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COUNTRY OUTLOOK / ZA

South Africa

Repo rate · ISO:ZA

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Forecast availableTarget · 31 Oct 2026Issued · 15 Sep 2026, 02:54 UTCRESEARCH ONLY
CapitalPretoria
RegionSub-Saharan Africa
Income groupUpper middle income
CurrencySouth African rand
GDP$427.18B2025 · current US$
Real GDP growth1.11%2025 · annual %
Population64.75M2025 · people
GDP per capita$6,597.712025 · current US$

Latest available annual observations; years differ by indicator. Monetary values use the stated current-price basis and are not forecasts. World Bank data fetched 2026-09-15.

Economic structure

2025 · share of GDP

Broad sectors use the latest common year. Manufacturing is included in industry. Shares can total less than 100% because of taxes and accounting adjustments.

South Africa's largest reported broad sector is services in 2025.

Monetary & research context

Policy authorityISO:ZA
Policy frameworkunverified rate framework
Native targetpolicy benchmark rate
Decision evidence0
Calendar evidence0
Communication records0

Evidence counts include research inputs; they do not establish live coverage or independent observations. A country's economic composition is descriptive and does not establish what caused a model forecast.

Country events & results ↗

Explore annual trends

Real GDP growth

1.11% · 2025 · annual %

Real GDP growth · annual %-6.17%-0.66%4.86%2014: 1.41382645223793 annual %2015: 1.32186223678229 annual %2016: 0.664552307858116 annual %2017: 1.15794695181735 annual %2018: 1.55678384721676 annual %2019: 0.25993557687633 annual %2020: -6.1689177146757 annual %2021: 4.85864865060148 annual %2022: 2.05813661692193 annual %2023: 0.80610455095804 annual %2024: 0.534843531905139 annual %2025: 1.11462608103956 annual %20142025
View annual observations
YearValue (annual %)
20251.115
20240.535
20230.806
20222.058
20214.859
2020-6.169
20190.260
20181.557
20171.158
20160.665
20151.322
20141.414
World Bank source & definition ↗

Economy

GDP$427.18B2025 · current US$Source & definition ↗
Real GDP growth1.11%2025 · annual %Source & definition ↗
GDP per capita$6,597.712025 · current US$Source & definition ↗
GDP at purchasing power parityInt$ 1.03T2025 · current international $Source & definition ↗

People

Population64.75M2025 · peopleSource & definition ↗
Population growth1.15%2025 · annual %Source & definition ↗
Urban population63.82%2025 · % of populationSource & definition ↗
Life expectancy66.312024 · yearsSource & definition ↗
Unemployment · ILO estimate32.39%2025 · % of labor forceSource & definition ↗
Labor force participation · ages 15+55.58%2025 · % of population ages 15+Source & definition ↗

Sectors

Agriculture, forestry & fishing2.83%2025 · % of GDPSource & definition ↗
Industry including construction24.09%2025 · % of GDPSource & definition ↗
Services63.07%2025 · % of GDPSource & definition ↗
Manufacturing12.25%2025 · % of GDPSource & definition ↗

Trade & investment

Exports of goods & services31.41%2025 · % of GDPSource & definition ↗
Imports of goods & services29.50%2025 · % of GDPSource & definition ↗
Current account balance-0.42%2025 · % of GDPSource & definition ↗
Foreign direct investment · net inflows-0.51%2025 · % of GDPSource & definition ↗

Money & public finance

Consumer inflation3.21%2025 · annual %Source & definition ↗
Central government debt82.76%2024 · % of GDPSource & definition ↗
Tax revenue25.88%2024 · % of GDPSource & definition ↗
Government cash surplus / deficitNot available% of GDP
Domestic credit to private sector89.45%2024 · % of GDPSource & definition ↗
Total reserves including gold$76.02B2025 · current US$Source & definition ↗

Infrastructure

Internet use78.36%2024 · % of populationSource & definition ↗
Access to electricity90.20%2024 · % of populationSource & definition ↗

Geography

Surface area1,219,0902023 · square kmSource & definition ↗

Government debt covers central government, which can differ substantially from general-government debt. Indicator definitions, estimation methods and coverage differ. Latest available does not mean current-year: older observations remain explicitly dated. Source: World Bank WDI and its underlying contributors.

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Every forecast has a boundary.This is a dated research snapshot, not an automatically updating market feed. Source gaps, model limitations, and adverse results are retained.

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