GDP (constant LCU), per square kilometre (GDP Country official) in South Africa
South Africa: GDP (constant LCU), per square kilometre (GDP Country official) was 3.82 million constant LCU per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
3.82 million constant LCU per square kilometre
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
128th
of 211 countries
All-time high
3.82 million constant LCU per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
716,603 constant LCU per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
GDP (constant LCU), per square kilometre in South Africa, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in constant LCU per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, gdp (constant lcu), per square kilometre in South Africa stood at 3.82 million constant LCU per square kilometre. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and up 7.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gdp (constant lcu), per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 3.82 million constant LCU per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 716,603 constant LCU per square kilometre, in 1961.
South Africa ranks 128th of 211 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
GDP (constant LCU), per square kilometre (GDP Country official) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | constant LCU per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 716,603 constant LCU per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 760,874 constant LCU per square kilometre | +6.2% |
| 1963 | 816,979 constant LCU per square kilometre | +7.4% |
| 1964 | 881,847 constant LCU per square kilometre | +7.9% |
| 1965 | 935,833 constant LCU per square kilometre | +6.1% |
| 1966 | 977,372 constant LCU per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1967 | 1.05 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +7.2% |
| 1968 | 1.09 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1969 | 1.14 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 1970 | 1.20 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 1971 | 1.25 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1972 | 1.27 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1973 | 1.33 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1974 | 1.41 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +6.1% |
| 1975 | 1.44 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1976 | 1.47 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1977 | 1.47 million constant LCU per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 1.51 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1979 | 1.57 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1980 | 1.68 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +6.6% |
| 1981 | 1.77 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 1982 | 1.76 million constant LCU per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 1.73 million constant LCU per square kilometre | -1.8% |
| 1984 | 1.81 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1985 | 1.79 million constant LCU per square kilometre | -1.2% |
| 1986 | 1.79 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 1.83 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 1.91 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1989 | 1.95 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1990 | 1.95 million constant LCU per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 1991 | 1.93 million constant LCU per square kilometre | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 1.89 million constant LCU per square kilometre | -2.1% |
| 1993 | 1.91 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 1.97 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 2.03 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1996 | 2.12 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1997 | 2.17 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 2.18 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 2.24 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 2.33 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2001 | 2.39 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 2.48 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 2003 | 2.55 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 2.67 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 2005 | 2.81 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 2006 | 2.97 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +5.6% |
| 2007 | 3.13 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 2008 | 3.23 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 2009 | 3.18 million constant LCU per square kilometre | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 3.28 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 3.38 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 2012 | 3.46 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 3.55 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 3.60 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 3.64 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 3.67 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 3.71 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 3.77 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 3.78 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 3.55 million constant LCU per square kilometre | -6.2% |
| 2021 | 3.72 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 2022 | 3.79 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 3.82 million constant LCU per square kilometre | +0.8% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 3.82 million constant LCU per square kilometre is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.03 million constant LCU per square kilometre, 76% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 3.82 million constant LCU per square kilometre is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13.46 million constant LCU per square kilometre, 28% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 930,125 constant LCU per square kilometre | 716,603 constant LCU per square kilometre | 1.14 million constant LCU per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.39 million constant LCU per square kilometre | 1.20 million constant LCU per square kilometre | 1.57 million constant LCU per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.80 million constant LCU per square kilometre | 1.68 million constant LCU per square kilometre | 1.95 million constant LCU per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.04 million constant LCU per square kilometre | 1.89 million constant LCU per square kilometre | 2.24 million constant LCU per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.77 million constant LCU per square kilometre | 2.33 million constant LCU per square kilometre | 3.23 million constant LCU per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.58 million constant LCU per square kilometre | 3.28 million constant LCU per square kilometre | 3.78 million constant LCU per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.72 million constant LCU per square kilometre | 3.55 million constant LCU per square kilometre | 3.82 million constant LCU per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 125 Sao Tome and Principe 4.35 million constant LCU per square kilometre compare
- 126 Eswatini 4.08 million constant LCU per square kilometre compare
- 127 Kyrgyzstan 3.97 million constant LCU per square kilometre compare
- 129 Syria 3.82 million constant LCU per square kilometre compare
- 130 Algeria 3.66 million constant LCU per square kilometre compare
- 131 Brunei 3.59 million constant LCU per square kilometre 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 gdp (constant lcu), per square kilometre in South Africa?
- Gdp (constant lcu), per square kilometre in South Africa was 3.82 million constant LCU per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest gdp (constant lcu), per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 3.82 million constant LCU per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest gdp (constant lcu), per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 716,603 constant LCU per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for gdp (constant lcu), per square kilometre?
- South Africa ranks 128th out of 211 countries with data for 2023.
- Is gdp (constant lcu), per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of GDP (constant LCU), per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
GDP (constant LCU) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
GDP (constant LCU) ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- GDP Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
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
GDP (constant LCU) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.