South Africa — GDP growth
GDP Growth (Annual %) for South Africa, 1961–2025.
GDP growth for South Africa was 1.11% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 7.94% in 1964. The lowest was -6.17% in 2020 (about -5.5× the latest value). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -1.92% per year.
South Africa ranks 169 of 212 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 80%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 4.61%, so South Africa sits below it. It peaked in 1964 and has fallen 86% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 16%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 43 of 47 economies; Sao Tome and Principe (1.03%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 11669% in 1987. That is 50% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1961 level: doubled by 1964.
World ranking. Slipped: 65th of 107 in 1961 → 65th of 119 in 1970 → 39th of 152 in 1980 → 134th of 176 in 1990 → 99th of 199 in 2000 → 122nd of 209 in 2010 → 134th of 209 in 2020 → 154th of 186 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.11% | +0.6 pp |
| 2024 | 0.53% | -0.3 pp |
| 2023 | 0.81% | -1.3 pp |
| 2022 | 2.06% | -2.8 pp |
| 2021 | 4.86% | +11.0 pp |
| 2020 | -6.17% | -6.4 pp |
| 2019 | 0.26% | -1.3 pp |
| 2018 | 1.56% | +0.4 pp |
| 2017 | 1.16% | +0.5 pp |
| 2016 | 0.66% | -0.7 pp |
| 2015 | 1.32% | -0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 1.41% | -1.1 pp |
| 2013 | 2.49% | +0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 2.4% | -0.8 pp |
| 2011 | 3.17% | +0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 3.04% | +4.6 pp |
| 2009 | -1.54% | -4.7 pp |
| 2008 | 3.19% | -2.2 pp |
| 2007 | 5.36% | -0.2 pp |
| 2006 | 5.6% | +0.3 pp |
| 2005 | 5.28% | +0.7 pp |
| 2004 | 4.55% | +1.6 pp |
| 2003 | 2.95% | -0.8 pp |
| 2002 | 3.7% | +1.0 pp |
| 2001 | 2.7% | -1.5 pp |
| 2000 | 4.2% | +1.8 pp |
| 1999 | 2.4% | +1.9 pp |
| 1998 | 0.5% | -2.1 pp |
| 1997 | 2.6% | -1.7 pp |
| 1996 | 4.3% | +1.2 pp |
| 1995 | 3.1% | -0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 3.2% | +2.0 pp |
| 1993 | 1.23% | +3.4 pp |
| 1992 | -2.14% | -1.1 pp |
| 1991 | -1.02% | -0.7 pp |
| 1990 | -0.32% | -2.7 pp |
| 1989 | 2.39% | -1.8 pp |
| 1988 | 4.2% | +2.1 pp |
| 1987 | 2.1% | +2.1 pp |
| 1986 | 0.02% | +1.2 pp |
| 1985 | -1.21% | -6.3 pp |
| 1984 | 5.1% | +6.9 pp |
| 1983 | -1.85% | -1.5 pp |
| 1982 | -0.38% | -5.7 pp |
| 1981 | 5.36% | -1.3 pp |
| 1980 | 6.62% | +2.8 pp |
| 1979 | 3.79% | +0.8 pp |
| 1978 | 3.01% | +3.1 pp |
| 1977 | -0.09% | -2.3 pp |
| 1976 | 2.25% | +0.6 pp |
| 1975 | 1.7% | -4.4 pp |
| 1974 | 6.11% | +1.5 pp |
| 1973 | 4.57% | +2.9 pp |
| 1972 | 1.65% | -2.6 pp |
| 1971 | 4.28% | -1.0 pp |
| 1970 | 5.25% | +0.5 pp |
| 1969 | 4.72% | +0.6 pp |
| 1968 | 4.15% | -3.0 pp |
| 1967 | 7.2% | +2.8 pp |
| 1966 | 4.44% | -1.7 pp |
| 1965 | 6.12% | -1.8 pp |
| 1964 | 7.94% | +0.6 pp |
| 1963 | 7.37% | +1.2 pp |
| 1962 | 6.18% | +2.3 pp |
| 1961 | 3.84% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was South Africa’s GDP growth in 1962?
6.18% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is South Africa’s GDP growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -71.0% in total — about 1.9% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 1.11%; 2024: 0.53%; 2023: 0.81%; 2022: 2.06%; 2021: 4.86%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG — GDP Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.