Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in South Africa
South Africa: Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) was -4.8% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in South Africa, 1972–2024
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in South Africa is -4.8%, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 2.8% on the previous year and down 39.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in South Africa peaked at 1.3% in 1980 and was at its lowest, -9.9%, in 2020.
South Africa ranks 125th of 156 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | -0.3% | — |
| 1973 | 1.1% | -435.9% |
| 1974 | 0.1% | -93.1% |
| 1975 | -1.0% | -1480.1% |
| 1976 | -2.2% | +109.6% |
| 1977 | -1.7% | -19.8% |
| 1978 | -1.0% | -41.6% |
| 1979 | -0.8% | -20.9% |
| 1980 | 1.3% | -259.6% |
| 1981 | -1.0% | -179.3% |
| 1982 | -1.9% | +86.6% |
| 1983 | -3.8% | +103.0% |
| 1984 | -3.1% | -19.2% |
| 1985 | -2.7% | -11.8% |
| 1986 | -4.6% | +69.7% |
| 1987 | -5.0% | +7.9% |
| 1988 | -4.3% | -14.3% |
| 1989 | -0.6% | -86.2% |
| 1990 | -3.2% | +431.1% |
| 1991 | -3.2% | +1.8% |
| 1992 | -7.8% | +142.3% |
| 1993 | -8.1% | +3.9% |
| 1994 | -4.8% | -40.1% |
| 1995 | -4.8% | -0.8% |
| 1996 | -4.7% | -2.9% |
| 1997 | -3.4% | -27.9% |
| 1998 | -2.6% | -21.3% |
| 1999 | -1.6% | -39.8% |
| 2000 | -1.7% | +7.8% |
| 2001 | -0.8% | -53.3% |
| 2002 | -1.4% | +73.6% |
| 2003 | -2.3% | +62.7% |
| 2004 | -1.7% | -25.7% |
| 2005 | -0.2% | -90.4% |
| 2006 | 0.8% | -583.1% |
| 2007 | 0.9% | +18.3% |
| 2008 | -0.6% | -163.7% |
| 2009 | -4.5% | +657.9% |
| 2010 | -4.4% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | -5.5% | +22.9% |
| 2012 | -4.2% | -22.5% |
| 2013 | -4.2% | -1.2% |
| 2014 | -3.4% | -17.8% |
| 2015 | -4.6% | +32.7% |
| 2016 | -3.5% | -24.2% |
| 2017 | -4.7% | +34.6% |
| 2018 | -5.7% | +22.3% |
| 2019 | -5.8% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | -9.9% | +72.6% |
| 2021 | -4.6% | -54.2% |
| 2022 | -4.8% | +6.1% |
| 2023 | -4.9% | +2.3% |
| 2024 | -4.8% | -2.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -0.7% | -2.2% | 1.1% | 8 |
| 1980s | -2.6% | -5.0% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | -4.4% | -8.1% | -1.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | -1.1% | -4.5% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | -4.6% | -5.8% | -3.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | -5.8% | -9.9% | -4.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More public sector data for South Africa
- Arms imports 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2023)
- 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)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2023)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 44.31 current USD per person (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per unit of GDP 0.0071 current USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), annual growth rate -1.41 % change on previous year (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), gaps filled 2.84 billion current USD (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per square kilometre 24.73 SIPRI trend indicator values per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in South Africa?
- Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in South Africa was -4.8% in 2024, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.3% in 1980.
- What is the lowest net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -9.9% in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for net lending (+) / net borrowing (-)?
- South Africa ranks 125th out of 156 countries with data for 2024.
- Is net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 39.5%. 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 Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net lending (+) / net borrowing (–) equals government revenue minus expense, minus net investment in nonfinancial assets. It is also equal to the net result of transactions in financial assets and liabilities. Net lending/net borrowing is a summary measure indicating the extent to which government is either putting financial resources at the disposal of other sectors in the economy or abroad, or utilizing the financial resources generated by other sectors in the economy or from abroad. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.