Southern Africa country profile
South Africa economy and natural resources
South Africa's latest GDP observation is $427.2B (2025). Its population observation is 64.7M (2025). Read the dated indicators below, compare a second country, or take a cited brief into your research.
- GDP
- $427.2BWorld Bank WDI, 2025
- Population
- 64.7MWorld Bank WDI, 2025
- GDP per person
- $6,598World Bank WDI, 2025
Dated economy snapshot
- GDP
- $427.2BWorld Bank WDI, 2025
- Population
- 64.7MWorld Bank WDI, 2025
- GDP per person
- $6,598World Bank WDI, 2025
- Real GDP growth
- 1.1%World Bank WDI, 2025
- Electricity access
- 90.2%World Bank WDI, 2024
- Internet use
- 78.4%World Bank WDI, 2024
- Life expectancy
- 66.3 yearsWorld Bank WDI, 2024
- Exports of goods and services
- $134.2BWorld Bank WDI, 2025
- Imports of goods and services
- $126BWorld Bank WDI, 2025
World Bank World Development Indicators. The latest available year can differ by measure. Retrieved 2026-09-28. Sources, units and comparison method.
Read the numbers in context
Total GDP describes economic scale. GDP per person is average output per resident, not a salary or a cost-of-living measure. Both use current US dollars; exchange rates and national accounts revisions can change them.
Real GDP growth measures annual output change after price changes. Electricity access and internet use describe national coverage, not service reliability, speed or affordability in a particular city. Life expectancy is an average at birth.
Exports and imports include goods and services. Their totals should not be mixed with an undated goods-only product breakdown.
South Africa: a ten-year economy view
Annual WDI observations from 2016–2025. N/A means no observation in the retrieved series.
| Year | GDP | Population | Real growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $427.2B | 64.7M | 1.1% |
| 2024 | $401.1B | 64M | 0.5% |
| 2023 | $381.4B | 63.2M | 0.8% |
| 2022 | $407.6B | 62.4M | 2.1% |
| 2021 | $420B | 61.5M | 4.9% |
| 2020 | $338B | 60.6M | -6.2% |
| 2019 | $389.3B | 59.6M | 0.3% |
| 2018 | $405.3B | 58.6M | 1.6% |
| 2017 | $381.4B | 57.6M | 1.2% |
| 2016 | $323.6B | 57.3M | 0.7% |
Sources: GDP · Population · Real GDP growth.
Resources and trade in South Africa
Undated reference lists. These entries are research starting points, not verified production amounts or current rankings.
Natural resource references
Gold · Platinum · Chromium · Manganese · Coal · Diamonds · Iron Ore
Export product references
- Platinum Group Metals
- Gold
- Iron Ore
- Coal
- Motor Vehicles
Import product references
- Refined Petroleum
- Crude Petroleum
- Motor Vehicles
- Machinery
Check product, partner and year coverage in UN Comtrade or World Integrated Trade Solution. For mineral production, consult USGS country statistics. These portals are verification paths; their data have not been merged into the reference lists.
Continue your South Africa research
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- Mozambique economy profile · Compare South Africa with Mozambique
- Malawi economy profile · Compare South Africa with Malawi
Tools for your next question
Questions about South Africa
What is the latest GDP figure for South Africa?
The World Bank WDI observation is $427,184,325,997.3 for 2025, in current US dollars. It measures total economic output, not household income or purchasing power.
What are South Africa's population and GDP per person?
Population is 64,747,319 (2025). GDP per person is $6,598 (2025) in current US dollars. It is an average output measure, not a salary.
What are South Africa's main natural resources?
The undated AfroAtlas reference list includes Gold, Platinum, Chromium, Manganese, Coal, Diamonds, Iron Ore. These entries do not establish current production amounts or rankings; check primary resource statistics.
Which exports appear in the South Africa profile?
The undated product reference list includes Platinum Group Metals, Gold, Iron Ore, Coal, Motor Vehicles. Goods-only trade sources can differ from the WDI totals, which include goods and services.
How can I compare South Africa fairly with another country?
Use the latest shared observation year for each indicator. AfroAtlas compares matched years by default, shows missing observations as N/A, and offers a latest-observation view that labels differences in years.
How do I cite or download this country data?
Each indicator links to the World Bank source and shows its observation year. Download the CSV or create a research brief to retain indicator names, units, dates and source URLs. The snapshot was retrieved on 2026-09-28.