Economy - overview:
South Africa is a middle-income emerging market with an abundant supply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; and a stock exchange that is Africa’s largest and among the top 20 in the world.

Economic growth has decelerated in recent years, slowing to an estimated 0.7% in 2017. Unemployment, poverty, and inequality - among the highest in the world - remain a challenge. Official unemployment is roughly 27% of the workforce, and runs significantly higher among black youth. Even though the country's modern infrastructure supports a relatively efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region, unstable electricity supplies retard growth. Eskom, the state-run power company, is building three new power stations and is installing new power demand management programs to improve power grid reliability but has been plagued with accusations of mismanagement and corruption and faces an increasingly high debt burden.

South Africa's economic policy has focused on controlling inflation while empowering a broader economic base; however, the country faces structural constraints that also limit economic growth, such as skills shortages, declining global competitiveness, and frequent work stoppages due to strike action. The government faces growing pressure from urban constituencies to improve the delivery of basic services to low-income areas, to increase job growth, and to provide university level-education at affordable prices. Political infighting among South Africa’s ruling party and the volatility of the rand risks economic growth. International investors are concerned about the country’s long-term economic stability; in late 2016, most major international credit ratings agencies downgraded South Africa’s international debt to junk bond status.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$767.2 billion (2017 est.)
$757.2 billion (2016 est.)
$752.9 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 30
[see also: GDP country ranks ]

GDP (official exchange rate):
$349.3 billion (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:
1.3% (2017 est.)
0.6% (2016 est.)
1.3% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 179
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$13,600 (2017 est.)
$13,600 (2016 est.)
$13,800 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 119
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]

Gross national saving:
16.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
16.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
16.4% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 128
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 59.4% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 20.9% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 18.7% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: -0.1% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 29.8% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -28.4% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 2.8% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 29.7% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 67.5% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]

Agriculture - products:
corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products

Industries:
mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:
1.2% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 151
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Labor force:
22.19 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 29
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 4.6%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 23.5%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 71.9% (2014 est.)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]

Unemployment rate:
27.5% (2017 est.)
26.7% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 200
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]

Population below poverty line:
16.6% (2016 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.2%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: 51.3% (2011 est.)
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - highest 10% country ranks ]

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
62.5 (2013 est.)
63.4 (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 2
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]

Budget:
revenues: 92.86 billion (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: 108.3 billion (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - expenditures country ranks ]

Taxes and other revenues:
26.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 107
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-4.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 163
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Public debt:
53% of GDP (2017 est.)
51.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 92
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.3% (2017 est.)
6.3% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 174
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]

Central bank discount rate:
5.75% (31 December 2014)
7% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 72
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.38% (31 December 2017 est.)
10.46% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 83
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]

Stock of narrow money:
$137.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$117.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 30
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]

Stock of broad money:
$137.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$117.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 30
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]

Stock of domestic credit:
$295.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$244.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 38
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]

Market value of publicly traded shares:
$735.9 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$933.9 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$942.8 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 16
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]

Current account balance:
-$8.584 billion (2017 est.)
-$8.237 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 189
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]

Exports:
$94.93 billion (2017 est.)
$75.16 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 39
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

Exports - partners:
China 9.5%, US 7.7%, Germany 7.1%, Japan 4.7%, India 4.6%, Botswana 4.3%, Namibia 4.1% (2017)

Exports - commodities:
gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment

Imports:
$89.36 billion (2017 est.)
$79.57 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 40
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
China 18.3%, Germany 11.9%, US 6.6%, Saudi Arabia 4.7%, India 4.7% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$50.72 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$47.23 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 39
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]

Debt - external:
$156.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$144.6 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 41
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$156.8 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$136.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 38
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$270.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$172.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 24
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad country ranks ]

Exchange rates:
rand (ZAR) per US dollar -
13.67 (2017 est.)
14.6924 (2016 est.)
14.6924 (2015 est.)
12.7581 (2014 est.)
10.8469 (2013 est.)