Interest payments (current LCU) in South Africa
South Africa: Interest payments (current LCU) was 393.43 billion current LCU in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
393.43 billion current LCU
Change on year
up 8.2%
World rank
36th
of 155 countries
All-time high
393.43 billion current LCU
in 2024
All-time low
232.00 million current LCU
in 1972
Years of data
53
1972–2024
Interest payments in South Africa, 1972–2024
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 393.43 billion current LCU for interest payments in 2024. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
The figure is up 8.2% on the previous year and up 225.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, interest payments in South Africa peaked at 393.43 billion current LCU in 2024 and was at its lowest, 232.00 million current LCU, in 1972.
South Africa ranks 36th of 155 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Interest payments (current LCU) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 232.00 million current LCU | — |
| 1973 | 301.00 million current LCU | +29.7% |
| 1974 | 309.00 million current LCU | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 345.00 million current LCU | +11.7% |
| 1976 | 466.00 million current LCU | +35.1% |
| 1977 | 556.00 million current LCU | +19.3% |
| 1978 | 720.00 million current LCU | +29.5% |
| 1979 | 897.00 million current LCU | +24.6% |
| 1980 | 1.11 billion current LCU | +24.3% |
| 1981 | 1.54 billion current LCU | +38.2% |
| 1982 | 2.00 billion current LCU | +29.5% |
| 1983 | 2.63 billion current LCU | +31.9% |
| 1984 | 3.59 billion current LCU | +36.3% |
| 1985 | 4.51 billion current LCU | +25.7% |
| 1986 | 5.55 billion current LCU | +22.9% |
| 1987 | 6.70 billion current LCU | +20.7% |
| 1988 | 8.25 billion current LCU | +23.2% |
| 1989 | 10.68 billion current LCU | +29.4% |
| 1990 | 11.81 billion current LCU | +10.6% |
| 1991 | 14.42 billion current LCU | +22.1% |
| 1992 | 17.69 billion current LCU | +22.7% |
| 1993 | 21.83 billion current LCU | +23.4% |
| 1994 | 23.60 billion current LCU | +8.1% |
| 1995 | 29.66 billion current LCU | +25.7% |
| 1996 | 33.35 billion current LCU | +12.4% |
| 1997 | 39.03 billion current LCU | +17.0% |
| 1998 | 42.88 billion current LCU | +9.9% |
| 1999 | 44.30 billion current LCU | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 46.59 billion current LCU | +5.2% |
| 2001 | 47.68 billion current LCU | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 46.91 billion current LCU | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 46.40 billion current LCU | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 48.91 billion current LCU | +5.4% |
| 2005 | 51.07 billion current LCU | +4.4% |
| 2006 | 52.38 billion current LCU | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 53.08 billion current LCU | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 54.63 billion current LCU | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 59.46 billion current LCU | +8.8% |
| 2010 | 69.41 billion current LCU | +16.7% |
| 2011 | 81.68 billion current LCU | +17.7% |
| 2012 | 94.26 billion current LCU | +15.4% |
| 2013 | 105.67 billion current LCU | +12.1% |
| 2014 | 121.07 billion current LCU | +14.6% |
| 2015 | 135.48 billion current LCU | +11.9% |
| 2016 | 156.50 billion current LCU | +15.5% |
| 2017 | 178.37 billion current LCU | +14.0% |
| 2018 | 192.58 billion current LCU | +8.0% |
| 2019 | 215.23 billion current LCU | +11.8% |
| 2020 | 240.56 billion current LCU | +11.8% |
| 2021 | 277.59 billion current LCU | +15.4% |
| 2022 | 318.43 billion current LCU | +14.7% |
| 2023 | 363.77 billion current LCU | +14.2% |
| 2024 | 393.43 billion current LCU | +8.2% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 393.43 billion current LCU is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 34.20 billion current LCU, 11.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 393.43 billion current LCU is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 106.55 billion current LCU, 3.7× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 478.25 million current LCU | 232.00 million current LCU | 897.00 million current LCU | 8 |
| 1980s | 4.66 billion current LCU | 1.11 billion current LCU | 10.68 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 27.86 billion current LCU | 11.81 billion current LCU | 44.30 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 50.71 billion current LCU | 46.40 billion current LCU | 59.46 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 135.03 billion current LCU | 69.41 billion current LCU | 215.23 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 318.75 billion current LCU | 240.56 billion current LCU | 393.43 billion current LCU | 5 |
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 interest payments in South Africa?
- Interest payments in South Africa was 393.43 billion current LCU in 2024, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest interest payments recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 393.43 billion current LCU in 2024.
- What is the lowest interest payments recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 232.00 million current LCU in 1972.
- How does South Africa rank for interest payments?
- South Africa ranks 36th out of 155 countries with data for 2024.
- Is interest payments rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 225.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Interest payments (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Interest payments include interest payments on government debt (including long-term bonds, long-term loans, and other debt instruments) to domestic and foreign residents. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.