South Africa
GDP growth in South Africa
GDP growth in South Africa: 6.6% a year in 1980 and 1.1% a year in 2025, by IMF estimates.
- Latest, 2025
- 1.1% a year
- Since 1980
- −5.5 percentage points
- Rank, 2025
- 120 of 143
- counting from the highest
- Projected, 2031
- 1.8% a year
- IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026)
% a year · IMF
What the numbers say
- The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts it at 1.8% a year in 2031.
- The highest was 6.6% a year in 1980, the lowest -6.2% a year in 2020.
Every year
% a year · IMF
| Year | South Africa |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.1 |
| 2024 | 0.5 |
| 2023 | 0.8 |
| 2022 | 2.1 |
| 2021 | 4.9 |
| 2020 | -6.2 |
| 2019 | 0.3 |
| 2018 | 1.6 |
| 2017 | 1.2 |
| 2016 | 0.7 |
| 2015 | 1.3 |
| 2014 | 1.4 |
| 2013 | 2.5 |
| 2012 | 2.4 |
| 2011 | 3.2 |
| 2010 | 3 |
| 2009 | -1.5 |
| 2008 | 3.2 |
| 2007 | 5.4 |
| 2006 | 5.6 |
| 2005 | 5.3 |
| 2004 | 4.6 |
| 2003 | 2.9 |
| 2002 | 3.7 |
| 2001 | 2.7 |
| 2000 | 4.2 |
| 1999 | 2.4 |
| 1998 | 0.5 |
| 1997 | 2.6 |
| 1996 | 4.3 |
| 1995 | 3.1 |
| 1994 | 3.2 |
| 1993 | 1.2 |
| 1992 | -2.1 |
| 1991 | -1 |
| 1990 | -0.3 |
| 1989 | 2.4 |
| 1988 | 4.2 |
| 1987 | 2.1 |
| 1986 | 0 |
| 1985 | -1.2 |
| 1984 | 5.1 |
| 1983 | -1.8 |
| 1982 | -0.4 |
| 1981 | 5.4 |
| 1980 | 6.6 |
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2026–2031
| Year | South Africa |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 |
| 2027 | 1.3 |
| 2028 | 1.5 |
| 2029 | 1.7 |
| 2030 | 1.8 |
| 2031 | 1.8 |
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
South Africa in numbers
Every measure for South Africa on one page
Health
People
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spending0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollars$3B in 2025
- Military spending per person$49 in 2025
- Military share of state spending2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnel89,000 people in 2020
- National power0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workers0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms imports30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exports115 million TIV in 2025