Minimum daily requirement of calories in South Africa
South Africa: Minimum daily requirement of calories was 1,849 kilocalories per person per day in 2024. ▬ Flat
Minimum daily requirement of calories in South Africa, 2000–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilocalories per person per day.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 1,849 kilocalories per person per day for minimum daily requirement of calories in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, minimum daily requirement of calories in South Africa peaked at 1,862 kilocalories per person per day in 2015 and was at its lowest, 1,823 kilocalories per person per day, in 2000.
That places South Africa 96th out of 195 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
Minimum daily requirement of calories in South Africa, year by year
| Year | kilocalories per person per day | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1,823 kilocalories per person per day | — |
| 2001 | 1,830 kilocalories per person per day | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 1,837 kilocalories per person per day | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 1,843 kilocalories per person per day | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 1,847 kilocalories per person per day | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 1,850 kilocalories per person per day | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 1,852 kilocalories per person per day | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 1,853 kilocalories per person per day | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 1,853 kilocalories per person per day | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 1,853 kilocalories per person per day | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1,854 kilocalories per person per day | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 1,855 kilocalories per person per day | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 1,856 kilocalories per person per day | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 1,858 kilocalories per person per day | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 1,860 kilocalories per person per day | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 1,862 kilocalories per person per day | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 1,832 kilocalories per person per day | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 1,834 kilocalories per person per day | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 1,840 kilocalories per person per day | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 1,841 kilocalories per person per day | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 1,844 kilocalories per person per day | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 1,846 kilocalories per person per day | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 1,847 kilocalories per person per day | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 1,848 kilocalories per person per day | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 1,849 kilocalories per person per day | +0.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 1,849 kilocalories per person per day is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1,856 kilocalories per person per day, 100% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 1,849 kilocalories per person per day is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1,753 kilocalories per person per day, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1,844 kilocalories per person per day | 1,823 kilocalories per person per day | 1,853 kilocalories per person per day | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,849 kilocalories per person per day | 1,832 kilocalories per person per day | 1,862 kilocalories per person per day | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,847 kilocalories per person per day | 1,844 kilocalories per person per day | 1,849 kilocalories per person per day | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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 minimum daily requirement of calories in South Africa?
- Minimum daily requirement of calories in South Africa was 1,849 kilocalories per person per day in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest minimum daily requirement of calories recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1,862 kilocalories per person per day in 2015.
- What is the lowest minimum daily requirement of calories recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,823 kilocalories per person per day in 2000.
- How does South Africa rank for minimum daily requirement of calories?
- South Africa ranks 96th out of 195 countries with data for 2024.
- Is minimum daily requirement of calories rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Minimum daily requirement of calories. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The minimum amount of daily dietary energy per person that is considered adequate to ensure they maintain a minimum weight for health. Across a population, this takes factors such as the age, sex, height, and activity levels of different individuals into account.