Total government debt (current LCU) in South Africa
South Africa: Total government debt (current LCU) was 1.53 trillion current LCU in 2008. ◆ Volatile
Total government debt in South Africa, 1967–2008
Source: World Bank country economists. Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total government debt in South Africa is 1.53 trillion current LCU, measured in 2008. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.
The figure is up 12.3% on the previous year and up 235.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total government debt in South Africa peaked at 1.53 trillion current LCU in 2008 and was at its lowest, 7.02 billion current LCU, in 1967.
That places South Africa 15th out of 44 countries with data for 2008, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Total government debt (current LCU) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 7.02 billion current LCU | — |
| 1968 | 7.77 billion current LCU | +10.6% |
| 1969 | 8.55 billion current LCU | +10.1% |
| 1970 | 10.00 billion current LCU | +16.9% |
| 1971 | 11.84 billion current LCU | +18.4% |
| 1972 | 13.94 billion current LCU | +17.7% |
| 1973 | 16.13 billion current LCU | +15.8% |
| 1974 | 18.20 billion current LCU | +12.8% |
| 1975 | 19.87 billion current LCU | +9.2% |
| 1976 | 22.08 billion current LCU | +11.1% |
| 1977 | 25.85 billion current LCU | +17.1% |
| 1978 | 30.20 billion current LCU | +16.8% |
| 1979 | 35.20 billion current LCU | +16.6% |
| 1980 | 40.54 billion current LCU | +15.2% |
| 1981 | 48.24 billion current LCU | +19.0% |
| 1984 | 83.80 billion current LCU | +73.7% |
| 1985 | 95.26 billion current LCU | +13.7% |
| 1986 | 109.56 billion current LCU | +15.0% |
| 1987 | 135.88 billion current LCU | +24.0% |
| 1988 | 158.88 billion current LCU | +16.9% |
| 1989 | 194.94 billion current LCU | +22.7% |
| 1990 | 241.28 billion current LCU | +23.8% |
| 1991 | 278.89 billion current LCU | +15.6% |
| 1992 | 309.64 billion current LCU | +11.0% |
| 1993 | 363.23 billion current LCU | +17.3% |
| 1994 | 381.50 billion current LCU | +5.0% |
| 1995 | 399.55 billion current LCU | +4.7% |
| 1996 | 433.45 billion current LCU | +8.5% |
| 1997 | 427.07 billion current LCU | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 454.97 billion current LCU | +6.5% |
| 1999 | 501.50 billion current LCU | +10.2% |
| 2000 | 528.33 billion current LCU | +5.3% |
| 2001 | 553.68 billion current LCU | +4.8% |
| 2002 | 577.04 billion current LCU | +4.2% |
| 2003 | 626.98 billion current LCU | +8.7% |
| 2004 | 804.93 billion current LCU | +28.4% |
| 2005 | 988.68 billion current LCU | +22.8% |
| 2006 | 1.17 trillion current LCU | +18.7% |
| 2007 | 1.36 trillion current LCU | +15.8% |
| 2008 | 1.53 trillion current LCU | +12.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 1.53 trillion current LCU is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 859.76 billion current LCU, 1.8× the median. (6 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 1.53 trillion current LCU is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 525.00 billion current LCU, 2.9× the median. (39 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Total government debt (current LCU) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | +73.7% | 48.24 billion current LCU | 83.80 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.78 billion current LCU | 7.02 billion current LCU | 8.55 billion current LCU | 3 |
| 1970s | 20.33 billion current LCU | 10.00 billion current LCU | 35.20 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | 108.39 billion current LCU | 40.54 billion current LCU | 194.94 billion current LCU | 8 |
| 1990s | 379.11 billion current LCU | 241.28 billion current LCU | 501.50 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 904.11 billion current LCU | 528.33 billion current LCU | 1.53 trillion 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)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 8,549 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 8,549 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total government debt in South Africa?
- Total government debt in South Africa was 1.53 trillion current LCU in 2008, according to World Bank country economists.
- What is the highest total government debt recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.53 trillion current LCU in 2008.
- What is the lowest total government debt recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.02 billion current LCU in 1967.
- How does South Africa rank for total government debt?
- South Africa ranks 15th out of 44 countries with data for 2008.
- Is total government debt rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 235.3%. 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 Total government debt (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
Debt is the entire stock of direct government fixed-term contractual obligations to others outstanding on a particular date. It includes domestic and foreign liabilities such as currency and money deposits, securities other than shares, and loans. It is the gross amount of government liabilities reduced by the amount of equity and financial derivatives held by the government. Because debt is a stock rather than a flow, it is measured as of a given date, usually the last day of the fiscal year. Data are in current local currency.