Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (SDR), per square kilometre in South Africa
South Africa: Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (SDR), per square kilometre was 29,124 SDR per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (SDR), per square kilometre in South Africa, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in SDR per square kilometre.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 29,124 SDR per square kilometre for reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (sdr), per square kilometre in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 29.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (sdr), per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 29,124 SDR per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 76.66 SDR per square kilometre, in 1964.
South Africa ranks 112th of 179 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.
Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (SDR), per square kilometre in South Africa, year by year
| Year | SDR per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 78.31 SDR per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 90.68 SDR per square kilometre | +15.8% |
| 1963 | 87.38 SDR per square kilometre | -3.6% |
| 1964 | 76.66 SDR per square kilometre | -12.3% |
| 1965 | 112.94 SDR per square kilometre | +47.3% |
| 1966 | 118.7 SDR per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1967 | 112.11 SDR per square kilometre | -5.6% |
| 1968 | 138.49 SDR per square kilometre | +23.5% |
| 1969 | 107.16 SDR per square kilometre | -22.6% |
| 1970 | 211.03 SDR per square kilometre | +96.9% |
| 1971 | 135.15 SDR per square kilometre | -36.0% |
| 1972 | 364.44 SDR per square kilometre | +169.7% |
| 1973 | 239.17 SDR per square kilometre | -34.4% |
| 1974 | 154.18 SDR per square kilometre | -35.5% |
| 1975 | 308.43 SDR per square kilometre | +100.0% |
| 1976 | 267.49 SDR per square kilometre | -13.3% |
| 1977 | 249.74 SDR per square kilometre | -6.6% |
| 1978 | 235.38 SDR per square kilometre | -5.7% |
| 1979 | 250.93 SDR per square kilometre | +6.6% |
| 1980 | 332.86 SDR per square kilometre | +32.7% |
| 1981 | 288.25 SDR per square kilometre | -13.4% |
| 1982 | 280.98 SDR per square kilometre | -2.5% |
| 1983 | 567.69 SDR per square kilometre | +102.0% |
| 1984 | 143.81 SDR per square kilometre | -74.7% |
| 1985 | 235.65 SDR per square kilometre | +63.9% |
| 1986 | 249.35 SDR per square kilometre | +5.8% |
| 1987 | 371.3 SDR per square kilometre | +48.9% |
| 1988 | 477.2 SDR per square kilometre | +28.5% |
| 1989 | 600.93 SDR per square kilometre | +25.9% |
| 1990 | 582.91 SDR per square kilometre | -3.0% |
| 1991 | 516.93 SDR per square kilometre | -11.3% |
| 1992 | 594.39 SDR per square kilometre | +15.0% |
| 1993 | 604.71 SDR per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 950.86 SDR per square kilometre | +57.2% |
| 1995 | 1,561 SDR per square kilometre | +64.2% |
| 1996 | 539.02 SDR per square kilometre | -65.5% |
| 1997 | 2,927 SDR per square kilometre | +442.9% |
| 1998 | 2,442 SDR per square kilometre | -16.6% |
| 1999 | 3,643 SDR per square kilometre | +49.2% |
| 2000 | 3,665 SDR per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 3,782 SDR per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 3,396 SDR per square kilometre | -10.2% |
| 2003 | 3,419 SDR per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 6,791 SDR per square kilometre | +98.6% |
| 2005 | 10,531 SDR per square kilometre | +55.1% |
| 2006 | 12,450 SDR per square kilometre | +18.2% |
| 2007 | 15,250 SDR per square kilometre | +22.5% |
| 2008 | 16,183 SDR per square kilometre | +6.1% |
| 2009 | 17,054 SDR per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 2010 | 18,959 SDR per square kilometre | +11.2% |
| 2011 | 21,395 SDR per square kilometre | +12.9% |
| 2012 | 22,089 SDR per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 22,452 SDR per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 23,609 SDR per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 2015 | 23,154 SDR per square kilometre | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 24,476 SDR per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 2017 | 24,737 SDR per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 25,816 SDR per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 2019 | 27,365 SDR per square kilometre | +6.0% |
| 2020 | 25,338 SDR per square kilometre | -7.4% |
| 2021 | 25,414 SDR per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 28,795 SDR per square kilometre | +13.3% |
| 2023 | 29,124 SDR per square kilometre | +1.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 29,124 SDR per square kilometre is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 88,903 SDR per square kilometre, 33% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 29,124 SDR per square kilometre is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3,817 SDR per square kilometre, 7.6× the median. (40 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (SDR), per square kilometre 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | +442.9% | 539.02 SDR per square kilometre | 2,927 SDR per square kilometre |
| 1972 | +169.7% | 135.15 SDR per square kilometre | 364.44 SDR per square kilometre |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 102.49 SDR per square kilometre | 76.66 SDR per square kilometre | 138.49 SDR per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 241.59 SDR per square kilometre | 135.15 SDR per square kilometre | 364.44 SDR per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 354.8 SDR per square kilometre | 143.81 SDR per square kilometre | 600.93 SDR per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,436 SDR per square kilometre | 516.93 SDR per square kilometre | 3,643 SDR per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 9,252 SDR per square kilometre | 3,396 SDR per square kilometre | 17,054 SDR per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 23,405 SDR per square kilometre | 18,959 SDR per square kilometre | 27,365 SDR per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 27,168 SDR per square kilometre | 25,338 SDR per square kilometre | 29,124 SDR per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 109 Slovenia 32,613 SDR per square kilometre compare
- 110 Austria 31,450 SDR per square kilometre compare
- 111 Nicaragua 31,152 SDR per square kilometre compare
- 113 Brazil 28,812 SDR per square kilometre compare
- 114 Greece 24,141 SDR per square kilometre compare
- 115 Nigeria 22,432 SDR per square kilometre 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 reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (sdr), per square kilometre in South Africa?
- Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (sdr), per square kilometre in South Africa was 29,124 SDR per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (sdr), per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 29,124 SDR per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (sdr), per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 76.66 SDR per square kilometre in 1964.
- How does South Africa rank for reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (sdr), per square kilometre?
- South Africa ranks 112th out of 179 countries with data for 2023.
- Is reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (sdr), per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.7%. 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 Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (SDR), per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (SDR) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (SDR) ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange International Monetary Fund
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
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
Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (SDR) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.