Reserve assets, Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) (Assets, Positions, US) in South Africa
South Africa: Reserve assets, Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) (Assets, Positions, US) was 95.75 US dollar per person in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Reserve assets, Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) (Assets, Positions, US) in South Africa, 1970–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in US dollar per person.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 95.75 US dollar per person for reserve assets, special drawing rights (sdrs) (assets, positions, us) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.7% on the previous year and up 119.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, reserve assets, special drawing rights (sdrs) (assets, positions, us) in South Africa peaked at 100.63 US dollar per person in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.0257 US dollar per person, in 1994.
South Africa ranks 74th of 160 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.
Reserve assets, Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) (Assets, Positions, US) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | US dollar per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.75 US dollar per person | — |
| 1972 | 1.79 US dollar per person | +1.9% |
| 1973 | 0.0613 US dollar per person | -96.6% |
| 1974 | 1.97 US dollar per person | +3117.0% |
| 1975 | 1.66 US dollar per person | -16.1% |
| 1976 | 1.52 US dollar per person | -7.9% |
| 1977 | 1.44 US dollar per person | -5.4% |
| 1978 | 1.86 US dollar per person | +28.8% |
| 1979 | 1.18 US dollar per person | -36.3% |
| 1980 | 1.59 US dollar per person | +34.5% |
| 1981 | 4.42 US dollar per person | +177.6% |
| 1982 | 3.47 US dollar per person | -21.5% |
| 1983 | 0.9999 US dollar per person | -71.2% |
| 1984 | 0.0743 US dollar per person | -92.6% |
| 1985 | 0.1451 US dollar per person | +95.2% |
| 1987 | 0.0416 US dollar per person | -71.3% |
| 1988 | 0.0328 US dollar per person | -21.3% |
| 1989 | 0.0398 US dollar per person | +21.4% |
| 1990 | 0.0575 US dollar per person | +44.4% |
| 1991 | 0.0437 US dollar per person | -23.9% |
| 1993 | 0.2787 US dollar per person | +537.4% |
| 1994 | 0.0257 US dollar per person | -90.8% |
| 1995 | 0.1108 US dollar per person | +331.9% |
| 1996 | 0.0284 US dollar per person | -74.4% |
| 1997 | 0.2024 US dollar per person | +612.9% |
| 1998 | 4.01 US dollar per person | +1882.3% |
| 1999 | 6.16 US dollar per person | +53.4% |
| 2000 | 6.14 US dollar per person | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 5.88 US dollar per person | -4.3% |
| 2002 | 6.28 US dollar per person | +6.9% |
| 2003 | 6.8 US dollar per person | +8.2% |
| 2004 | 7.04 US dollar per person | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 6.44 US dollar per person | -8.5% |
| 2006 | 6.7 US dollar per person | +4.1% |
| 2007 | 6.97 US dollar per person | +3.9% |
| 2008 | 6.76 US dollar per person | -3.0% |
| 2009 | 54 US dollar per person | +699.3% |
| 2010 | 52.61 US dollar per person | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 51.64 US dollar per person | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 52.21 US dollar per person | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 50.37 US dollar per person | -3.5% |
| 2014 | 46.59 US dollar per person | -7.5% |
| 2015 | 43.69 US dollar per person | -6.2% |
| 2016 | 37.05 US dollar per person | -15.2% |
| 2017 | 36.95 US dollar per person | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 35.48 US dollar per person | -4.0% |
| 2019 | 34.73 US dollar per person | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 35.61 US dollar per person | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 100.63 US dollar per person | +182.6% |
| 2022 | 94.39 US dollar per person | -6.2% |
| 2023 | 93.32 US dollar per person | -1.1% |
| 2024 | 90.62 US dollar per person | -2.9% |
| 2025 | 95.75 US dollar per person | +5.7% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 95.75 US dollar per person is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 72 US dollar per person, 1.3× the median. (50 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 95.75 US dollar per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 10.86 US dollar per person, 8.8× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Reserve assets, Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) (Assets, Positions, US) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | +3117.0% | 0.0613 US dollar per person | 1.97 US dollar per person |
| 1998 | +1882.3% | 0.2024 US dollar per person | 4.01 US dollar per person |
| 2009 | +699.3% | 6.76 US dollar per person | 54 US dollar per person |
| 1997 | +612.9% | 0.0284 US dollar per person | 0.2024 US dollar per person |
| 1993 | +537.4% | 0.0437 US dollar per person | 0.2787 US dollar per person |
| 1995 | +331.9% | 0.0257 US dollar per person | 0.1108 US dollar per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.47 US dollar per person | 0.0613 US dollar per person | 1.97 US dollar per person | 9 |
| 1980s | 1.2 US dollar per person | 0.0328 US dollar per person | 4.42 US dollar per person | 9 |
| 1990s | 1.21 US dollar per person | 0.0257 US dollar per person | 6.16 US dollar per person | 9 |
| 2000s | 11.3 US dollar per person | 5.88 US dollar per person | 54 US dollar per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 44.13 US dollar per person | 34.73 US dollar per person | 52.61 US dollar per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 85.05 US dollar per person | 35.61 US dollar per person | 100.63 US dollar per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 71 Seychelles 109.62 US dollar per person compare
- 72 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 106.54 US dollar per person compare
- 73 Kazakhstan 97.8 US dollar per person compare
- 75 Brazil 94.6 US dollar per person compare
- 76 Algeria 89.85 US dollar per person compare
- 77 Turkey 88.1 US dollar per person compare
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 reserve assets, special drawing rights (sdrs) (assets, positions, us) in South Africa?
- Reserve assets, special drawing rights (sdrs) (assets, positions, us) in South Africa was 95.75 US dollar per person in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest reserve assets, special drawing rights (sdrs) (assets, positions, us) recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 100.63 US dollar per person in 2021.
- What is the lowest reserve assets, special drawing rights (sdrs) (assets, positions, us) recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0257 US dollar per person in 1994.
- How does South Africa rank for reserve assets, special drawing rights (sdrs) (assets, positions, us)?
- South Africa ranks 74th out of 160 countries with data for 2025.
- Is reserve assets, special drawing rights (sdrs) (assets, positions, us) rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 119.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Reserve assets, Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) (Assets, Positions, US dollar), per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 53 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Reserve assets, Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) (Assets, Positions, US dollar) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Reserve assets, Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) (Assets, Positions, US dollar) ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Reserve assets, Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) International Monetary Fund
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Reserve assets, Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) (Assets, Positions, US dollar) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.