South Africa: Fiscal balance, percent of GDP

* indicates monthly or quarterly data series
 South Africa

Fiscal balance, percent of GDP

 Latest value -6.30
 Year 2019
 Measure percent
 Data availability 1989 - 2019
 Average -3.25
 Min - Max -7.40 - 1.70
 Source Minister of Finance of South Africa
The latest value from 2019 is -6.3 percent, a decline from -4 percent in 2018. In comparison, the world average is -1.46 percent, based on data from 188 countries. Historically, the average for South Africa from 1989 to 2019 is -3.25 percent. The minimum value, -7.4 percent, was reached in 1992 while the maximum of 1.7 percent was recorded in 2007. See the global rankings for that indicator or use the country comparator to compare trends over time.
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* indicates monthly or quarterly data series


Recent data
South Africa - Fiscal balance, percent of GDP - Recent values chart

Historical series
South Africa - Fiscal balance, percent of GDP - historical chart - 1989-2019




Definition: The fiscal (budget) balance is the difference between government revenue and government expenditure. We express the value as percent of GDP to relate it to the size of the economy.

Selected articles from our guide:

What factors determine the exchange rates

International lending and sovereign debt

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 Related indicators Latest Reference Measure
 Government spending, percent of GDP 19.71 2023 percent
 Government spending, in dollars 73.66 2023 billion U.S. dollars
 Fiscal balance, percent of GDP -6.30 2019 percent
 Government debt 73.90 2023 percent
 Government expenditure 354.90 Q3/2024 billion
 Long-term interest rate 10.25 12/2024 percent
 Tax revenue 25.44 2022 percent
 Commercial tax rate 29.20 2019 percent
 Tax preparation time 210 2019 hours
 Number of taxes 7 2019 taxes
 Taxes on goods and services 31.27 2022 percent
 Taxes on international trade 3.93 2022 percent
 Income and profits taxes 51.77 2022 percent
 Foreign aid 1,028.58 2022 million U.S. dollars
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