South Africa: GNI per capita (constant LCU)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, South Africa's GNI per capita (constant LCU) rose 666.49 on 2024 (from 73,091 to 73,757).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +760.86 and a typical year strayed about 1,648 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 3,659 in 2006 and the biggest yearly fall was 3,963 in 2020. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 the straight-line trend is downward, about 380.31 a year. A straight line explains 51% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, South Africa had the 58th highest value of the 101 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to South Africa in the 2025 ranking

• Australia — 54th of 101: 94,632
• Singapore — 55th of 101: 89,359
• Moldova — 56th of 101: 82,892
• Ukraine — 58th of 101: 73,610
• Mauritania — 59th of 101: 67,867
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 60th of 101: 67,492

What this measures

Gross national income is the total income earned by all residents within an economic territory during an accounting period. It is equal to gross domestic product plus earned income receivable from abroad minus earned income payable abroad. The core indicator has been divided by the general population to achieve a per capita estimate.This indicator is expressed in constant prices, meaning the series has been adjusted to account for price changes over time. The reference year for this adjustment varies by country. This series is expressed in local currency units.

All 66 values

GNI per capita (constant LCU) in nearby economies

• Angola — 491,680 (2024)
• Benin — 813,615 (2025)
• Botswana — 69,511 (2024)
• Burkina Faso — 523,514 (2025)
• Cabo Verde — 482,580 (2025)
• Cameroon — 878,769 (2025)
• Central African Republic — 160,529 (2025)
• Chad — 500,276 (2025)
• Comoros — 568,384 (2025)
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — 111,331 (2025)
• Congo, Rep. — 491,485 (2025)

More economic policy & debt data for South Africa

• Trade in services (% of GDP) — 9.32% (2025)
• Communications, computer, etc. (% of service imports, BoP) — 44.9% (2025)
• Primary income payments (BoP, current US$) — US$20.32 billion (2025)
• Imports of goods and services (current US$, BoP) — US$126.24 billion (2025)
• Insurance and financial services (% of service imports, BoP) — 5.58% (2025)
• Goods imports (current US$, BoP) — US$104.47 billion (2025)
• Service imports (current US$, BoP) — US$21.77 billion (2025)
• Charges for the use of intellectual property, payments (BoP, current US$) — US$1.74 billion (2025)
• Imports of goods, services and primary income (current US$, BoP)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is South Africa's GNI per capita (constant LCU)?

73,757 in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1960?

It is up 62.55% from 45,376 in 1960 (0.75% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 77,130 in 2017 and the lowest 45,376 in 1960.

How does South Africa rank?

58th highest of 101 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in GNI per capita (constant LCU) unusual for South Africa?

In 2025, South Africa's GNI per capita (constant LCU) rose 666.49 on 2024 (from 73,091 to 73,757). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +760.86 and a typical year strayed about 1,648 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator NY.GNP.PCAP.KN, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks; National Accounts data files, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); Staff estimates, World Bank (WB) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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