Foreign assets in South Africa
South Africa: Foreign assets was 526.79 billion real chained 2019 US$ in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
526.79 billion real chained 2019 US$
Change on year
up 7.1%
World rank
34th
of 150 countries
All-time high
602.56 billion real chained 2019 US$
in 2017
All-time low
116.71 billion real chained 2019 US$
in 1996
Years of data
26
1995–2020
Foreign assets in South Africa, 1995–2020
Source: World Bank. 2021. The Changing Wealth of Nations 2021: Managing Assets for the Future. Washington, DC: World Bank. doi:10.1596/978-1-4648-1590-4. Measured in real chained 2019 US$.
Analysis
In 2020, foreign assets in South Africa stood at 526.79 billion real chained 2019 US$.
That represents a change of up 7.1% on the previous year and up 3.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign assets in South Africa peaked at 602.56 billion real chained 2019 US$ in 2017 and was at its lowest, 116.71 billion real chained 2019 US$, in 1996.
South Africa ranks 34th of 150 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Foreign assets in South Africa, year by year
| Year | real chained 2019 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 134.98 billion real chained 2019 US$ | — |
| 1996 | 116.71 billion real chained 2019 US$ | -13.5% |
| 1997 | 135.92 billion real chained 2019 US$ | +16.5% |
| 1998 | 150.25 billion real chained 2019 US$ | +10.5% |
| 1999 | 238.51 billion real chained 2019 US$ | +58.7% |
| 2000 | 233.74 billion real chained 2019 US$ | -2.0% |
| 2001 | 154.74 billion real chained 2019 US$ | -33.8% |
| 2002 | 165.77 billion real chained 2019 US$ | +7.1% |
| 2003 | 220.83 billion real chained 2019 US$ | +33.2% |
| 2004 | 284.29 billion real chained 2019 US$ | +28.7% |
| 2005 | 322.52 billion real chained 2019 US$ | +13.4% |
| 2006 | 368.12 billion real chained 2019 US$ | +14.1% |
| 2007 | 432.30 billion real chained 2019 US$ | +17.4% |
| 2008 | 375.63 billion real chained 2019 US$ | -13.1% |
| 2009 | 435.05 billion real chained 2019 US$ | +15.8% |
| 2010 | 508.62 billion real chained 2019 US$ | +16.9% |
| 2011 | 501.03 billion real chained 2019 US$ | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 528.46 billion real chained 2019 US$ | +5.5% |
| 2013 | 527.16 billion real chained 2019 US$ | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 503.75 billion real chained 2019 US$ | -4.4% |
| 2015 | 479.87 billion real chained 2019 US$ | -4.7% |
| 2016 | 479.26 billion real chained 2019 US$ | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 602.56 billion real chained 2019 US$ | +25.7% |
| 2018 | 505.79 billion real chained 2019 US$ | -16.1% |
| 2019 | 491.65 billion real chained 2019 US$ | -2.8% |
| 2020 | 526.79 billion real chained 2019 US$ | +7.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 526.79 billion real chained 2019 US$ is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 30.63 billion real chained 2019 US$, 17.2× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 526.79 billion real chained 2019 US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.36 billion real chained 2019 US$, 98.2× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 155.27 billion real chained 2019 US$ | 116.71 billion real chained 2019 US$ | 238.51 billion real chained 2019 US$ | 5 |
| 2000s | 299.30 billion real chained 2019 US$ | 154.74 billion real chained 2019 US$ | 435.05 billion real chained 2019 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 512.81 billion real chained 2019 US$ | 479.26 billion real chained 2019 US$ | 602.56 billion real chained 2019 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 526.79 billion real chained 2019 US$ | 526.79 billion real chained 2019 US$ | 526.79 billion real chained 2019 US$ | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 31 Thailand 602.83 billion real chained 2019 US$ compare
- 32 Israel 599.96 billion real chained 2019 US$ compare
- 33 Hungary 543.86 billion real chained 2019 US$ compare
- 35 Malaysia 477.35 billion real chained 2019 US$ compare
- 36 Mauritius 474.80 billion real chained 2019 US$ compare
- 37 Portugal 419.71 billion real chained 2019 US$ compare
More reference data data for South Africa
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5111 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7468 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 63.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.07 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign assets in South Africa?
- Foreign assets in South Africa was 526.79 billion real chained 2019 US$ in 2020, according to World Bank. 2021. The Changing Wealth of Nations 2021: Managing Assets for the Future. Washington, DC: World Bank. doi:10.1596/978-1-4648-1590-4.
- What is the highest foreign assets recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 602.56 billion real chained 2019 US$ in 2017.
- What is the lowest foreign assets recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 116.71 billion real chained 2019 US$ in 1996.
- How does South Africa rank for foreign assets?
- South Africa ranks 34th out of 150 countries with data for 2020.
- Is foreign assets rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank. 2021. The Changing Wealth of Nations 2021: Managing Assets for the Future. Washington, DC: World Bank. doi:10.1596/978-1-4648-1590-4, published as part of Foreign assets (real chained 2019 US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Net foreign assets is foreign assets minus foreign liabilities. Values are measured at market exchange rates in constant 2018 US dollars, using a country-specific GDP deflator.