Government spending vs. GDP, per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Government spending vs. GDP, per capita was 1,106 constant 2015 US$ per person in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
1,106 constant 2015 US$ per person
Change on year
down 1.4%
World rank
81st
of 166 countries
All-time high
1,195 constant 2015 US$ per person
in 2014
All-time low
471.21 constant 2015 US$ per person
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Government spending vs. GDP, per capita in South Africa, 1960–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in constant 2015 US$ per person.
Analysis
In 2025, government spending vs. gdp, per capita in South Africa stood at 1,106 constant 2015 US$ per person.
The figure is down 1.4% on the previous year and down 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government spending vs. gdp, per capita in South Africa peaked at 1,195 constant 2015 US$ per person in 2014 and was at its lowest, 471.21 constant 2015 US$ per person, in 1960.
South Africa ranks 81st of 166 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Government spending vs. GDP, per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | constant 2015 US$ per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 471.21 constant 2015 US$ per person | — |
| 1961 | 487.45 constant 2015 US$ per person | +3.4% |
| 1962 | 544.9 constant 2015 US$ per person | +11.8% |
| 1963 | 552.06 constant 2015 US$ per person | +1.3% |
| 1964 | 577.29 constant 2015 US$ per person | +4.6% |
| 1965 | 608.4 constant 2015 US$ per person | +5.4% |
| 1966 | 619.23 constant 2015 US$ per person | +1.8% |
| 1967 | 623.97 constant 2015 US$ per person | +0.8% |
| 1968 | 646.55 constant 2015 US$ per person | +3.6% |
| 1969 | 665.6 constant 2015 US$ per person | +2.9% |
| 1970 | 697.04 constant 2015 US$ per person | +4.7% |
| 1971 | 730.74 constant 2015 US$ per person | +4.8% |
| 1972 | 706.86 constant 2015 US$ per person | -3.3% |
| 1973 | 717.18 constant 2015 US$ per person | +1.5% |
| 1974 | 751.2 constant 2015 US$ per person | +4.7% |
| 1975 | 819.1 constant 2015 US$ per person | +9.0% |
| 1976 | 841.07 constant 2015 US$ per person | +2.7% |
| 1977 | 849.98 constant 2015 US$ per person | +1.1% |
| 1978 | 832.65 constant 2015 US$ per person | -2.0% |
| 1979 | 849.33 constant 2015 US$ per person | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 898.98 constant 2015 US$ per person | +5.8% |
| 1981 | 885.35 constant 2015 US$ per person | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 909.34 constant 2015 US$ per person | +2.7% |
| 1983 | 894.04 constant 2015 US$ per person | -1.7% |
| 1984 | 922.38 constant 2015 US$ per person | +3.2% |
| 1985 | 922.8 constant 2015 US$ per person | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 914.25 constant 2015 US$ per person | -0.9% |
| 1987 | 919.34 constant 2015 US$ per person | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 906.54 constant 2015 US$ per person | -1.4% |
| 1989 | 915.64 constant 2015 US$ per person | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 910.67 constant 2015 US$ per person | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 910.22 constant 2015 US$ per person | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 910.69 constant 2015 US$ per person | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 903.2 constant 2015 US$ per person | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 895.88 constant 2015 US$ per person | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 831.88 constant 2015 US$ per person | -7.1% |
| 1996 | 852.41 constant 2015 US$ per person | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 860.25 constant 2015 US$ per person | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 831.01 constant 2015 US$ per person | -3.4% |
| 1999 | 825.58 constant 2015 US$ per person | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 842.02 constant 2015 US$ per person | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 860.88 constant 2015 US$ per person | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 891.75 constant 2015 US$ per person | +3.6% |
| 2003 | 932.82 constant 2015 US$ per person | +4.6% |
| 2004 | 971.84 constant 2015 US$ per person | +4.2% |
| 2005 | 972.43 constant 2015 US$ per person | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 998.8 constant 2015 US$ per person | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 1,050 constant 2015 US$ per person | +5.1% |
| 2008 | 1,117 constant 2015 US$ per person | +6.4% |
| 2009 | 1,123 constant 2015 US$ per person | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 1,107 constant 2015 US$ per person | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 1,138 constant 2015 US$ per person | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 1,175 constant 2015 US$ per person | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 1,193 constant 2015 US$ per person | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 1,195 constant 2015 US$ per person | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 1,160 constant 2015 US$ per person | -2.9% |
| 2016 | 1,173 constant 2015 US$ per person | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 1,162 constant 2015 US$ per person | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 1,155 constant 2015 US$ per person | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 1,157 constant 2015 US$ per person | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 1,149 constant 2015 US$ per person | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 1,138 constant 2015 US$ per person | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 1,130 constant 2015 US$ per person | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 1,136 constant 2015 US$ per person | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 1,121 constant 2015 US$ per person | -1.3% |
| 2025 | 1,106 constant 2015 US$ per person | -1.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 1,106 constant 2015 US$ per person is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1,043 constant 2015 US$ per person, 1.1× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 1,106 constant 2015 US$ per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 161.63 constant 2015 US$ per person, 6.8× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 579.67 constant 2015 US$ per person | 471.21 constant 2015 US$ per person | 665.6 constant 2015 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 779.52 constant 2015 US$ per person | 697.04 constant 2015 US$ per person | 849.98 constant 2015 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 908.87 constant 2015 US$ per person | 885.35 constant 2015 US$ per person | 922.8 constant 2015 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 873.18 constant 2015 US$ per person | 825.58 constant 2015 US$ per person | 910.69 constant 2015 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 976.08 constant 2015 US$ per person | 842.02 constant 2015 US$ per person | 1,123 constant 2015 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,162 constant 2015 US$ per person | 1,107 constant 2015 US$ per person | 1,195 constant 2015 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,130 constant 2015 US$ per person | 1,106 constant 2015 US$ per person | 1,149 constant 2015 US$ per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 78 Mexico 1,229 constant 2015 US$ per person compare
- 79 Colombia 1,169 constant 2015 US$ per person compare
- 80 Namibia 1,134 constant 2015 US$ per person compare
- 82 Georgia 1,105 constant 2015 US$ per person compare
- 83 Thailand 1,061 constant 2015 US$ per person compare
- 84 Cape Verde 1,043 constant 2015 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)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps -4.01 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0094 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -61.95 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled -2.16 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -192.73 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0051 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -33.37 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 16.18 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government spending vs. gdp, per capita in South Africa?
- Government spending vs. gdp, per capita in South Africa was 1,106 constant 2015 US$ per person in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest government spending vs. gdp, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1,195 constant 2015 US$ per person in 2014.
- What is the lowest government spending vs. gdp, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 471.21 constant 2015 US$ per person in 1960.
- How does South Africa rank for government spending vs. gdp, per capita?
- South Africa ranks 81st out of 166 countries with data for 2025.
- Is government spending vs. gdp, per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.7%. 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 Government spending vs. GDP, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Government spending vs. GDP divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Government spending vs. GDP ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Government spending vs. GDP National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
- 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
Government spending vs. GDP divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.