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Government debt in South Africa

How indebted is the state my taxes would go to?

South Africa's government debt is 78.40 % — #91 of 125 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.

78.40%

Checked 23 Oct 2026Period 2025

Source: IMF World Economic Outlook (general government gross debt, % of GDP)

The central government owes about 0.8 years' worth of the country's entire economic output.

Government debt in South Africa over time

78.40 %51.20 %24.00 %24.00 % · 20082000: 37.90 %2001: 38.00 %2002: 31.80 %2003: 31.50 %2004: 30.70 %2005: 29.60 %2006: 28.00 %2007: 24.30 %2008: 24.00 %2009: 27.00 %2010: 31.20 %2011: 34.70 %2012: 37.40 %2013: 40.40 %2014: 43.30 %2015: 45.20 %2016: 47.10 %2017: 48.60 %2018: 51.50 %2019: 56.10 %2020: 68.90 %2021: 68.80 %2022: 70.70 %2023: 73.20 %2024: 76.00 %2025: 78.40 %20002012202578.40 %
26 official observations, 2000 → 2025. Every point is a published value — never interpolated.
Rank
#91 of 125
lower is better
Ranked behind
27 %
34 of 125 countries
Latest move
▲ 2.40 pp
since 2024
Full series
▲ 40.50 pp
since 2000

In Africa: #14 of 21vs median 54.70 %: +23.70 pp (worse)

Among 125 countries

6 of 125 countries between 12.30 % and 17.90 %2 of 125 countries between 17.90 % and 23.49 %10 of 125 countries between 23.49 % and 29.09 %11 of 125 countries between 29.09 % and 34.68 %8 of 125 countries between 34.68 % and 40.28 %9 of 125 countries between 40.28 % and 45.88 %7 of 125 countries between 45.88 % and 51.47 %13 of 125 countries between 51.47 % and 57.07 %8 of 125 countries between 57.07 % and 62.66 %10 of 125 countries between 62.66 % and 68.26 %4 of 125 countries between 68.26 % and 73.85 %3 of 125 countries between 73.85 % and 79.45 %7 of 125 countries between 79.45 % and 85.05 %6 of 125 countries between 85.05 % and 90.64 %2 of 125 countries between 90.64 % and 96.24 %6 of 125 countries between 96.24 % and 101.83 %2 of 125 countries between 101.83 % and 107.43 %1 of 125 countries between 107.43 % and 113.02 %2 of 125 countries between 113.02 % and 118.62 %1 of 125 countries between 124.22 % and 129.81 %2 of 125 countries between 135.41 % and 141.00 %5 of 125 countries between 141.00 % and 146.60 %median 54.70 %South Africa: ahead of 27 % of the 125 countries with a published government debtSouth Africa 78.40 %12.30 %146.60 %
Half of all 125 countries sit between 36.10 % and 81.70 %. South Africa is ahead of 27 % of them. Axis trimmed to the 2nd–98th percentile; 5 values beyond it sit in the end bars.

The neighbourhood

#CountryGovernment debtvs South Africa
89 Hungary74.60 %−3.80 pp
90 Fiji77.10 %−1.30 pp
91 South Africa78.40 %—
92 Argentina80.10 %+1.70 pp
93 Austria81.40 %+3.00 pp

General government gross debt as a share of GDP (IMF World Economic Outlook, annual).

How to read this figure

Central government debt as a share of GDP (World Bank). General government debt (including local government and social funds) can be meaningfully higher; comparisons across countries are indicative.

Next, about South Africa

Debt per personGDP growthInflation rate
Government debt, all countries ranked →Compare South Africa with another country →Everything about South Africa →
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