Gross domestic product (GDP), per unit of GDP in South Africa
South Africa: Gross domestic product (GDP), per unit of GDP was 2.06 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
2.06 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP
Change on year
down 5.0%
World rank
84th
of 198 countries
All-time high
4.35 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP
in 2002
All-time low
1.67 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP
in 2011
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Gross domestic product (GDP), per unit of GDP in South Africa, 1990–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 2.06 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP for gross domestic product (gdp), per unit of gdp in 2025.
That represents a change of down 5.0% on the previous year and down 13.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross domestic product (gdp), per unit of gdp in South Africa peaked at 4.35 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP in 2002 and was at its lowest, 1.67 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP, in 2011.
That places South Africa 84th out of 198 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Gross domestic product (GDP), per unit of GDP in South Africa, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 3.49 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | — |
| 1991 | 3.22 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -7.7% |
| 1992 | 2.9 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -10.0% |
| 1993 | 2.93 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 2.9 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 2.68 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -7.8% |
| 1996 | 2.94 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +9.7% |
| 1997 | 2.91 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 3.23 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +11.0% |
| 1999 | 3.34 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +3.4% |
| 2000 | 3.48 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +4.0% |
| 2001 | 4 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +15.1% |
| 2002 | 4.35 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +8.8% |
| 2003 | 2.94 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -32.5% |
| 2004 | 2.36 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -19.5% |
| 2005 | 2.2 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -6.8% |
| 2006 | 2.21 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 2.13 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -3.9% |
| 2008 | 2.31 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +8.7% |
| 2009 | 2.18 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -5.6% |
| 2010 | 1.78 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -18.6% |
| 2011 | 1.67 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -6.0% |
| 2012 | 1.8 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +8.0% |
| 2013 | 2 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +11.1% |
| 2014 | 2.14 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +6.7% |
| 2015 | 2.38 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +11.4% |
| 2016 | 2.57 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +7.9% |
| 2017 | 2.2 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -14.2% |
| 2018 | 2.1 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -4.4% |
| 2019 | 2.2 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +4.4% |
| 2020 | 2.37 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +8.1% |
| 2021 | 2 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -15.6% |
| 2022 | 2.11 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +5.2% |
| 2023 | 2.27 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +7.7% |
| 2024 | 2.17 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -4.4% |
| 2025 | 2.06 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -5.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 2.06 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2.08 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP, 99% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 2.06 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.41 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP, 86% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.06 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 2.68 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 3.49 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.82 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 2.13 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 4.35 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.08 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 1.67 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 2.57 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.16 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 2 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 2.37 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 81 Namibia 2.1 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP compare
- 82 El Salvador 2.09 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP compare
- 83 Equatorial Guinea 2.08 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP compare
- 85 Bosnia and Herzegovina 2.04 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP compare
- 86 Democratic Republic of Congo 2.03 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP compare
- 87 Morocco 2.03 international-$ in 2021 prices 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)
- 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$), annual growth rate 16.18 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross domestic product (gdp), per unit of gdp in South Africa?
- Gross domestic product (gdp), per unit of gdp in South Africa was 2.06 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest gross domestic product (gdp), per unit of gdp recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 4.35 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP in 2002.
- What is the lowest gross domestic product (gdp), per unit of gdp recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.67 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP in 2011.
- How does South Africa rank for gross domestic product (gdp), per unit of gdp?
- South Africa ranks 84th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is gross domestic product (gdp), per unit of gdp rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Gross domestic product (GDP), per unit of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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How this figure is calculated
Gross domestic product (GDP) divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Gross domestic product (GDP) ÷ GDP (current US$)
Computed from
- Gross domestic product (GDP) Eurostat, OECD, IMF, and World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- 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 domestic product (GDP) divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.