Official name:
Republic of South Africa
المنطقة:
General Information
| Region | Southern Africa | |
| Population (000, 2025) | 64 747a | |
| Pop. density (per km2, 2025) | 53a | |
| Capital city | Pretoriac | |
| Capital city pop. (000, 2025) | 2 472.6d | |
| UN membership date | 7 November 1945 | |
| Surface area (km2) | 1 221 037b | |
| Sex ratio (m per 100 f) | 94.8a | |
| National currency | Rand (ZAR) | |
| Exchange rate (per US$) | 18.7e |
Economic indicators
| 2015 | 2020 | 2025 | |
| GDP: Gross domestic product (million current US$) | 346 486 | 338 291 | 377 782b |
| GDP growth rate (annual %, const. 2015 prices) | 1.3 | -6 | 0.6b |
| GDP per capita (current US$) | 6 108.0 | 5 586.0 | 5 976.0b |
| Economy: Agriculture (% of Gross Value Added) | 2.5 | 2.9 | 2.8b |
| Economy: Industry (% of Gross Value Added) | 26.3 | 25.8 | 27.3b |
| Economy: Services and other activity (% of GVA) | 71.2 | 71.4 | 69.9b |
| Employment in agriculturef (% of employed) | 15.4 | 21.4 | 18.8b |
| Employment in industryf (% of employed) | 21.4 | 17.6 | 17.7b |
| Employment in servicesf (% employed) | 63.2 | 61 | 63.5b |
| Unemployment (% of labour force) | 25.1 | 29.2 | 33.7f |
| Labour force participation rate (female/male pop. %) | 51.0 / 65.0 | 48.7 / 61.3 | 53.1 / 64.4f |
| CPI: Consumer Price Indexg,h (2010=100) | 130 | 164 | 202e |
| Agricultural production index (2014-2016=100) | 101 | 111 | 114b |
| International trade: exports (million current US$) | 80 036 | 85 227f | 110 109e |
| International trade: imports (million current US$) | 85 267 | 68 943f | 101 240e |
| International trade: balance (million current US$) | - 5 232 | 16 284f | 8 869e |
| Balance of payments, current account (million US$) | - 14 944 | 6 771 | - 2 384e |
Social indicators
| 2015 | 2020 | 2025 | |
| Population growth rate (average annual %) | 2.3 | 1.6 | 1.1a |
| Urban population (% of total population) | 64.8 | 66.9d | ... |
| Urban population growth rate (average annual %) | 2.2j | ... | ... |
| Fertility rate, total (live births per woman) | 2.4 | 2.3 | 2.2a |
| Life expectancy at birth (females/males, years) | 67.0 / 60.8 | 67.9 / 62.2 | 70.0 / 63.0a |
| Population age distributionk (0-14/60+ years old, %) | 28.3 / 8.0 | 27.0 / 9.4 | 25.7 / 10.4a |
| International migrant stockl (000/% of total pop.) | 3 162.6 / 5.6 | 2 639.1 / 4.4 | 2 631.1 / 4.1e |
| Refugees and others of concern to UNHCR (000) | 912.6 | 266.7 | 163.4e |
| Under five mortality rate (per 1000 live births) | 39.1 | 29.3 | 30.5a |
| Health: Current expenditurem (% of GDP) | 8.1 | 9 | 8.8n |
| Health: Physicians (per 1 000 pop.) | 0.8 | 0.8d | 0.8n |
| Education: Primary gross enrol. ratio (f/m per 100 pop.) | 104.2 / 110.3 | 98.9 / 103.6 | 99.7 / 105.1n |
| Education: Lowr. sec. gross enrol. ratio (f/m per 100 pop.) | 105.6 / 102.9 | 106.3 / 105.3 | 101.5 / 103.2n |
| Education: Upr. Sec. gross enrol. ratio (f/m per 100 pop.) | 103.9 / 105.8 | 110.0 / 94.0 | 113.8 / 98.4n |
| Intentional homicide rate (per 100 000 pop.) | 32.9 | 33 | 43.7n |
| Seats held by women in national parliaments (%) | 41.5 | 46.4o | 44.6o |
Environment and infrastructure indicators
| 2015 | 2020 | 2025 | |
| Individuals using the Internetf (per 100 inhabitants) | 51.9 | 72.1p | 75.7b |
| Research & Development expenditure (% of GDP) | 0.7 | 0.6 | ... |
| Threatened species (number) | 527 | 597 | 1 039e |
| Forested area (% of land area) | 14.2 | 14.1 | 14n |
| CO2 emission estimates (million tons/tons per capita) | 465.7 / 8.2 | 444.6 / 7.3 | 437.1 / 7.0n |
| Energy production, primary (Petajoules) | 6 465 | 6 219 | 5 789n |
| Energy supply per capita (Gigajoules) | 100 | 89 | 87n |
| Tourist/visitor arrivals at national bordersq (000) | 8 904r | 2 802 | 5 698n |
| Important sites for terrestrial biodiversity protected (%) | 17.8 | 19.5 | 19.9e |
| Pop. using safely managed drinking water (urban/rural, %) | 84.3 / ... | 81.6 / ... | 80.5 / ...n |
| Pop. using safely managed sanitation (urban/rural, %) | 70.9 / ... | 72.5 / ... | 73.1 / ...n |
| Net Official Development Assist. received (% of GNI) | 0.42 | 0.36 | 0.4b |