Facts
- Government gross debt, % of GDP
- 78.4 % (2025)
- Fiscal balance, % of GDP
- -5.6 % (2025)
- GDP, current prices
- $427.1 bn (2025)
- Current account, % of GDP
- -0.5 % (2025)
- Debt level
- 60–100% of GDP
- Change in debt ratio, last 10 years
- +33.2 pp
- Central government debt, % of GDP (World Bank)
- 82.8 % (2024)
- ISO code
- ZAF
Sources: US Treasury Fiscal Data — Debt to the Penny, MSPD (public domain), IMF World Economic Outlook, World Bank WDI (CC BY 4.0)
GDP, current prices ($ billions)
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $427.1 bn |
| 2024 | $401.1 bn |
| 2023 | $381.3 bn |
| 2022 | $407.4 bn |
| 2021 | $419.9 bn |
| 2020 | $337.9 bn |
| 2019 | $389.2 bn |
| 2018 | $405.1 bn |
| 2017 | $381.3 bn |
| 2016 | $323.5 bn |
| 2015 | $346.7 bn |
| 2014 | $381.2 bn |
Current account balance, % of GDP
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2025 | -0.5 % |
| 2024 | -0.7 % |
| 2023 | -1.1 % |
| 2022 | -0.3 % |
| 2021 | 3.7 % |
| 2020 | 2.0 % |
| 2019 | -2.6 % |
| 2018 | -2.9 % |
| 2017 | -2.4 % |
| 2016 | -2.7 % |
| 2015 | -4.3 % |
| 2014 | -4.8 % |
Government gross debt, % of GDP
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 78.4 % |
| 2024 | 76.0 % |
| 2023 | 73.2 % |
| 2022 | 70.7 % |
| 2021 | 68.8 % |
| 2020 | 68.9 % |
| 2019 | 56.1 % |
| 2018 | 51.5 % |
| 2017 | 48.6 % |
| 2016 | 47.1 % |
| 2015 | 45.2 % |
| 2014 | 43.3 % |
Net lending / borrowing, % of GDP
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2025 | -5.6 % |
| 2024 | -5.7 % |
| 2023 | -5.6 % |
| 2022 | -4.2 % |
| 2021 | -5.5 % |
| 2020 | -9.6 % |
| 2019 | -5.1 % |
| 2018 | -3.7 % |
| 2017 | -4.0 % |
| 2016 | -3.7 % |
| 2015 | -4.4 % |
| 2014 | -3.9 % |
Central government debt, % of GDP (World Bank)
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 82.8 |
| 2023 | 79.4 |
| 2022 | 76.2 |
| 2021 | 74.1 |
| 2020 | 75.7 |
| 2019 | 64.6 |
| 2018 | 59.1 |
| 2017 | 56.3 |
| 2016 | 53.7 |
| 2015 | 52.7 |
| 2000 | 39.6 |