Tax revenue as a proportion of GDP in South Africa
South Africa: Tax revenue as a proportion of GDP was 25.4% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
25.4%
Change on year
down 2.4%
World rank
13th
of 164 countries
All-time high
26.0%
in 2022
All-time low
20.5%
in 2003
Years of data
24
2000–2023
Tax revenue as a proportion of GDP in South Africa, 2000–2023
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 25.4% for tax revenue as a proportion of gdp in 2023.
That represents a change of down 2.4% on the previous year and up 6.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tax revenue as a proportion of gdp in South Africa peaked at 26.0% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 20.5%, in 2003.
That places South Africa 13th out of 164 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Tax revenue as a proportion of GDP in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 21.0% | — |
| 2001 | 21.7% | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 20.8% | -4.0% |
| 2003 | 20.5% | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 21.7% | +5.9% |
| 2005 | 23.0% | +5.9% |
| 2006 | 24.4% | +6.1% |
| 2007 | 24.8% | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 24.3% | -2.0% |
| 2009 | 21.9% | -10.0% |
| 2010 | 22.5% | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 22.9% | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 23.3% | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 23.8% | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 24.4% | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 25.0% | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 24.8% | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 24.8% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 24.9% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 24.9% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 23.3% | -6.4% |
| 2021 | 26.0% | +11.5% |
| 2022 | 26.0% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 25.4% | -2.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 25.4% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 17.2%, 1.5× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 25.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13.0%, 2.0× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 22.4% | 20.5% | 24.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.1% | 22.5% | 25.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.2% | 23.3% | 26.0% | 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 tax revenue as a proportion of gdp in South Africa?
- Tax revenue as a proportion of gdp in South Africa was 25.4% in 2023, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest tax revenue as a proportion of gdp recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 26.0% in 2022.
- What is the lowest tax revenue as a proportion of gdp recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.5% in 2003.
- How does South Africa rank for tax revenue as a proportion of gdp?
- South Africa ranks 13th out of 164 countries with data for 2023.
- Is tax revenue as a proportion of gdp rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Tax revenue as a proportion of GDP (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).