Political Stability - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5) in South Africa
South Africa: Political Stability - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5) was -0.3817 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Political Stability - Governance estimate in South Africa, 1996–2025
Source: The Worldwide Governance Indicators: Revised Methodology for Measuring Governance Using Perception Data., World Bank Group (WBG). Measured in approx. -2.5 to +2.5.
Analysis
South Africa recorded -0.3817 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 for political stability - governance estimate in 2025.
The figure is up 20.9% on the previous year and down 22.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, political stability - governance estimate in South Africa peaked at 0.1798 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2007 and was at its lowest, -0.7676 approx. -2.5 to +2.5, in 2021.
South Africa ranks 143rd of 208 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Political Stability - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | -0.5678 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | — |
| 1998 | -0.6047 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +6.5% |
| 2000 | -0.3128 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -48.3% |
| 2002 | -0.3352 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +7.1% |
| 2003 | -0.242 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -27.8% |
| 2004 | -0.008 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -96.7% |
| 2005 | -0.0151 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +89.9% |
| 2006 | -0.0086 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -43.0% |
| 2007 | 0.1798 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -2187.5% |
| 2008 | -0.008 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -104.5% |
| 2009 | -0.0519 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +546.1% |
| 2010 | -0.0389 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -25.0% |
| 2011 | -0.0316 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -18.7% |
| 2012 | -0.1073 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +239.2% |
| 2013 | -0.2517 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +134.6% |
| 2014 | -0.2243 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -10.9% |
| 2015 | -0.3114 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +38.8% |
| 2016 | -0.3387 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +8.8% |
| 2017 | -0.3881 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +14.6% |
| 2018 | -0.3016 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -22.3% |
| 2019 | -0.3394 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +12.6% |
| 2020 | -0.2549 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -24.9% |
| 2021 | -0.7676 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +201.1% |
| 2022 | -0.6768 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -11.8% |
| 2023 | -0.6308 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -6.8% |
| 2024 | -0.4827 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -23.5% |
| 2025 | -0.3817 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -20.9% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's -0.3817 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.078 approx. -2.5 to +2.5. (59 countries reporting)
- South Africa's -0.3817 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -0.5276 approx. -2.5 to +2.5, 72% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Political Stability - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | +2187.5% | -0.0086 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 0.1798 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 |
| 2009 | -546.1% | -0.008 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -0.0519 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 |
| 2012 | -239.2% | -0.0316 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -0.1073 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 |
| 2021 | -201.1% | -0.2549 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -0.7676 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | -0.5862 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -0.6047 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -0.5678 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 2 |
| 2000s | -0.0891 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -0.3352 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 0.1798 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 9 |
| 2010s | -0.2333 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -0.3881 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -0.0316 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.5324 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -0.7676 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -0.2549 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 140 Bahrain -0.3332 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare
- 141 Ukraine -0.3338 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare
- 142 Bosnia and Herzegovina -0.3401 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare
- 144 Brazil -0.3846 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare
- 145 Sierra Leone -0.3893 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare
- 146 Benin -0.3986 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 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 political stability - governance estimate in South Africa?
- Political stability - governance estimate in South Africa was -0.3817 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2025, according to The Worldwide Governance Indicators: Revised Methodology for Measuring Governance Using Perception Data., World Bank Group (WBG).
- What is the highest political stability - governance estimate recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.1798 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2007.
- What is the lowest political stability - governance estimate recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.7676 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2021.
- How does South Africa rank for political stability - governance estimate?
- South Africa ranks 143rd out of 208 countries with data for 2025.
- Is political stability - governance estimate rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from The Worldwide Governance Indicators: Revised Methodology for Measuring Governance Using Perception Data., World Bank Group (WBG), published as part of Political Stability - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Political Stability (PV) captures perceptions of the extent to which political power and governance are secure from destabilization, and of the likelihood that authority will be challenged or altered through violent, coercive, or unconstitutional means. Governance estimate from the aggregation model, in units of a standard normal distribution, i.e. ranging from approximately -2.5 to 2.5. Larger values correspond to better governance. The (country-series-time) metadata include the (a) number of sources, and (b) standard error. The number of sources indicates the number of underlying data sources on which the governance estimate is based. The standard error indicates the precision of the governance estimate. Larger values indicate less precise estimates. A 90% confidence interval for the governance estimate is given by the estimate +/- 1.64 times the standard error.