Personal remittances, paid in South Africa
South Africa: Personal remittances, paid was 1.13 billion current US$ in 2025. ▲ Rising
Personal remittances, paid in South Africa, 1970–2025
Source: IMF balance of payments data, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current US$.
Analysis
In 2025, personal remittances, paid in South Africa stood at 1.13 billion current US$.
That represents a change of up 13.4% on the previous year and up 14.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, personal remittances, paid in South Africa peaked at 1.42 billion current US$ in 2011 and was at its lowest, 236.60 million current US$, in 1970.
South Africa ranks 53rd of 195 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Personal remittances, paid in South Africa, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 236.60 million current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 283.82 million current US$ | +20.0% |
| 1972 | 279.51 million current US$ | -1.5% |
| 1973 | 423.84 million current US$ | +51.6% |
| 1974 | 566.16 million current US$ | +33.6% |
| 1975 | 666.93 million current US$ | +17.8% |
| 1976 | 576.15 million current US$ | -13.6% |
| 1977 | 629.05 million current US$ | +9.2% |
| 1978 | 696.90 million current US$ | +10.8% |
| 1979 | 805.83 million current US$ | +15.6% |
| 1980 | 1.02 billion current US$ | +26.2% |
| 1981 | 1.05 billion current US$ | +3.3% |
| 1982 | 952.33 million current US$ | -9.3% |
| 1983 | 1.08 billion current US$ | +13.4% |
| 1984 | 934.11 million current US$ | -13.5% |
| 1985 | 721.69 million current US$ | -22.7% |
| 1986 | 843.42 million current US$ | +16.9% |
| 1987 | 1.07 billion current US$ | +26.8% |
| 1988 | 1.07 billion current US$ | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 1.09 billion current US$ | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 1.12 billion current US$ | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 802.71 million current US$ | -28.0% |
| 1992 | 738.43 million current US$ | -8.0% |
| 1993 | 631.94 million current US$ | -14.4% |
| 1994 | 571.59 million current US$ | -9.6% |
| 1995 | 566.62 million current US$ | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 518.46 million current US$ | -8.5% |
| 1997 | 581.84 million current US$ | +12.2% |
| 1998 | 616.23 million current US$ | +5.9% |
| 1999 | 641.27 million current US$ | +4.1% |
| 2000 | 614.28 million current US$ | -4.2% |
| 2001 | 520.76 million current US$ | -15.2% |
| 2002 | 505.53 million current US$ | -2.9% |
| 2003 | 705.75 million current US$ | +39.6% |
| 2004 | 934.60 million current US$ | +32.4% |
| 2005 | 1.04 billion current US$ | +11.5% |
| 2006 | 1.06 billion current US$ | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 1.17 billion current US$ | +11.1% |
| 2008 | 1.12 billion current US$ | -4.6% |
| 2009 | 1.14 billion current US$ | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 1.35 billion current US$ | +18.3% |
| 2011 | 1.42 billion current US$ | +5.2% |
| 2012 | 1.32 billion current US$ | -7.2% |
| 2013 | 1.18 billion current US$ | -10.5% |
| 2014 | 1.09 billion current US$ | -7.5% |
| 2015 | 980.10 million current US$ | -10.4% |
| 2016 | 896.80 million current US$ | -8.5% |
| 2017 | 1.03 billion current US$ | +15.2% |
| 2018 | 1.10 billion current US$ | +6.2% |
| 2019 | 1.05 billion current US$ | -4.2% |
| 2020 | 920.78 million current US$ | -12.5% |
| 2021 | 1.07 billion current US$ | +15.8% |
| 2022 | 1.01 billion current US$ | -5.1% |
| 2023 | 932.42 million current US$ | -7.9% |
| 2024 | 993.23 million current US$ | +6.5% |
| 2025 | 1.13 billion current US$ | +13.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 516.48 million current US$ | 236.60 million current US$ | 805.83 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 983.13 million current US$ | 721.69 million current US$ | 1.09 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 678.47 million current US$ | 518.46 million current US$ | 1.12 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 881.34 million current US$ | 505.53 million current US$ | 1.17 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.14 billion current US$ | 896.80 million current US$ | 1.42 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.01 billion current US$ | 920.78 million current US$ | 1.13 billion current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 50 Dominican Republic 1.17 billion current US$ compare
- 51 Uzbekistan 1.16 billion current US$ compare
- 52 New Zealand 1.14 billion current US$ compare
- 54 Mauritius 1.12 billion current US$ compare
- 55 Hong Kong 1.09 billion current US$ compare
- 56 Lithuania 1.05 billion current US$ 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)
- GDP (current US$), annual growth rate 6.49 % change on previous year (2025)
- GDP (current US$), per capita 6,598 current US$ per person (2025)
- GDP (current LCU), annual growth rate 3.94 % change on previous year (2025)
- GDP (current LCU), per unit of GDP 17.89 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- GDP (current LCU), per capita 118,025 current LCU per person (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 1.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.8659 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per capita 5,713 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is personal remittances, paid in South Africa?
- Personal remittances, paid in South Africa was 1.13 billion current US$ in 2025, according to IMF balance of payments data, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest personal remittances, paid recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.42 billion current US$ in 2011.
- What is the lowest personal remittances, paid recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 236.60 million current US$ in 1970.
- How does South Africa rank for personal remittances, paid?
- South Africa ranks 53rd out of 195 countries with data for 2025.
- Is personal remittances, paid rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from IMF balance of payments data, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Personal remittances, paid (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Personal remittances comprise personal transfers and compensation of employees. Personal transfers consist of all current transfers in cash or in kind made or received by resident households to or from nonresident households. Personal transfers thus include all current transfers between resident and nonresident individuals. Compensation of employees refers to the income of border, seasonal, and other short-term workers who are employed in an economy where they are not resident and of residents employed by nonresident entities. Data are the sum of two items defined in the sixth edition of the IMF's Balance of Payments Manual: personal transfers and compensation of employees. Data are in current U.S. dollars.