Total reserves (includes gold, current US$) in South Africa
South Africa: Total reserves (includes gold, current US$) was 76.02 billion includes gold, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Total reserves in South Africa, 1960–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in includes gold, current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total reserves in South Africa is 76.02 billion includes gold, current US$, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 16.2% on the previous year and up 65.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total reserves in South Africa peaked at 76.02 billion includes gold, current US$ in 2025 and was at its lowest, 272.20 million includes gold, current US$, in 1960.
That places South Africa 37th out of 183 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Total reserves (includes gold, current US$) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | includes gold, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 272.20 million includes gold, current US$ | — |
| 1961 | 394.84 million includes gold, current US$ | +45.1% |
| 1962 | 647.25 million includes gold, current US$ | +63.9% |
| 1963 | 774.94 million includes gold, current US$ | +19.7% |
| 1964 | 706.83 million includes gold, current US$ | -8.8% |
| 1965 | 600.87 million includes gold, current US$ | -15.0% |
| 1966 | 834.48 million includes gold, current US$ | +38.9% |
| 1967 | 781.75 million includes gold, current US$ | -6.3% |
| 1968 | 1.72 billion includes gold, current US$ | +119.5% |
| 1969 | 1.40 billion includes gold, current US$ | -18.1% |
| 1970 | 1.06 billion includes gold, current US$ | -24.8% |
| 1971 | 777.29 million includes gold, current US$ | -26.4% |
| 1972 | 1.77 billion includes gold, current US$ | +128.0% |
| 1973 | 2.58 billion includes gold, current US$ | +45.6% |
| 1974 | 3.78 billion includes gold, current US$ | +46.5% |
| 1975 | 2.98 billion includes gold, current US$ | -21.2% |
| 1976 | 2.13 billion includes gold, current US$ | -28.4% |
| 1977 | 2.02 billion includes gold, current US$ | -5.3% |
| 1978 | 2.64 billion includes gold, current US$ | +30.5% |
| 1979 | 5.57 billion includes gold, current US$ | +111.3% |
| 1980 | 7.89 billion includes gold, current US$ | +41.6% |
| 1981 | 4.36 billion includes gold, current US$ | -44.7% |
| 1982 | 3.94 billion includes gold, current US$ | -9.5% |
| 1983 | 3.79 billion includes gold, current US$ | -3.8% |
| 1984 | 2.51 billion includes gold, current US$ | -33.8% |
| 1985 | 1.90 billion includes gold, current US$ | -24.4% |
| 1986 | 2.25 billion includes gold, current US$ | +18.8% |
| 1987 | 3.46 billion includes gold, current US$ | +53.6% |
| 1988 | 2.20 billion includes gold, current US$ | -36.4% |
| 1989 | 2.19 billion includes gold, current US$ | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 2.58 billion includes gold, current US$ | +17.7% |
| 1991 | 3.19 billion includes gold, current US$ | +23.4% |
| 1992 | 3.21 billion includes gold, current US$ | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 2.88 billion includes gold, current US$ | -10.2% |
| 1994 | 3.29 billion includes gold, current US$ | +14.4% |
| 1995 | 4.46 billion includes gold, current US$ | +35.5% |
| 1996 | 2.34 billion includes gold, current US$ | -47.6% |
| 1997 | 5.96 billion includes gold, current US$ | +154.5% |
| 1998 | 5.51 billion includes gold, current US$ | -7.5% |
| 1999 | 7.50 billion includes gold, current US$ | +36.1% |
| 2000 | 7.70 billion includes gold, current US$ | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 7.63 billion includes gold, current US$ | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 7.82 billion includes gold, current US$ | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 8.15 billion includes gold, current US$ | +4.3% |
| 2004 | 14.89 billion includes gold, current US$ | +82.6% |
| 2005 | 20.62 billion includes gold, current US$ | +38.5% |
| 2006 | 25.59 billion includes gold, current US$ | +24.1% |
| 2007 | 32.92 billion includes gold, current US$ | +28.6% |
| 2008 | 34.07 billion includes gold, current US$ | +3.5% |
| 2009 | 39.60 billion includes gold, current US$ | +16.2% |
| 2010 | 43.82 billion includes gold, current US$ | +10.6% |
| 2011 | 48.75 billion includes gold, current US$ | +11.2% |
| 2012 | 50.69 billion includes gold, current US$ | +4.0% |
| 2013 | 49.71 billion includes gold, current US$ | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 49.12 billion includes gold, current US$ | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 45.89 billion includes gold, current US$ | -6.6% |
| 2016 | 47.18 billion includes gold, current US$ | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 50.72 billion includes gold, current US$ | +7.5% |
| 2018 | 51.64 billion includes gold, current US$ | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 55.06 billion includes gold, current US$ | +6.6% |
| 2020 | 55.01 billion includes gold, current US$ | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 57.60 billion includes gold, current US$ | +4.7% |
| 2022 | 60.55 billion includes gold, current US$ | +5.1% |
| 2023 | 62.49 billion includes gold, current US$ | +3.2% |
| 2024 | 65.44 billion includes gold, current US$ | +4.7% |
| 2025 | 76.02 billion includes gold, current US$ | +16.2% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 76.02 billion includes gold, current US$ is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 8.60 billion includes gold, current US$, 8.8× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 76.02 billion includes gold, current US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.30 billion includes gold, current US$, 58.4× the median. (40 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Total reserves (includes gold, current US$) in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | +154.5% | 2.34 billion includes gold, current US$ | 5.96 billion includes gold, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 813.38 million includes gold, current US$ | 272.20 million includes gold, current US$ | 1.72 billion includes gold, current US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.53 billion includes gold, current US$ | 777.29 million includes gold, current US$ | 5.57 billion includes gold, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.45 billion includes gold, current US$ | 1.90 billion includes gold, current US$ | 7.89 billion includes gold, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.09 billion includes gold, current US$ | 2.34 billion includes gold, current US$ | 7.50 billion includes gold, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.90 billion includes gold, current US$ | 7.63 billion includes gold, current US$ | 39.60 billion includes gold, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.26 billion includes gold, current US$ | 43.82 billion includes gold, current US$ | 55.06 billion includes gold, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 62.85 billion includes gold, current US$ | 55.01 billion includes gold, current US$ | 76.02 billion includes gold, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 34 Vietnam 85.58 billion includes gold, current US$ compare
- 35 Norway 85.49 billion includes gold, current US$ compare
- 36 Algeria 76.83 billion includes gold, current US$ compare
- 38 Sweden 74.20 billion includes gold, current US$ compare
- 39 Australia 72.63 billion includes gold, current US$ compare
- 40 Portugal 68.84 billion includes gold, 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)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 6.87 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0145 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 95.75 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 1.77 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0106 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 69.91 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate -28.9 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0077 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total reserves in South Africa?
- Total reserves in South Africa was 76.02 billion includes gold, current US$ in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest total reserves recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 76.02 billion includes gold, current US$ in 2025.
- What is the lowest total reserves recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 272.20 million includes gold, current US$ in 1960.
- How does South Africa rank for total reserves?
- South Africa ranks 37th out of 183 countries with data for 2025.
- Is total reserves rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 65.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Total reserves (includes gold, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Reserve assets are external assets, including monetary gold, that are readily available to and controlled by monetary authorities for meeting balance of payments financing needs, for intervention in exchange markets to affect the currency exchange rate, and for other related purposes (such as maintaining confidence in the currency and the economy, and serving as a basis for foreign borrowing). Reserve assets must be denominated and settled in foreign currency. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.