Share of the daily calorie supply that comes from animal protein in South Africa
South Africa: Share of the daily calorie supply that comes from animal protein was 5.4% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
5.4%
Change on year
down 1.5%
World rank
109th
of 192 countries
All-time high
5.7%
in 2021
All-time low
3.3%
in 1986
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Share of the daily calorie supply that comes from animal protein in South Africa, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, share of the daily calorie supply that comes from animal protein in South Africa stood at 5.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.5% on the previous year and up 5.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the daily calorie supply that comes from animal protein in South Africa peaked at 5.7% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 3.3%, in 1986.
South Africa ranks 109th of 192 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Share of the daily calorie supply that comes from animal protein in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3.5% | — |
| 1962 | 3.6% | +0.7% |
| 1963 | 3.4% | -3.8% |
| 1964 | 3.4% | -1.8% |
| 1965 | 3.6% | +7.2% |
| 1966 | 3.8% | +3.9% |
| 1967 | 3.9% | +4.5% |
| 1968 | 3.8% | -3.1% |
| 1969 | 3.7% | -2.0% |
| 1970 | 3.6% | -4.3% |
| 1971 | 3.7% | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 3.7% | -0.3% |
| 1973 | 3.7% | +1.8% |
| 1974 | 3.9% | +3.6% |
| 1975 | 3.9% | +1.6% |
| 1976 | 3.8% | -3.4% |
| 1977 | 3.7% | -2.3% |
| 1978 | 3.7% | -0.8% |
| 1979 | 3.8% | +2.8% |
| 1980 | 3.6% | -4.5% |
| 1981 | 3.6% | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 3.5% | -2.7% |
| 1983 | 3.6% | +0.9% |
| 1984 | 3.6% | -0.4% |
| 1985 | 3.4% | -4.6% |
| 1986 | 3.3% | -3.2% |
| 1987 | 3.5% | +5.7% |
| 1988 | 3.5% | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 3.4% | -1.7% |
| 1990 | 3.8% | +9.7% |
| 1991 | 3.6% | -5.1% |
| 1992 | 3.7% | +4.7% |
| 1993 | 3.5% | -5.2% |
| 1994 | 3.6% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 3.5% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 3.4% | -3.2% |
| 1997 | 3.6% | +4.9% |
| 1998 | 3.3% | -7.4% |
| 1999 | 3.4% | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 3.6% | +7.3% |
| 2001 | 3.5% | -3.1% |
| 2002 | 3.6% | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 3.6% | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 3.8% | +5.6% |
| 2005 | 3.9% | +3.2% |
| 2006 | 4.2% | +5.9% |
| 2007 | 4.4% | +5.3% |
| 2008 | 4.5% | +3.2% |
| 2009 | 4.5% | -2.1% |
| 2010 | 4.9% | +10.6% |
| 2011 | 5.0% | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 5.1% | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 5.1% | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 5.4% | +5.6% |
| 2015 | 5.5% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 5.5% | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 5.3% | -4.8% |
| 2018 | 5.4% | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 5.6% | +4.2% |
| 2020 | 5.7% | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 5.7% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 5.5% | -3.7% |
| 2023 | 5.4% | -1.5% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 5.4% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 6.2%, 88% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 5.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.4%, 2.2× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.6% | 3.4% | 3.9% | 9 |
| 1970s | 3.7% | 3.6% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.5% | 3.3% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.5% | 3.3% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.0% | 3.5% | 4.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.3% | 4.9% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.6% | 5.4% | 5.7% | 4 |
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)
- 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 share of the daily calorie supply that comes from animal protein in South Africa?
- Share of the daily calorie supply that comes from animal protein in South Africa was 5.4% in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the daily calorie supply that comes from animal protein recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 5.7% in 2021.
- What is the lowest share of the daily calorie supply that comes from animal protein recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.3% in 1986.
- How does South Africa rank for share of the daily calorie supply that comes from animal protein?
- South Africa ranks 109th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of the daily calorie supply that comes from animal protein rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the daily calorie supply that comes from animal protein. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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