compare
- 43 Peru 2,726 DOD, current US$ per person compare
- 44 Gabon 2,685 DOD, current US$ per person compare
- 45 Thailand 2,677 DOD, current US$ per person compare
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)
- 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)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0077 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external debt stocks, total (dod, current us$), per capita in South Africa?
- External debt stocks, total (dod, current us$), per capita in South Africa was 2,748 DOD, current US$ per person in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest external debt stocks, total (dod, current us$), per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 3,201 DOD, current US$ per person in 2019.
- What is the lowest external debt stocks, total (dod, current us$), per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 492.48 DOD, current US$ per person in 1994.
- How does South Africa rank for external debt stocks, total (dod, current us$), per capita?
- South Africa ranks 42nd out of 122 countries with data for 2024.
- Is external debt stocks, total (dod, current us$), per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$), per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 31 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- External debt stocks, total International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB)
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.