Gross domestic product (GDP), per square kilometre in South Africa
South Africa: Gross domestic product (GDP), per square kilometre was 657,606 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
657,606 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
118th
of 181 countries
All-time high
734,009 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre
in 2017
All-time low
108,550 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Gross domestic product (GDP), per square kilometre in South Africa, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, gross domestic product (gdp), per square kilometre in South Africa stood at 657,606 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and down 6.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross domestic product (gdp), per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 734,009 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre in 2017 and was at its lowest, 108,550 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places South Africa 118th out of 181 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 in South Africa, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 108,550 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 113,593 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1963 | 123,231 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +8.5% |
| 1964 | 131,913 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +7.0% |
| 1965 | 139,461 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 1966 | 145,779 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 1967 | 156,433 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +7.3% |
| 1968 | 161,765 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1969 | 173,380 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +7.2% |
| 1970 | 183,272 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 1971 | 184,296 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 190,200 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1973 | 214,858 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +13.0% |
| 1974 | 227,409 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +5.8% |
| 1975 | 227,731 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 228,277 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 223,373 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | -2.1% |
| 1978 | 233,221 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1979 | 242,241 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1980 | 267,184 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +10.3% |
| 1981 | 280,403 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1982 | 284,987 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 287,071 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 295,367 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 291,506 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | -1.3% |
| 1986 | 289,183 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | -0.8% |
| 1987 | 307,921 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +6.5% |
| 1988 | 316,297 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 318,455 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 319,368 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 327,805 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 330,708 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 348,287 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 1994 | 357,647 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 379,297 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +6.1% |
| 1996 | 398,408 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 1997 | 409,947 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 415,616 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 417,380 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 439,869 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 2001 | 456,185 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 2002 | 489,612 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +7.3% |
| 2003 | 507,436 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 531,912 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 2005 | 577,133 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +8.5% |
| 2006 | 616,100 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +6.8% |
| 2007 | 652,674 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +5.9% |
| 2008 | 661,252 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 649,653 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | -1.8% |
| 2010 | 677,533 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2011 | 705,851 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2012 | 704,998 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 704,798 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 708,178 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 718,467 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 720,991 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 734,009 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 705,794 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | -3.8% |
| 2019 | 697,564 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 636,680 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | -8.7% |
| 2021 | 643,308 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 656,955 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 657,606 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +0.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 657,606 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.29 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre, 51% of the median. (51 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 657,606 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 260,327 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre, 2.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 139,345 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 108,550 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 173,380 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 215,488 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 183,272 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 242,241 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 293,837 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 267,184 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 318,455 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 370,446 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 319,368 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 417,380 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 558,183 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 439,869 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 661,252 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 707,818 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 677,533 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 734,009 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 648,637 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 636,680 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 657,606 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 115 Oman 712,478 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre compare
- 116 Fiji 703,870 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre compare
- 117 Chile 694,542 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre compare
- 119 Eswatini 641,215 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre compare
- 120 Honduras 613,071 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre compare
- 121 Myanmar 607,232 international-$ in 2021 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)
- 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$), annual growth rate 16.18 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross domestic product (gdp), per square kilometre in South Africa?
- Gross domestic product (gdp), per square kilometre in South Africa was 657,606 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest gross domestic product (gdp), per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 734,009 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre in 2017.
- What is the lowest gross domestic product (gdp), per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 108,550 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for gross domestic product (gdp), per square kilometre?
- South Africa ranks 118th out of 181 countries with data for 2023.
- Is gross domestic product (gdp), per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.7%. 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 — 63 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) Feenstra et al. – Penn World Table (2025) – 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.