GDP growth in South Africa
South Africa: GDP growth was 1.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
GDP growth in South Africa, 1961–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gdp growth in South Africa is 1.1%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 108.4% on the previous year and down 15.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gdp growth in South Africa peaked at 7.9% in 1964 and was at its lowest, -6.2%, in 2020.
That places South Africa 169th out of 213 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.
GDP growth in South Africa, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3.8% | — |
| 1962 | 6.2% | +60.7% |
| 1963 | 7.4% | +19.4% |
| 1964 | 7.9% | +7.7% |
| 1965 | 6.1% | -22.9% |
| 1966 | 4.4% | -27.5% |
| 1967 | 7.2% | +62.1% |
| 1968 | 4.2% | -42.3% |
| 1969 | 4.7% | +13.5% |
| 1970 | 5.2% | +11.3% |
| 1971 | 4.3% | -18.5% |
| 1972 | 1.7% | -61.3% |
| 1973 | 4.6% | +176.3% |
| 1974 | 6.1% | +33.7% |
| 1975 | 1.7% | -72.3% |
| 1976 | 2.2% | +32.7% |
| 1977 | -0.1% | -104.2% |
| 1978 | 3.0% | -3307.6% |
| 1979 | 3.8% | +25.7% |
| 1980 | 6.6% | +74.7% |
| 1981 | 5.4% | -19.0% |
| 1982 | -0.4% | -107.2% |
| 1983 | -1.8% | +381.6% |
| 1984 | 5.1% | -376.1% |
| 1985 | -1.2% | -123.8% |
| 1986 | 0.0% | -101.5% |
| 1987 | 2.1% | +11669.3% |
| 1988 | 4.2% | +99.9% |
| 1989 | 2.4% | -43.0% |
| 1990 | -0.3% | -113.3% |
| 1991 | -1.0% | +220.4% |
| 1992 | -2.1% | +109.9% |
| 1993 | 1.2% | -157.7% |
| 1994 | 3.2% | +159.4% |
| 1995 | 3.1% | -3.1% |
| 1996 | 4.3% | +38.7% |
| 1997 | 2.6% | -39.5% |
| 1998 | 0.5% | -80.8% |
| 1999 | 2.4% | +380.0% |
| 2000 | 4.2% | +75.0% |
| 2001 | 2.7% | -35.7% |
| 2002 | 3.7% | +37.1% |
| 2003 | 2.9% | -20.3% |
| 2004 | 4.6% | +54.4% |
| 2005 | 5.3% | +15.9% |
| 2006 | 5.6% | +6.2% |
| 2007 | 5.4% | -4.3% |
| 2008 | 3.2% | -40.5% |
| 2009 | -1.5% | -148.2% |
| 2010 | 3.0% | -297.6% |
| 2011 | 3.2% | +4.2% |
| 2012 | 2.4% | -24.4% |
| 2013 | 2.5% | +3.7% |
| 2014 | 1.4% | -43.1% |
| 2015 | 1.3% | -6.5% |
| 2016 | 0.7% | -49.7% |
| 2017 | 1.2% | +74.2% |
| 2018 | 1.6% | +34.4% |
| 2019 | 0.3% | -83.3% |
| 2020 | -6.2% | -2473.2% |
| 2021 | 4.9% | -178.8% |
| 2022 | 2.1% | -57.6% |
| 2023 | 0.8% | -60.8% |
| 2024 | 0.5% | -33.7% |
| 2025 | 1.1% | +108.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.8% | 3.8% | 7.9% | 9 |
| 1970s | 3.3% | -0.1% | 6.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.2% | -1.8% | 6.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.4% | -2.1% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.6% | -1.5% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.7% | 0.3% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.5% | -6.2% | 4.9% | 6 |
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)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) -1.57 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 0.1684 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 1,111 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), annual -1.57 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), per 2.15 constant LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), per 14,168 constant LCU per person (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), annual growth rate 6.62 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.6307 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gdp growth in South Africa?
- Gdp growth in South Africa was 1.1% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest gdp growth recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 7.9% in 1964.
- What is the lowest gdp growth recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -6.2% in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for gdp growth?
- South Africa ranks 169th out of 213 countries with data for 2025.
- Is gdp growth rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of GDP growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Gross domestic product is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period. It can be measured in three different ways: using either the expenditure approach, the income approach, or the production approach. This indicator denotes the percentage change over each previous year of the constant price (base year 2015) series in United States dollars.