Debt service (PPG and IMF only, % of exports of goods, services and) in South Africa
South Africa: Debt service (PPG and IMF only, % of exports of goods, services and) was 8.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Debt service (PPG and IMF only, % of exports of goods, services and) in South Africa, 1994–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
Analysis
South Africa recorded 8.2% for debt service (ppg and imf only, % of exports of goods, services and) in 2024.
The figure is up 3.8% on the previous year and up 118.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, debt service (ppg and imf only, % of exports of goods, services and) in South Africa peaked at 15.2% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 2.7%, in 2007.
South Africa ranks 54th of 118 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.
Debt service (PPG and IMF only, % of exports of goods, services and) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 4.9% | — |
| 1995 | 5.1% | +4.0% |
| 1996 | 6.2% | +21.7% |
| 1997 | 6.9% | +10.4% |
| 1998 | 8.6% | +24.7% |
| 1999 | 3.4% | -60.7% |
| 2000 | 5.9% | +75.5% |
| 2001 | 7.0% | +17.7% |
| 2002 | 4.9% | -29.5% |
| 2003 | 4.7% | -5.1% |
| 2004 | 3.3% | -30.1% |
| 2005 | 5.6% | +72.9% |
| 2006 | 5.1% | -9.0% |
| 2007 | 2.7% | -46.6% |
| 2008 | 2.9% | +6.5% |
| 2009 | 3.6% | +25.3% |
| 2010 | 2.9% | -20.9% |
| 2011 | 2.9% | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 4.8% | +69.1% |
| 2013 | 7.0% | +44.9% |
| 2014 | 3.8% | -46.4% |
| 2015 | 15.2% | +306.0% |
| 2016 | 5.8% | -61.7% |
| 2017 | 5.0% | -14.1% |
| 2018 | 13.2% | +162.3% |
| 2019 | 6.7% | -48.9% |
| 2020 | 10.9% | +62.2% |
| 2021 | 8.0% | -26.8% |
| 2022 | 9.3% | +16.8% |
| 2023 | 7.9% | -15.4% |
| 2024 | 8.2% | +3.8% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 8.2% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 7.8%, 1.0× the median. (50 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 8.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 8.0%, 1.0× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Debt service (PPG and IMF only, % of exports of goods, services and) in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | +306.0% | 3.8% | 15.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.8% | 3.4% | 8.6% | 6 |
| 2000s | 4.6% | 2.7% | 7.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.7% | 2.9% | 15.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.9% | 7.9% | 10.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More external debt data for South Africa
- IFC, private nonguaranteed -15.41 million NFL, US$ (2024)
- IFC, private nonguaranteed (NFL, US$), per capita -0.2407 NFL, US$ per person (2024)
- IFC, private nonguaranteed (NFL, US$), per unit of GDP -0 NFL, US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- IFC, private nonguaranteed (NFL, US$), per square kilometre 444.22 NFL, US$ per square kilometre (2023)
- Public and publicly guaranteed debt service 2.3% (2024)
- Net financial flows, IBRD 910.75 million NFL, current US$ (2024)
- Public and publicly guaranteed debt service 6.5% (2024)
- Net financial flows, IBRD (NFL, current US$), annual growth rate -109.7 % change on previous year (2023)
- Other investment, Debt instruments 53.54 billion US dollar (2025)
- Use of IMF credit 7.63 billion DOD, current US$ (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is debt service (ppg and imf only, % of exports of goods, services and) in South Africa?
- Debt service (ppg and imf only, % of exports of goods, services and) in South Africa was 8.2% in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest debt service (ppg and imf only, % of exports of goods, services and) recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 15.2% in 2015.
- What is the lowest debt service (ppg and imf only, % of exports of goods, services and) recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.7% in 2007.
- How does South Africa rank for debt service (ppg and imf only, % of exports of goods, services and)?
- South Africa ranks 54th out of 118 countries with data for 2024.
- Is debt service (ppg and imf only, % of exports of goods, services and) rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 118.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB), published as part of Debt service (PPG and IMF only, % of exports of goods, services and primary income). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Debt service, the sum of principal repayments and interest actually paid in currency, goods, or services, is expressed as a percentage of exports of goods and services--all transactions between residents of a country and the rest of the world involving a change of ownership from residents to nonresidents of general merchandise, net exports of goods under merchanting, nonmonetary gold, and services. This series differs from the standard debt to exports series in that it covers only long-term public and publicly guaranteed debt and repayments (repurchases and charges) to the IMF.