What is political centralization index in South Africa?

Political centralization index in South Africa was 0.084 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.

What is the highest political centralization index recorded in South Africa?

The highest recorded value was 0.608 in 1950.

What is the lowest political centralization index recorded in South Africa?

The lowest recorded value was 0.066 in 2024.

How does South Africa rank for political centralization index?

South Africa ranks 149th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is political centralization index rising or falling in South Africa?

Over the last ten years it is down 27.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.

Where does this South Africa data come from?

The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Political centralization index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Political centralization index in South Africa

Name: Political centralization index in South Africa
Creator: Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

South Africa: Political centralization index was 0.084 in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)

0.084

Change on year

up 27.3%

World rank

149th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.608

in 1950

All-time low

0.066

in 2024

Years of data

126

1900–2025

Political centralization index in South Africa, 1900–2025

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 0.084 for political centralization index in 2025.

That represents a change of up 27.3% on the previous year and down 27.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, political centralization index in South Africa peaked at 0.608 in 1950 and was at its lowest, 0.066, in 2024.

South Africa ranks 149th of 176 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 126 years of available data.

Political centralization index in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Political centralization index in South Africa, 1900 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1900	0.519	—
1901	0.519	+0.0%
1902	0.519	+0.0%
1903	0.519	+0.0%
1904	0.519	+0.0%
1905	0.519	+0.0%
1906	0.519	+0.0%
1907	0.519	+0.0%
1908	0.519	+0.0%
1909	0.519	+0.0%
1910	0.525	+1.2%
1911	0.525	+0.0%
1912	0.525	+0.0%
1913	0.525	+0.0%
1914	0.525	+0.0%
1915	0.525	+0.0%
1916	0.525	+0.0%
1917	0.525	+0.0%
1918	0.525	+0.0%
1919	0.525	+0.0%
1920	0.525	+0.0%
1921	0.525	+0.0%
1922	0.525	+0.0%
1923	0.525	+0.0%
1924	0.525	+0.0%
1925	0.525	+0.0%
1926	0.525	+0.0%
1927	0.525	+0.0%
1928	0.525	+0.0%
1929	0.525	+0.0%
1930	0.525	+0.0%
1931	0.525	+0.0%
1932	0.525	+0.0%
1933	0.525	+0.0%
1934	0.525	+0.0%
1935	0.525	+0.0%
1936	0.525	+0.0%
1937	0.525	+0.0%
1938	0.525	+0.0%
1939	0.525	+0.0%
1940	0.525	+0.0%
1941	0.525	+0.0%
1942	0.525	+0.0%
1943	0.525	+0.0%
1944	0.525	+0.0%
1945	0.525	+0.0%
1946	0.525	+0.0%
1947	0.534	+1.7%
1948	0.571	+6.9%
1949	0.571	+0.0%
1950	0.608	+6.5%
1951	0.608	+0.0%
1952	0.608	+0.0%
1953	0.608	+0.0%
1954	0.608	+0.0%
1955	0.608	+0.0%
1956	0.608	+0.0%
1957	0.608	+0.0%
1958	0.608	+0.0%
1959	0.608	+0.0%
1960	0.608	+0.0%
1961	0.608	+0.0%
1962	0.608	+0.0%
1963	0.608	+0.0%
1964	0.608	+0.0%
1965	0.608	+0.0%
1966	0.608	+0.0%
1967	0.608	+0.0%
1968	0.608	+0.0%
1969	0.608	+0.0%
1970	0.608	+0.0%
1971	0.608	+0.0%
1972	0.608	+0.0%
1973	0.608	+0.0%
1974	0.608	+0.0%
1975	0.608	+0.0%
1976	0.608	+0.0%
1977	0.608	+0.0%
1978	0.608	+0.0%
1979	0.608	+0.0%
1980	0.608	+0.0%
1981	0.608	+0.0%
1982	0.608	+0.0%
1983	0.608	+0.0%
1984	0.526	-13.5%
1985	0.526	+0.0%
1986	0.526	+0.0%
1987	0.526	+0.0%
1988	0.526	+0.0%
1989	0.5	-4.9%
1990	0.499	-0.2%
1991	0.499	+0.0%
1992	0.499	+0.0%
1993	0.46	-7.8%
1994	0.223	-51.5%
1995	0.125	-43.9%
1996	0.115	-8.0%
1997	0.115	+0.0%
1998	0.115	+0.0%
1999	0.115	+0.0%
2000	0.115	+0.0%
2001	0.115	+0.0%
2002	0.115	+0.0%
2003	0.115	+0.0%
2004	0.115	+0.0%
2005	0.114	-0.9%
2006	0.114	+0.0%
2007	0.104	-8.8%
2008	0.104	+0.0%
2009	0.109	+4.8%
2010	0.105	-3.7%
2011	0.105	+0.0%
2012	0.105	+0.0%
2013	0.116	+10.5%
2014	0.114	-1.7%
2015	0.115	+0.9%
2016	0.114	-0.9%
2017	0.113	-0.9%
2018	0.1	-11.5%
2019	0.106	+6.0%
2020	0.115	+8.5%
2021	0.116	+0.9%
2022	0.092	-20.7%
2023	0.102	+10.9%
2024	0.066	-35.3%
2025	0.084	+27.3%

South Africa compared with similar countries

South Africa's 0.084 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.3495, 24% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
South Africa's 0.084 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.683, 12% of the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1900s	0.519	0.519	0.519	10
1910s	0.525	0.525	0.525	10
1920s	0.525	0.525	0.525	10
1930s	0.525	0.525	0.525	10
1940s	0.5351	0.525	0.571	10
1950s	0.608	0.608	0.608	10
1960s	0.608	0.608	0.608	10
1970s	0.608	0.608	0.608	10
1980s	0.5562	0.5	0.608	10
1990s	0.2765	0.115	0.499	10
2000s	0.112	0.104	0.115	10
2010s	0.1093	0.1	0.116	10
2020s	0.0958	0.066	0.116	6

Countries ranked near South Africa

146 Jamaica 0.087 compare
147 South Korea 0.086 compare
148 Canada 0.085 compare
150 Barbados 0.076 compare
151 Austria 0.075 compare
152 Portugal 0.06 compare
152 United Kingdom 0.06 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

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)

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is political centralization index in South Africa?: Political centralization index in South Africa was 0.084 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest political centralization index recorded in South Africa?: The highest recorded value was 0.608 in 1950.
What is the lowest political centralization index recorded in South Africa?: The lowest recorded value was 0.066 in 2024.
How does South Africa rank for political centralization index?: South Africa ranks 149th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is political centralization index rising or falling in South Africa?: Over the last ten years it is down 27.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this South Africa data come from?: The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Political centralization index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Political centralization index in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 14 November 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/political-centralization-index/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator: Political centralization index
Source: Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 29,802 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 30 October 2026