Gross capital formation in South Africa
South Africa: Gross capital formation was 13.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Gross capital formation in South Africa, 1960–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, gross capital formation in South Africa stood at 13.9%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.4% on the previous year and down 25.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross capital formation in South Africa peaked at 31.9% in 1981 and was at its lowest, 12.3%, in 2020.
South Africa ranks 169th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Gross capital formation in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 19.3% | — |
| 1961 | 18.5% | -4.5% |
| 1962 | 17.5% | -5.1% |
| 1963 | 21.2% | +21.2% |
| 1964 | 22.4% | +5.4% |
| 1965 | 24.1% | +7.9% |
| 1966 | 22.0% | -8.8% |
| 1967 | 24.4% | +10.6% |
| 1968 | 22.5% | -7.4% |
| 1969 | 23.3% | +3.4% |
| 1970 | 25.3% | +8.4% |
| 1971 | 27.4% | +8.4% |
| 1972 | 23.7% | -13.7% |
| 1973 | 24.0% | +1.5% |
| 1974 | 27.2% | +13.5% |
| 1975 | 29.4% | +7.8% |
| 1976 | 27.7% | -5.7% |
| 1977 | 27.3% | -1.3% |
| 1978 | 24.7% | -9.4% |
| 1979 | 25.6% | +3.6% |
| 1980 | 29.7% | +15.9% |
| 1981 | 31.9% | +7.5% |
| 1982 | 24.8% | -22.2% |
| 1983 | 25.3% | +1.8% |
| 1984 | 23.8% | -5.8% |
| 1985 | 20.7% | -12.9% |
| 1986 | 19.8% | -4.4% |
| 1987 | 16.7% | -15.5% |
| 1988 | 19.9% | +18.8% |
| 1989 | 21.3% | +7.3% |
| 1990 | 18.2% | -14.4% |
| 1991 | 17.8% | -2.2% |
| 1992 | 15.7% | -11.9% |
| 1993 | 14.2% | -9.9% |
| 1994 | 16.5% | +16.3% |
| 1995 | 17.7% | +7.5% |
| 1996 | 16.6% | -6.4% |
| 1997 | 16.3% | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 16.4% | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 15.7% | -4.7% |
| 2000 | 15.1% | -3.8% |
| 2001 | 14.6% | -3.2% |
| 2002 | 15.0% | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 15.7% | +4.1% |
| 2004 | 17.0% | +8.3% |
| 2005 | 16.8% | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 18.5% | +9.9% |
| 2007 | 19.3% | +4.5% |
| 2008 | 21.3% | +10.1% |
| 2009 | 18.8% | -11.8% |
| 2010 | 17.6% | -6.2% |
| 2011 | 18.9% | +7.1% |
| 2012 | 18.6% | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 19.2% | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 18.5% | -3.6% |
| 2015 | 18.6% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 17.0% | -9.0% |
| 2017 | 16.6% | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 16.2% | -2.6% |
| 2019 | 15.8% | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 12.3% | -22.0% |
| 2021 | 12.8% | +4.0% |
| 2022 | 15.7% | +22.1% |
| 2023 | 15.4% | -1.8% |
| 2024 | 14.1% | -8.6% |
| 2025 | 13.9% | -1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 21.5% | 17.5% | 24.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 26.2% | 23.7% | 29.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 23.4% | 16.7% | 31.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.5% | 14.2% | 18.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.2% | 14.6% | 21.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.7% | 15.8% | 19.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.0% | 12.3% | 15.7% | 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)
- 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 gross capital formation in South Africa?
- Gross capital formation in South Africa was 13.9% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest gross capital formation recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 31.9% in 1981.
- What is the lowest gross capital formation recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.3% in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for gross capital formation?
- South Africa ranks 169th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is gross capital formation rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 Gross capital formation (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Gross capital formation includes acquisitions less disposals of produced assets for purposes of fixed capital formation, inventories or valuables. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.