South Africa’s share of Africa’s GDP has averaged 20% since 1960, peaking in early 1990s

  • South Africa’s share of Africa’s GDP has averaged around 20% since 1960.
  • The country’s relative dominance peaked in the early 1990s at nearly 28% of continental GDP.
  • Nominal GDP grew steadily from $8.7 billion in 1960 to over $400 billion in 2024.
  • South Africa’s share of Africa’s GDP has generally declined in recent decades as other African economies expanded faster.
  • Despite the relative decline, South Africa remains one of Africa’s largest and most influential economies.

Over the past six decades, South Africa has consistently been one of Africa’s largest economies, with its share of the continent’s GDP averaging around 20%.

The country’s relative dominance peaked in the early 1990s, when it contributed nearly 28% of Africa’s total GDP, reflecting both its strong domestic growth and slower growth in other African economies at the time. While South Africa’s nominal GDP grew steadily, from $8.7 billion in 1960 to over $400 billion in 2024, its share of Africa’s GDP has declined in recent decades as other African economies expanded faster, highlighting a shift in the continent’s economic balance.

Despite this relative decline, South Africa remains a key economic anchor for Africa, contributing significant value in absolute terms even as the continent’s overall GDP has surged.

Source:

World Bank, Intelpoint

Period:

1960-2024
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