Number of listed companies per 1,000,000 people in South Africa
South Africa: Number of listed companies per 1,000,000 people was 4.45 in 2020. ▼ Falling
Number of listed companies per 1,000,000 people in South Africa, 1975–2020
Source: Global Stock Markets Factbook and supplemental S&P data, Standard & Poor's.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of listed companies per 1,000,000 people in South Africa is 4.45, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 46 years on record.
The figure is down 4.9% on the previous year and down 35.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of listed companies per 1,000,000 people in South Africa peaked at 22.9 in 1975 and was at its lowest, 4.45, in 2020.
That places South Africa 68th out of 97 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 46 years of available data.
Number of listed companies per 1,000,000 people in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 22.9 | — |
| 1976 | 21.09 | -7.9% |
| 1977 | 20.66 | -2.1% |
| 1978 | 18.68 | -9.6% |
| 1979 | 17.64 | -5.6% |
| 1980 | 16.84 | -4.5% |
| 1981 | 16.19 | -3.9% |
| 1982 | 15.59 | -3.7% |
| 1983 | 14.97 | -4.0% |
| 1984 | 14.76 | -1.4% |
| 1985 | 14.14 | -4.2% |
| 1986 | 16 | +13.2% |
| 1987 | 21.4 | +33.7% |
| 1988 | 21.48 | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 20.48 | -4.6% |
| 1990 | 20.11 | -1.8% |
| 1991 | 18.51 | -8.0% |
| 1992 | 16.6 | -10.3% |
| 1993 | 15.52 | -6.5% |
| 1994 | 14.79 | -4.7% |
| 1995 | 14.77 | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 14.18 | -4.0% |
| 1997 | 14.31 | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 14.88 | +4.0% |
| 1999 | 14.71 | -1.2% |
| 2000 | 13.43 | -8.7% |
| 2001 | 11.19 | -16.7% |
| 2002 | 9.3 | -16.9% |
| 2003 | 8.35 | -10.2% |
| 2004 | 7.8 | -6.5% |
| 2005 | 7.27 | -6.9% |
| 2006 | 7.4 | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 7.61 | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 7.37 | -3.2% |
| 2009 | 6.99 | -5.1% |
| 2010 | 6.87 | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 6.67 | -2.9% |
| 2012 | 6.4 | -4.1% |
| 2013 | 6 | -6.3% |
| 2014 | 5.9 | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 5.71 | -3.4% |
| 2016 | 5.39 | -5.5% |
| 2017 | 5.16 | -4.3% |
| 2018 | 5 | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 4.68 | -6.4% |
| 2020 | 4.45 | -4.9% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 4.45 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.73, 94% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 4.45 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.78, 93% of the median. (12 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of listed companies per 1,000,000 people 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | +33.7% | 16 | 21.4 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 20.2 | 17.64 | 22.9 | 5 |
| 1980s | 17.19 | 14.14 | 21.48 | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.84 | 14.18 | 20.11 | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.67 | 6.99 | 13.43 | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.78 | 4.68 | 6.87 | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.45 | 4.45 | 4.45 | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More financial sector data for South Africa
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0021 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 13.81 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 0.0607 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0015 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 10.08 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0021 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 13.81 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 0.0607 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of listed companies per 1,000,000 people in South Africa?
- Number of listed companies per 1,000,000 people in South Africa was 4.45 in 2020, according to Global Stock Markets Factbook and supplemental S&P data, Standard & Poor's.
- What is the highest number of listed companies per 1,000,000 people recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 22.9 in 1975.
- What is the lowest number of listed companies per 1,000,000 people recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.45 in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for number of listed companies per 1,000,000 people?
- South Africa ranks 68th out of 97 countries with data for 2020.
- Is number of listed companies per 1,000,000 people rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Global Stock Markets Factbook and supplemental S&P data, Standard & Poor's, published as part of Number of listed companies per 1,000,000 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of publicly listed companies per 1,000,000 people. Number of listed domestic companies is the domestically incorporated companies listed on the country's stock exchanges at the end of the year. This indicator does not include investment companies, mutual funds, or other collective investment vehicles.