South Africa's GDP was estimated at just over 403 billion U.S. dollars in 2024, the highest in Africa. Egypt followed, with a GDP worth around 380 billion U.S. dollars, and ranked as the second-highest on the continent. Algeria ranked third, with about 260 billion U.S. dollars. These African economies are among some of the fastest-growing economies worldwide. Dependency on oil For some African countries, the oil industry represents an enormous source of income. In Nigeria, oil generates over five percent of the country’s GDP in the third quarter of 2023. However, economies such as the Libyan, Algerian, or Angolan are even much more dependent on the oil sector. In Libya, for instance, oil rents account for over 40 percent of the GDP. Indeed, Libya is one of the economies most dependent on oil worldwide. Similarly, oil represents for some of Africa’s largest economies a substantial source of export value. The giants do not make the ranking Most of Africa’s largest economies do not appear in the leading ten African countries for GDP per capita. The GDP per capita is calculated by dividing a country’s GDP by its population. Therefore, a populated country with a low total GDP will have a low GDP per capita, while a small rich nation has a high GDP per capita. For instance, South Africa has Africa’s highest GDP, but also counts the sixth-largest population, so wealth has to be divided into its big population. The GDP per capita also indicates how a country’s wealth reaches each of its citizens. In Africa, Seychelles has the greatest GDP per capita.

This dataset provides values for GDP reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

In 2024, projections show that three out of the five African regions will have an increased growth margin as a share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) compared to 2023, showing hope for economic recovery post-COVID-19 restrictions. In 2023, the region of East Africa is projected to have the highest share of GDP growth in Africa. It will have an estimated five percent growth rate. Furthermore, compared to the 2022 projections, 2023 showed decreased growth rate, with the exception of West Africa. However, the growth rate may now be decreasing in 2023 compared to 2022 projections due to a number of factors, including a decrease in government stimulus, ongoing uncertainty related to the pandemic, and the potential for economic headwinds such as rising inflation and interest rates. In 2021, Africa's economy was projected to recover following the impact of the pandemic, with the regional real GDPs growing significantly. In 2020, Southern Africa registered the sharpest decline in GDP growth rate in the continent, at -5.6 percent. Southern and Central Africa were the regions that suffered the most in that year, due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic's impacts on economic growth in Africa.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in South Africa was worth 380.70 billion US dollars in 2023, according to official data from the World Bank. The GDP value of South Africa represents 0.36 percent of the world economy. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - South Africa GDP - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Seychelles had the largest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita in Africa as of 2024. The value amounted to 21,630 U.S. dollars. Mauritius followed with around 12,330 U.S. dollars, whereas Gabon registered 8,840 U.S. dollars. GDP per capita is calculated by dividing a country’s GDP by its population, meaning that some of the largest economies are not ranked within the leading ten. Impact of COVID-19 on North Africa’s GDP When looking at the GDP growth rate in Africa in 2024, Libya had the largest estimated growth in Northern Africa, a value of 7.8 percent compared to the previous year. Niger and Senegal were at the top of the list with rates of 10.4 percent and 8.3 percent, respectively. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact on the economy was severe. The growth of the North African real GDP was estimated at minus 1.1 percent in 2020. However, estimations for 2022 looked much brighter, as it was set that the region would see a GDP growth of six percent, compared to four percent in 2021.
Contribution of Tourism Various countries in Africa are dependent on tourism, contributing to the economy. In 2023, travel and tourism were estimated to contribute 182.6 billion U.S. dollars, a clear increase from 96.5 in 2020 following COVID-19. As of 2024, South Africa, Mauritius, and Egypt led tourism in the continent according to the Travel & Tourism Development Index.

GDP, billion currency units in South Africa, December, 2024 The most recent value is 1929.47 billion South African Rand as of Q4 2024, an increase compared to the previous value of 1859.25 billion South African Rand. Historically, the average for South Africa from Q1 1993 to Q4 2024 is 772.64 billion South African Rand. The minimum of 110.83 billion South African Rand was recorded in Q1 1993, while the maximum of 1929.47 billion South African Rand was reached in Q4 2024. | TheGlobalEconomy.com

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in South Africa expanded 0.10 percent in the first quarter of 2025 over the previous quarter. This dataset provides - South Africa GDP Growth Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

As of 2023, the GDP of Africa was estimated at roughly 3.1 trillion U.S. dollars. This was the highest value since 2010 when the continent's GDP amounted to approximately 2.1 trillion U.S. dollars. The GDP value in Africa generally followed an upward trend in recent years and was estimated to exceed 4.2 trillion U.S. dollars by 2027.

Leading the charge: the three leading African economies

Among the African countries, in 2021, Nigeria had the highest GDP with approximately 442 billion U.S. dollars. South Africa and Egypt followed. These three countries have the largest economies for various reasons. The most notable factors are their population size, natural resources, and level of economic development. Furthermore, Africa was projected to have a real GDP growth rate of 3.9 percent in 2023. Libya was the economy experiencing the highest growth rate in that year.

The Sub-Saharan African economy on the rise

A global comparison showed that Sub-Saharan Africa had the smallest GDP among all world regions in 2021, amounting to 1.87 trillion U.S. dollars. A closer look revealed that Sub-Saharan Africa had a GDP per capita of 1,626.3 U.S. dollars in 2021, again the lowest worldwide. However, the region's economy was forecast to experience continued growth in the following years, with the real GDP increasing by 3.7 percent in 2023.

In 2024, Niger's real GDP is estimated to grow by 10.4 percent compared to the previous year. During 2023, the GDP is estimated to have increased by only 1.4 percent, nevertheless a positive trend. The country's real GDP is forecast to continue growing but at a slower pace. Between 2025 and 2029, it is expected to grow annually by roughly six percent. Furthermore, the GDPs of Senegal, Libya, and Rwanda might increase by around 8.3 percent, 7.8 percent, and 6.9 percent during 2024, respectively. Niger: A dependence on agriculture A large portion of Niger's economy comes from agriculture. In 2022, agriculture accounted for almost 40 percent of the GDP. Niger is not the only country in Africa where agriculture plays a crucial role. For example, agriculture made up nearly 60 percent of Sierra Leone’s GDP in 2022. Such dependence could mean that any disruptions in the agricultural products market could have significant effects on the country's GDP. Sub-Saharan Africa's economy will be among the fastest-growing regions worldwide Three African countries have significantly larger economies, namely, Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt. As of 2022, these countries' GDP stood at nearly 477.4 billion, 475.2 billion, and 405.7 billion U.S. dollars. Furthermore, it is anticipated that Sub-Saharan Africa's GDP growth in 2026 will rank as the second-fastest growing economic region in the world after the ASEAN-5 countries, with a growth rate of approximately four percent. In contrast, economic areas such as the European Union are forecast to grow at only about 1.5 percent in the same year.

Key information about South Africa Nominal GDP Growth

• South Africa Nominal GDP Growth was reported at 4.279 % in Dec 2024.
• This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.471 % for Sep 2024.
• South Africa Nominal GDP Growth data is updated quarterly, averaging 11.455 % from Mar 1961 to Dec 2024, with 256 observations.
• The data reached an all-time high of 34.616 % in Sep 1980 and a record low of -13.481 % in Jun 2020.
• South Africa Nominal GDP Growth data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by CEIC Data.
• The data is categorized under World Trend Plus’s Global Economic Monitor – Table: Nominal GDP: Y-o-Y Growth: Quarterly: Seasonally Adjusted.

CEIC calculates quarterly Nominal GDP Growth from quarterly Nominal GDP. South African Reserve Bank provides Nominal GDP in local currency.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Central African Republic was worth 2.56 billion US dollars in 2023, according to official data from the World Bank. The GDP value of Central African Republic represents 0 percent of the world economy. This dataset provides - Central African Republic GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Graph and download economic data for Real Gross Domestic Product for South Africa (NGDPRSAXDCZAQ) from Q1 1993 to Q4 2024 about South Africa, real, and GDP.

Graph and download economic data for Gross Domestic Product Deflator for South Africa (NGDPDSAIXZAQ) from Q1 1993 to Q4 2024 about South Africa and GDP.

Full Year GDP Growth in South Africa decreased to 0.60 percent in 2024 from 0.70 percent in 2023. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for South Africa Full Year Gdp Growth.

The Gross Domestic Product per capita in South Africa was last recorded at 5747.42 US dollars in 2023. The GDP per Capita in South Africa is equivalent to 46 percent of the world's average. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - South Africa GDP per capita - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

South Africa GDP for 2023 was 377.78 billion US dollars, a 6.78% decline from 2022.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>South Africa GDP for 2022 was <strong>405.27 billion US dollars</strong>, a <strong>3.53% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
<li>South Africa GDP for 2021 was <strong>420.12 billion US dollars</strong>, a <strong>24.19% increase</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li>South Africa GDP for 2020 was <strong>338.29 billion US dollars</strong>, a <strong>13.11% decline</strong> from 2019.</li>
</ul>GDP at purchaser's prices is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources. Data are in current U.S. dollars. Dollar figures for GDP are converted from domestic currencies using single year official exchange rates. For a few countries where the official exchange rate does not reflect the rate effectively applied to actual foreign exchange transactions, an alternative conversion factor is used.

Key information about South Africa Private Consumption: % of GDP

• South Africa Private Consumption accounted for 67.3 % of its Nominal GDP in Dec 2024, compared with a ratio of 64.7 % in the previous quarter.
• South Africa Private Consumption contribution to Nominal GDP ratio is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1960 to Dec 2024, with an average share of 61.6 %.
• The data reached an all-time high of 69.0 % in Dec 1996 and a record low of 47.6 % in Jun 1980.

CEIC calculates Private Consumption as % of Nominal GDP from quarterly Private Consumption Expenditure and quarterly Nominal GDP. Statistics South Africa provides Private Consumption Expenditure in local currency and Nominal GDP in local currency.


Related information about South Africa Private Consumption: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, South Africa GDP expanded 0.2 % YoY in Mar 2023.
• Its Nominal GDP reached 95.9 USD bn in Mar 2023.
• South Africa GDP Per Capita reached 6,667.3 USD in Dec 2022.
• Its Gross Savings Rate was measured at 13.7 % in Sep 2024.

The statistic shows gross domestic product (GDP) in Sub-Saharan Africa from 2020 to 2024, with projections up until 2030. Gross domestic product (GDP) denotes the aggregate value of all services and goods produced within a country in any given year. GDP is an important indicator of a country's economic power. In 2024, Sub-Saharan Africa's aggregated gross domestic product amounted to around 1,841.17 billion U.S. dollars.

Key information about South Africa Public Consumption: % of GDP

• South Africa Public Consumption accounted for 19.1 % of its Nominal GDP in Dec 2024, compared with a share of 19.3 % in the previous quarter.
• South Africa Public Consumption share of Nominal GDP ratio is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1960 to Dec 2024, with an average number of 16.7 %.
• The data reached an all-time high of 22.7 % in Jun 2020 and a record low of 8.6 % in Jun 1963.

CEIC calculates Government Consumption as % of Nominal GDP from quarterly Government Consumption Expenditure and quarterly Nominal GDP. Statistics South Africa provides Government Consumption Expenditure in local currency and Nominal GDP in local currency.


Related information about South Africa Public Consumption: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, South Africa GDP expanded 0.2 % YoY in Mar 2023.
• South Africa Nominal GDP reached 95.9 USD bn in Mar 2023.
• Its GDP deflator (implicit price deflator) increased 5.6 % in Mar 2023.
• South Africa GDP Per Capita reached 6,667.3 USD in Dec 2022.
• Its Gross Savings Rate was measured at 13.7 % in Sep 2024.
• For Nominal GDP contributions, Investment accounted for 12.6 % in Dec 2024.
• Private Consumption accounted for 67.3 % in Dec 2024.

Graph and download economic data for Nominal Gross Domestic Product for South Africa (NGDPXDCZAA) from 1993 to 2024 about South Africa and GDP.