Annual growth of GDP per employed person in South Africa
South Africa: Annual growth of GDP per employed person was -0.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Annual growth of GDP per employed person in South Africa, 2000–2025
Source: International Labour Organization – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual growth of gdp per employed person in South Africa is -0.1%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 95.3% on the previous year and up 97.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual growth of gdp per employed person in South Africa peaked at 7.0% in 2021 and was at its lowest, -5.2%, in 2023.
That places South Africa 157th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual growth of GDP per employed person in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2.2% | — |
| 2001 | 0.8% | -66.1% |
| 2002 | 1.7% | +128.9% |
| 2003 | 1.2% | -28.2% |
| 2004 | 2.7% | +113.6% |
| 2005 | 3.5% | +33.0% |
| 2006 | 3.9% | +9.0% |
| 2007 | 3.8% | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 1.9% | -49.7% |
| 2009 | 1.7% | -10.4% |
| 2010 | 6.3% | +268.0% |
| 2011 | 1.6% | -74.4% |
| 2012 | 0.1% | -96.9% |
| 2013 | -0.8% | -1700.0% |
| 2014 | -0.5% | -35.0% |
| 2015 | -3.0% | +467.3% |
| 2016 | 1.4% | -147.5% |
| 2017 | -0.1% | -105.7% |
| 2018 | -0.5% | +550.0% |
| 2019 | -0.0% | -98.1% |
| 2020 | 1.4% | -14200.0% |
| 2021 | 7.0% | +399.3% |
| 2022 | -3.6% | -151.4% |
| 2023 | -5.2% | +44.8% |
| 2024 | -1.7% | -67.6% |
| 2025 | -0.1% | -95.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.4% | 0.8% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5% | -3.0% | 6.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.4% | -5.2% | 7.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More work & labour data for South Africa
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.2264 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.242 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.2122 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.8748 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 58,057 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 14,698 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 49,126 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 45,189 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 94,314 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual growth of gdp per employed person in South Africa?
- Annual growth of gdp per employed person in South Africa was -0.1% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual growth of gdp per employed person recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 7.0% in 2021.
- What is the lowest annual growth of gdp per employed person recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -5.2% in 2023.
- How does South Africa rank for annual growth of gdp per employed person?
- South Africa ranks 157th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual growth of gdp per employed person rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 97.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual growth of GDP per employed person. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual growth rate of real GDP per employed person (%).