Outstanding domestic public debt securities to GDP in South Africa

South Africa: Outstanding domestic public debt securities to GDP was 77.3% in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
77.3%
Change on year
up 35.9%
World rank
6th
of 32 countries
All-time high
77.3%
in 2020
All-time low
18.2%
in 1984
Years of data
41
1980–2020

Outstanding domestic public debt securities to GDP in South Africa, 1980–2020

204060801980200020201980: 25 %1981: 20.8 %1982: 24.9 %1983: 22 %1984: 18.2 %1985: 21.6 %1986: 26.5 %1987: 27.2 %1988: 25.9 %1989: 29.6 %1990: 28.1 %1991: 30.3 %1992: 31.9 %1993: 36.8 %1994: 42.8 %1995: 43.8 %1996: 40.8 %1997: 42.2 %1998: 41.8 %1999: 41.8 %2000: 35.3 %2001: 26.2 %2002: 35.4 %2003: 34.2 %2004: 34.3 %2005: 29.1 %2006: 25.9 %2007: 24.2 %2008: 19.9 %2009: 30.4 %2010: 34.2 %2011: 30.4 %2012: 35.7 %2013: 36 %2014: 39.4 %2015: 35.4 %2016: 48.6 %2017: 51.2 %2018: 46.1 %2019: 56.9 %2020: 77.3 %

Source: Bank for International Settlements (BIS). Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for outstanding domestic public debt securities to gdp in South Africa is 77.3%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 41 years on record.

That represents a change of up 35.9% on the previous year and up 126.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, outstanding domestic public debt securities to gdp in South Africa peaked at 77.3% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 18.2%, in 1984.

That places South Africa 6th out of 32 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 41 years of available data.

Outstanding domestic public debt securities to GDP in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Outstanding domestic public debt securities to GDP (%) in South Africa, 1980 to 2020.
Year % Change
1980 25.0%
1981 20.8% -16.8%
1982 24.9% +19.7%
1983 22.0% -11.8%
1984 18.2% -17.2%
1985 21.6% +18.7%
1986 26.5% +22.8%
1987 27.2% +2.7%
1988 25.9% -4.9%
1989 29.6% +14.6%
1990 28.1% -5.1%
1991 30.3% +7.8%
1992 31.9% +5.0%
1993 36.8% +15.6%
1994 42.8% +16.3%
1995 43.8% +2.3%
1996 40.8% -6.9%
1997 42.2% +3.4%
1998 41.8% -0.9%
1999 41.8% -0.0%
2000 35.3% -15.4%
2001 26.2% -26.0%
2002 35.4% +35.2%
2003 34.2% -3.2%
2004 34.3% +0.3%
2005 29.1% -15.2%
2006 25.9% -10.9%
2007 24.2% -6.6%
2008 19.9% -18.1%
2009 30.4% +53.2%
2010 34.2% +12.3%
2011 30.4% -11.1%
2012 35.7% +17.6%
2013 36.0% +0.8%
2014 39.4% +9.3%
2015 35.4% -10.1%
2016 48.6% +37.3%
2017 51.2% +5.4%
2018 46.1% -10.1%
2019 56.9% +23.5%
2020 77.3% +35.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 24.2% 18.2% 29.6% 10
1990s 38.0% 28.1% 43.8% 10
2000s 29.5% 19.9% 35.4% 10
2010s 41.4% 30.4% 56.9% 10
2020s 77.3% 77.3% 77.3% 1

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 3 Canada 89.7% compare
  2. 4 Brazil 88.9% compare
  3. 5 Australia 77.5% compare
  4. 7 Hungary 64.6% compare
  5. 8 Malaysia 63.5% compare
  6. 9 Israel 48.8% compare

See the full ranking of 32 places →

More financial sector data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is outstanding domestic public debt securities to gdp in South Africa?
Outstanding domestic public debt securities to gdp in South Africa was 77.3% in 2020, according to Bank for International Settlements (BIS).
What is the highest outstanding domestic public debt securities to gdp recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 77.3% in 2020.
What is the lowest outstanding domestic public debt securities to gdp recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 18.2% in 1984.
How does South Africa rank for outstanding domestic public debt securities to gdp?
South Africa ranks 6th out of 32 countries with data for 2020.
Is outstanding domestic public debt securities to gdp rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 126.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Bank for International Settlements (BIS), published as part of Outstanding domestic public debt securities to GDP (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Outstanding domestic public debt securities to GDP in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Bank for International Settlements (BIS). Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://financial-sector.statizoid.com/stat/outstanding-domestic-public-debt-securities-to-gdp-percent/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Outstanding domestic public debt securities to GDP (%)
Unit
%
Source
Bank for International Settlements (BIS)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
32 places, 728 data points, 1980–2020
Last refreshed

Total amount of domestic public debt securities (amounts outstanding) issued in domestic markets as a share of GDP. It covers long-term bonds and notes, treasury bills, commercial paper and other short-term notes. Table 16A (domestic debt amount): governments / GDP. End of year data (i.e. December data) are considered for debt securities. The figures are deflated using the following methodology: {(0.5)*[Ft/P_et + Ft-1/P_et-1]}/[GDPt/P_at] where F is the level domestic public debt, P_e is end-of period CPI, and P_a is average annual CPI. GDP is from World Development Indicators. End-of period CPI is taken from IFS line 64M..ZF month of December (or if not available Q4). Average annual CPI is constructed from the monthly CPI figure taken from IFS line 64..ZF.