Gross capital formation (current LCU), per unit of GDP (current unit) in South Africa
South Africa: Gross capital formation (current LCU), per unit of GDP (current unit) was 2.48 current LCU per US$ of GDP in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
2.48 current LCU per US$ of GDP
Change on year
down 3.8%
World rank
97th
of 187 countries
All-time high
2.84 current LCU per US$ of GDP
in 2023
All-time low
0.1251 current LCU per US$ of GDP
in 1962
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Gross capital formation (current LCU), per unit of GDP in South Africa, 1960–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in current LCU per US$ of GDP.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 2.48 current LCU per US$ of GDP for gross capital formation (current lcu), per unit of gdp in 2025.
That represents a change of down 3.8% on the previous year and up 4.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross capital formation (current lcu), per unit of gdp in South Africa peaked at 2.84 current LCU per US$ of GDP in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.1251 current LCU per US$ of GDP, in 1962.
South Africa ranks 97th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Gross capital formation (current LCU), per unit of GDP (current unit) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | current LCU per US$ of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.1381 current LCU per US$ of GDP | — |
| 1961 | 0.1319 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -4.5% |
| 1962 | 0.1251 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -5.1% |
| 1963 | 0.1516 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +21.2% |
| 1964 | 0.1598 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +5.4% |
| 1965 | 0.1725 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +7.9% |
| 1966 | 0.1573 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -8.8% |
| 1967 | 0.1739 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +10.6% |
| 1968 | 0.161 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -7.4% |
| 1969 | 0.1665 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +3.4% |
| 1970 | 0.1806 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +8.4% |
| 1971 | 0.1961 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +8.6% |
| 1972 | 0.1818 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -7.3% |
| 1973 | 0.1666 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -8.4% |
| 1974 | 0.185 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +11.1% |
| 1975 | 0.2171 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +17.3% |
| 1976 | 0.2406 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +10.8% |
| 1977 | 0.2374 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -1.3% |
| 1978 | 0.215 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -9.4% |
| 1979 | 0.2156 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 0.2312 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +7.2% |
| 1981 | 0.28 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +21.1% |
| 1982 | 0.2695 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -3.8% |
| 1983 | 0.2815 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +4.5% |
| 1984 | 0.3511 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +24.7% |
| 1985 | 0.4618 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +31.5% |
| 1986 | 0.4525 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -2.0% |
| 1987 | 0.3405 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -24.7% |
| 1988 | 0.4516 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +32.6% |
| 1989 | 0.5589 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +23.7% |
| 1990 | 0.4717 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -15.6% |
| 1991 | 0.4925 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +4.4% |
| 1992 | 0.4482 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -9.0% |
| 1993 | 0.4628 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +3.3% |
| 1994 | 0.5848 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +26.4% |
| 1995 | 0.642 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +9.8% |
| 1996 | 0.7123 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +11.0% |
| 1997 | 0.7508 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +5.4% |
| 1998 | 0.9082 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +21.0% |
| 1999 | 0.9564 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +5.3% |
| 2000 | 1.05 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +9.3% |
| 2001 | 1.25 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +20.0% |
| 2002 | 1.58 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +26.3% |
| 2003 | 1.18 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -25.3% |
| 2004 | 1.1 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -7.5% |
| 2005 | 1.07 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 1.25 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +17.0% |
| 2007 | 1.36 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +8.7% |
| 2008 | 1.76 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +29.2% |
| 2009 | 1.59 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -9.6% |
| 2010 | 1.29 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -19.0% |
| 2011 | 1.37 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +6.3% |
| 2012 | 1.53 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +11.5% |
| 2013 | 1.85 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +21.2% |
| 2014 | 2 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +8.4% |
| 2015 | 2.38 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +18.5% |
| 2016 | 2.49 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +5.0% |
| 2017 | 2.21 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -11.4% |
| 2018 | 2.14 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -3.2% |
| 2019 | 2.29 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +6.8% |
| 2020 | 2.03 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -11.1% |
| 2021 | 1.9 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -6.6% |
| 2022 | 2.56 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +35.1% |
| 2023 | 2.84 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +10.8% |
| 2024 | 2.58 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -9.2% |
| 2025 | 2.48 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -3.8% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 2.48 current LCU per US$ of GDP is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.07 current LCU per US$ of GDP, 61% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 2.48 current LCU per US$ of GDP is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 51.69 current LCU per US$ of GDP, 5% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.1538 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 0.1251 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 0.1739 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.2036 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 0.1666 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 0.2406 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.3679 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 0.2312 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 0.5589 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.643 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 0.4482 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 0.9564 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.32 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 1.05 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 1.76 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.95 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 1.29 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 2.49 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.4 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 1.9 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 2.84 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 94 Djibouti 2.76 current LCU per US$ of GDP compare
- 95 Eswatini 2.74 current LCU per US$ of GDP compare
- 96 Sweden 2.5 current LCU per US$ of GDP compare
- 98 Greenland 2.48 current LCU per US$ of GDP compare
- 99 Norway 2.41 current LCU per US$ of GDP compare
- 100 Faroe Islands 1.94 current LCU per US$ of GDP 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 gross capital formation (current lcu), per unit of gdp in South Africa?
- Gross capital formation (current lcu), per unit of gdp in South Africa was 2.48 current LCU per US$ of GDP in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest gross capital formation (current lcu), per unit of gdp recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 2.84 current LCU per US$ of GDP in 2023.
- What is the lowest gross capital formation (current lcu), per unit of gdp recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1251 current LCU per US$ of GDP in 1962.
- How does South Africa rank for gross capital formation (current lcu), per unit of gdp?
- South Africa ranks 97th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is gross capital formation (current lcu), per unit of gdp rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.4%. 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 Gross capital formation (current LCU), per unit of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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How this figure is calculated
Gross capital formation (current LCU) divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Gross capital formation (current LCU) ÷ GDP (current US$)
Computed from
- Gross capital formation Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks
- GDP Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks
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
Gross capital formation (current LCU) divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.