Germany vs South Africa

Germany vs South Africa: GDP growth

GDP growth in 2025: 0.2% a year in Germany and 1.1% a year in South Africa, by IMF estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in South Africa, by 0.9 percentage points, or 4.87 times that in Germany.

% a year · IMF

Germany vs South Africa: GDP growthGDP growth in 2025: 0.2% a year in Germany and 1.1% a year in South Africa, by IMF estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in South Africa, by 0.9 percentage points, or 4.87 times that in Germany.
GermanySouth AfricaIMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026)

What the numbers say

  • South Africa has been higher since 2021, when it overtook Germany.
  • In 2025, Germany ranked 135 and South Africa ranked 120 of 143 countries, counting from the highest.
  • The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts Germany at 0.6% a year and South Africa at 1.8% a year in 2031.

Every year

% a year · IMF

YearGermanySouth Africa
20250.21.1
202400.5
2023-10.8
20221.92.1
202144.9
2020-4-6.2
20191.10.3
20181.21.6
20172.91.2
20162.30.7
20151.81.3
20142.21.4
20130.52.5
20120.52.4
20113.83.2
20104.13
2009-5.5-1.5
20080.93.2
20072.95.4
20063.95.6
20050.95.3
20041.24.6
2003-0.52.9
2002-0.23.7
20011.62.7
20002.94.2
19992.12.4
19982.10.5
19971.92.6
199614.3
19951.53.1
19942.63.2
1993-11.2
19922-2.1
19915-1
19905.7-0.3
19893.92.4
19883.74.2
19871.52.1
19862.40
19852.2-1.2
19842.85.1
19831.6-1.8
1982-0.8-0.4
19810.15.4
19801.36.6
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2026–2031
YearGermanySouth Africa
20261.31
20271.11.3
20281.11.5
20290.91.7
20300.71.8
20310.61.8

Each country on its own

Good to know

  • How much the economy grew or shrank in a year, after inflation.
  • Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook, October 2026.
  • The dashed line is the IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026), a scenario rather than a forecast.
  • Ranks count the 143 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.

How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time

Germany vs South Africa

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