External debt, end year in South Africa
South Africa: External debt, end year was 110.07 billion current LCU in 2008. ◆ Volatile
External debt, end year in South Africa, 1967–2008
Source: World Bank country economists. Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
The most recent figure for external debt, end year in South Africa is 110.07 billion current LCU, measured in 2008. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 70.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external debt, end year in South Africa peaked at 110.07 billion current LCU in 2008 and was at its lowest, 442.25 million current LCU, in 1968.
South Africa ranks 24th of 47 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External debt, end year in South Africa, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 485.00 million current LCU | — |
| 1968 | 442.25 million current LCU | -8.8% |
| 1969 | 490.00 million current LCU | +10.8% |
| 1970 | 698.25 million current LCU | +42.5% |
| 1971 | 780.25 million current LCU | +11.7% |
| 1972 | 697.00 million current LCU | -10.7% |
| 1973 | 610.75 million current LCU | -12.4% |
| 1974 | 673.00 million current LCU | +10.2% |
| 1975 | 643.75 million current LCU | -4.3% |
| 1976 | 847.00 million current LCU | +31.6% |
| 1977 | 1.03 billion current LCU | +21.0% |
| 1978 | 1.21 billion current LCU | +18.2% |
| 1979 | 1.50 billion current LCU | +24.1% |
| 1980 | 1.48 billion current LCU | -1.8% |
| 1981 | 1.50 billion current LCU | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 2.10 billion current LCU | +39.3% |
| 1985 | 1.64 billion current LCU | -21.8% |
| 1986 | 2.53 billion current LCU | +54.4% |
| 1987 | 1.41 billion current LCU | -44.1% |
| 1988 | 2.53 billion current LCU | +78.8% |
| 1989 | 7.79 billion current LCU | +207.9% |
| 1990 | 18.35 billion current LCU | +135.6% |
| 1991 | 19.46 billion current LCU | +6.1% |
| 1992 | 16.70 billion current LCU | -14.2% |
| 1993 | 16.28 billion current LCU | -2.6% |
| 1994 | 25.80 billion current LCU | +58.5% |
| 1995 | 31.94 billion current LCU | +23.8% |
| 1996 | 82.01 billion current LCU | +156.8% |
| 1997 | 74.29 billion current LCU | -9.4% |
| 1998 | 64.67 billion current LCU | -12.9% |
| 1999 | 69.41 billion current LCU | +7.3% |
| 2000 | 66.85 billion current LCU | -3.7% |
| 2001 | 82.58 billion current LCU | +23.5% |
| 2002 | 96.22 billion current LCU | +16.5% |
| 2003 | 97.27 billion current LCU | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 99.45 billion current LCU | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 95.29 billion current LCU | -4.2% |
| 2006 | 100.39 billion current LCU | +5.4% |
| 2007 | 108.53 billion current LCU | +8.1% |
| 2008 | 110.07 billion current LCU | +1.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 110.07 billion current LCU is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 40.80 billion current LCU, 2.7× the median. (7 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 110.07 billion current LCU is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 106.85 billion current LCU, 1.0× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External debt, end year in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | +207.9% | 2.53 billion current LCU | 7.79 billion current LCU |
| 1996 | +156.8% | 31.94 billion current LCU | 82.01 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 472.42 million current LCU | 442.25 million current LCU | 490.00 million current LCU | 3 |
| 1970s | 869.02 million current LCU | 610.75 million current LCU | 1.50 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.62 billion current LCU | 1.41 billion current LCU | 7.79 billion current LCU | 8 |
| 1990s | 41.89 billion current LCU | 16.28 billion current LCU | 82.01 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 95.18 billion current LCU | 66.85 billion current LCU | 110.07 billion current LCU | 9 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More science & technology data for South Africa
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 179.34 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.79 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 114.79 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 89.37 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 4.56 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 5.88 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 14,949 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0002 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external debt, end year in South Africa?
- External debt, end year in South Africa was 110.07 billion current LCU in 2008, according to World Bank country economists.
- What is the highest external debt, end year recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 110.07 billion current LCU in 2008.
- What is the lowest external debt, end year recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 442.25 million current LCU in 1968.
- How does South Africa rank for external debt, end year?
- South Africa ranks 24th out of 47 countries with data for 2008.
- Is external debt, end year rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 70.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank country economists, published as part of External debt, end year (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 40 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Foreign debt consists of the outstanding stock or recognized, direct liabilities of the government to the rest of the world, generated in the past and scheduled to be extinguished by government operations in the future or to continue as perpetual debt. Data are in current local currency.