Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP (Percent GDP) in South Africa
South Africa: Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP (Percent GDP) was 32.33 in 2030. ▲ Rising
Latest (2030)
32.33
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
75th
of 195 countries
All-time high
34.62
in 2020
All-time low
22.21
in 2002
Years of data
30
2001–2030
Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP in South Africa, 2001–2030
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
The most recent figure for expenditure, general government, percent of gdp in South Africa is 32.33, measured in 2030.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 6.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure, general government, percent of gdp in South Africa peaked at 34.62 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 22.21, in 2002.
That places South Africa 75th out of 195 countries with data for 2030, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 30 years of available data.
Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP (Percent GDP) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 22.62 | — |
| 2002 | 22.21 | -1.8% |
| 2003 | 22.62 | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 22.71 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 25.14 | +10.7% |
| 2006 | 24.67 | -1.9% |
| 2007 | 24.43 | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 26.01 | +6.5% |
| 2009 | 28.46 | +9.4% |
| 2010 | 28.34 | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 28.08 | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 28.62 | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 28.91 | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 29.32 | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 30.16 | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 29.91 | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 29.86 | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 30.15 | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 31.39 | +4.1% |
| 2020 | 34.62 | +10.3% |
| 2021 | 32.65 | -5.7% |
| 2022 | 31.89 | -2.3% |
| 2023 | 32.46 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 32.98 | +1.6% |
| 2025 | 33.63 | +2.0% |
| 2026 | 33.1 | -1.6% |
| 2027 | 32.94 | -0.5% |
| 2028 | 32.58 | -1.1% |
| 2029 | 32.43 | -0.5% |
| 2030 | 32.33 | -0.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 32.33 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 30.17, 1.1× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 32.33 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 22.59, 1.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 24.32 | 22.21 | 28.46 | 9 |
| 2010s | 29.47 | 28.08 | 31.39 | 10 |
| 2020s | 32.93 | 31.89 | 34.62 | 10 |
| 2030s | 32.33 | 32.33 | 32.33 | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More public sector data for South Africa
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.4746 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0001 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure, general government, percent of gdp in South Africa?
- Expenditure, general government, percent of gdp in South Africa was 32.33 in 2030, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest expenditure, general government, percent of gdp recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 34.62 in 2020.
- What is the lowest expenditure, general government, percent of gdp recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.21 in 2002.
- How does South Africa rank for expenditure, general government, percent of gdp?
- South Africa ranks 75th out of 195 countries with data for 2030.
- Is expenditure, general government, percent of gdp rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 30 observations, free to reuse under IMF Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
Fiscal Monitor (FM) 2025 October