Gross domestic product (GDP), per square kilometre (Bolt) in South Africa
South Africa: Gross domestic product (GDP), per square kilometre (Bolt) was 596,459 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
596,459 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre
Change on year
up 2.0%
World rank
100th
of 164 countries
All-time high
596,459 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre
in 2022
All-time low
72,609 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
62
1961–2022
Gross domestic product (GDP), per square kilometre in South Africa, 1961–2022
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gross domestic product (gdp), per square kilometre in South Africa is 596,459 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 62 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.0% on the previous year and up 9.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross domestic product (gdp), per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 596,459 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre in 2022 and was at its lowest, 72,609 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre, in 1961.
South Africa ranks 100th of 164 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 domestic product (GDP), per square kilometre (Bolt) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 72,609 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 76,675 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +5.6% |
| 1963 | 82,292 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +7.3% |
| 1964 | 87,807 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +6.7% |
| 1965 | 93,054 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +6.0% |
| 1966 | 97,089 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1967 | 103,733 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +6.8% |
| 1968 | 108,230 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1969 | 114,888 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +6.2% |
| 1970 | 120,871 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 1971 | 126,801 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1972 | 129,240 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1973 | 134,678 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1974 | 142,241 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +5.6% |
| 1975 | 144,877 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 148,410 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 148,119 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 1978 | 152,515 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1979 | 158,521 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1980 | 168,745 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 1981 | 177,592 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 1982 | 176,892 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 173,666 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | -1.8% |
| 1984 | 182,499 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1985 | 180,293 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | -1.2% |
| 1986 | 180,442 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 184,081 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 191,665 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 1989 | 195,661 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 193,827 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | -0.9% |
| 1991 | 196,095 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 196,661 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 203,780 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1994 | 215,855 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +5.9% |
| 1995 | 228,824 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +6.0% |
| 1996 | 244,753 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +7.0% |
| 1997 | 257,184 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1998 | 263,913 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 275,856 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 2000 | 293,525 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 2001 | 309,036 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 2002 | 326,553 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 2003 | 341,038 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 2004 | 362,105 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +6.2% |
| 2005 | 387,596 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +7.0% |
| 2006 | 416,765 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +7.5% |
| 2007 | 447,597 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +7.4% |
| 2008 | 471,244 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 2009 | 473,805 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 500,871 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 2011 | 532,020 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +6.2% |
| 2012 | 544,768 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 558,308 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 566,202 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 573,686 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 577,499 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 584,186 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 593,079 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 594,879 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 557,149 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | -6.3% |
| 2021 | 584,522 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 2022 | 596,459 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | +2.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 596,459 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.01 million international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre, 59% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 596,459 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 199,392 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre, 3.0× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 92,931 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | 72,609 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | 114,888 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 140,627 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | 120,871 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | 158,521 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 181,154 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | 168,745 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | 195,661 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 227,675 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | 193,827 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | 275,856 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 382,926 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | 293,525 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | 473,805 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 562,550 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | 500,871 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | 594,879 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 579,377 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | 557,149 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | 596,459 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 97 Ghana 639,169 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre compare
- 98 Haiti 636,825 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre compare
- 99 Chile 603,552 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre compare
- 101 Oman 573,037 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre compare
- 102 Eswatini 557,844 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre compare
- 103 Ukraine 533,599 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre 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 domestic product (gdp), per square kilometre in South Africa?
- Gross domestic product (gdp), per square kilometre in South Africa was 596,459 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre in 2022, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest gross domestic product (gdp), per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 596,459 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre in 2022.
- What is the lowest gross domestic product (gdp), per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 72,609 international-$ in 2011 prices per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for gross domestic product (gdp), per square kilometre?
- South Africa ranks 100th out of 164 countries with data for 2022.
- Is gross domestic product (gdp), per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.5%. 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 domestic product (GDP), per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 62 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Gross domestic product (GDP) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Gross domestic product (GDP) ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Gross domestic product (GDP) Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
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 domestic product (GDP) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.