Self-reported happiness vs. GDP per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Self-reported happiness vs. GDP per capita was 76.4% in 2014. ▬ Flat
Self-reported happiness vs. GDP per capita in South Africa, 1984–2014
Source: Integrated Values Surveys (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2014, self-reported happiness vs. gdp per capita in South Africa stood at 76.4%.
That represents a change of down 1.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, self-reported happiness vs. gdp per capita in South Africa peaked at 80.4% in 1984 and was at its lowest, 66.4%, in 1993.
That places South Africa 35th out of 39 countries with data for 2014, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Self-reported happiness vs. GDP per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 80.4% | — |
| 1993 | 66.4% | -17.5% |
| 1998 | 72.4% | +9.1% |
| 2004 | 77.3% | +6.8% |
| 2010 | 77.8% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 76.4% | -1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 80.4% | 80.4% | 80.4% | 1 |
| 1990s | 69.4% | 66.4% | 72.4% | 2 |
| 2000s | 77.3% | 77.3% | 77.3% | 1 |
| 2010s | 77.1% | 76.4% | 77.8% | 2 |
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)
- Services, value added (constant LCU), per capita 48,868 constant LCU per person (2025)
- GDP deflator (base year varies by country), annual growth rate 2.79 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), annual growth 6.34 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.8998 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per capita 5,937 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), annual growth 3.79 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per unit of GDP 16.1 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per capita 106,203 current LCU per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is self-reported happiness vs. gdp per capita in South Africa?
- Self-reported happiness vs. gdp per capita in South Africa was 76.4% in 2014, according to Integrated Values Surveys (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest self-reported happiness vs. gdp per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 80.4% in 1984.
- What is the lowest self-reported happiness vs. gdp per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 66.4% in 1993.
- How does South Africa rank for self-reported happiness vs. gdp per capita?
- South Africa ranks 35th out of 39 countries with data for 2014.
- Is self-reported happiness vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Integrated Values Surveys (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Self-reported happiness vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
% of respondents replying "very happy" or "quite happy" when asked "Taking all things together, would you say you are very happy, quite happy, not very happy or not at all happy?"