GDP per capita growth (annual %) (Country official) in South Africa
South Africa: GDP per capita growth (annual %) (Country official) was -0.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
GDP per capita growth in South Africa, 1961–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
South Africa recorded -0.0% for gdp per capita growth in 2025.
The figure is up 94.2% on the previous year and up 94.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gdp per capita growth in South Africa peaked at 4.7% in 1964 and was at its lowest, -7.7%, in 2020.
South Africa ranks 179th of 215 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
GDP per capita growth (annual %) (Country official) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.0% | — |
| 1962 | 3.1% | +215.7% |
| 1963 | 4.2% | +35.9% |
| 1964 | 4.7% | +12.6% |
| 1965 | 2.9% | -38.0% |
| 1966 | 1.3% | -57.0% |
| 1967 | 3.9% | +211.8% |
| 1968 | 1.0% | -75.5% |
| 1969 | 1.5% | +60.0% |
| 1970 | 2.1% | +37.5% |
| 1971 | 1.3% | -39.7% |
| 1972 | -1.2% | -196.0% |
| 1973 | 1.6% | -233.3% |
| 1974 | 3.2% | +94.6% |
| 1975 | -1.1% | -134.3% |
| 1976 | -0.5% | -55.7% |
| 1977 | -2.8% | +475.8% |
| 1978 | 0.2% | -108.7% |
| 1979 | 1.0% | +324.2% |
| 1980 | 3.4% | +236.2% |
| 1981 | 1.8% | -46.4% |
| 1982 | -3.8% | -305.4% |
| 1983 | -5.2% | +38.4% |
| 1984 | 1.5% | -129.2% |
| 1985 | -4.5% | -392.4% |
| 1986 | -3.1% | -29.7% |
| 1987 | -1.0% | -67.0% |
| 1988 | 1.1% | -204.0% |
| 1989 | -0.6% | -153.2% |
| 1990 | -3.1% | +434.2% |
| 1991 | -3.3% | +6.6% |
| 1992 | -3.9% | +19.2% |
| 1993 | -0.8% | -80.3% |
| 1994 | 1.5% | -302.3% |
| 1995 | 1.9% | +20.4% |
| 1996 | 3.0% | +59.3% |
| 1997 | 1.4% | -53.4% |
| 1998 | -0.7% | -151.6% |
| 1999 | 1.3% | -281.4% |
| 2000 | 3.3% | +152.0% |
| 2001 | 1.8% | -44.0% |
| 2002 | 2.7% | +49.5% |
| 2003 | 1.9% | -29.2% |
| 2004 | 3.5% | +81.9% |
| 2005 | 4.2% | +20.2% |
| 2006 | 4.5% | +7.4% |
| 2007 | 4.3% | -6.1% |
| 2008 | 2.0% | -52.8% |
| 2009 | -2.7% | -234.8% |
| 2010 | 1.8% | -167.5% |
| 2011 | 1.9% | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 0.9% | -52.8% |
| 2013 | 0.8% | -10.2% |
| 2014 | -0.3% | -131.9% |
| 2015 | -0.7% | +169.9% |
| 2016 | -0.3% | -60.0% |
| 2017 | 0.5% | -279.5% |
| 2018 | -0.1% | -127.6% |
| 2019 | -1.4% | +904.0% |
| 2020 | -7.7% | +456.3% |
| 2021 | 3.3% | -142.4% |
| 2022 | 0.6% | -80.8% |
| 2023 | -0.5% | -183.8% |
| 2024 | -0.7% | +36.2% |
| 2025 | -0.0% | -94.2% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's -0.0% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.2%. (59 countries reporting)
- South Africa's -0.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.5%. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where GDP per capita growth (annual %) (Country official) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | -904.0% | -0.1% | -1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.6% | 1.0% | 4.7% | 9 |
| 1970s | 0.4% | -2.8% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | -1.0% | -5.2% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.3% | -3.9% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.6% | -2.7% | 4.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3% | -1.4% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.8% | -7.7% | 3.3% | 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)
- 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 per capita growth in South Africa?
- Gdp per capita growth in South Africa was -0.0% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest gdp per capita growth recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 4.7% in 1964.
- What is the lowest gdp per capita growth recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -7.7% in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for gdp per capita growth?
- South Africa ranks 179th out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is gdp per capita growth rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 94.1%. 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 per capita 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. The core indicator has been divided by the general population to achieve a per capita estimate.This indicator denotes the percentage change over each previous year of the constant price (base year 2015) series in United States dollars.