Reserves excluding gold in South Africa
South Africa: Reserves excluding gold was 42.64 billion SDR in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
42.64 billion SDR
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
38th
of 188 countries
All-time high
42.64 billion SDR
in 2025
All-time low
91.00 million SDR
in 1960
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Reserves excluding gold in South Africa, 1950–2025
Source: International Monetary Fund. Measured in SDR.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 42.64 billion SDR for reserves excluding gold in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 42.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, reserves excluding gold in South Africa peaked at 42.64 billion SDR in 2025 and was at its lowest, 91.00 million SDR, in 1960.
That places South Africa 38th out of 188 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Reserves excluding gold in South Africa, year by year
| Year | SDR | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 261.01 million SDR | — |
| 1951 | 222.00 million SDR | -14.9% |
| 1952 | 236.00 million SDR | +6.3% |
| 1953 | 144.01 million SDR | -39.0% |
| 1954 | 242.01 million SDR | +68.1% |
| 1955 | 179.01 million SDR | -26.0% |
| 1956 | 173.01 million SDR | -3.4% |
| 1957 | 97.01 million SDR | -43.9% |
| 1958 | 105.00 million SDR | +8.2% |
| 1959 | 230.50 million SDR | +119.5% |
| 1960 | 91.00 million SDR | -60.5% |
| 1961 | 95.01 million SDR | +4.4% |
| 1962 | 147.50 million SDR | +55.2% |
| 1963 | 143.50 million SDR | -2.7% |
| 1964 | 130.51 million SDR | -9.1% |
| 1965 | 174.51 million SDR | +33.7% |
| 1966 | 194.02 million SDR | +11.2% |
| 1967 | 196.02 million SDR | +1.0% |
| 1968 | 228.16 million SDR | +16.4% |
| 1969 | 283.16 million SDR | +24.1% |
| 1970 | 345.53 million SDR | +22.0% |
| 1971 | 244.95 million SDR | -29.1% |
| 1972 | 560.85 million SDR | +129.0% |
| 1973 | 372.09 million SDR | -33.7% |
| 1974 | 307.96 million SDR | -17.2% |
| 1975 | 417.57 million SDR | +35.6% |
| 1976 | 366.00 million SDR | -12.4% |
| 1977 | 342.49 million SDR | -6.4% |
| 1978 | 324.81 million SDR | -5.2% |
| 1979 | 329.80 million SDR | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 569.10 million SDR | +72.6% |
| 1981 | 572.38 million SDR | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 439.95 million SDR | -23.1% |
| 1983 | 785.92 million SDR | +78.6% |
| 1984 | 246.75 million SDR | -68.6% |
| 1985 | 286.38 million SDR | +16.1% |
| 1986 | 302.51 million SDR | +5.6% |
| 1987 | 451.60 million SDR | +49.3% |
| 1988 | 579.70 million SDR | +28.4% |
| 1989 | 730.33 million SDR | +26.0% |
| 1990 | 708.77 million SDR | -3.0% |
| 1991 | 628.31 million SDR | -11.4% |
| 1992 | 721.17 million SDR | +14.8% |
| 1993 | 742.39 million SDR | +2.9% |
| 1994 | 1.15 billion SDR | +55.5% |
| 1995 | 1.90 billion SDR | +64.3% |
| 1996 | 654.79 million SDR | -65.5% |
| 1997 | 3.56 billion SDR | +443.2% |
| 1998 | 3.09 billion SDR | -13.0% |
| 1999 | 4.63 billion SDR | +49.6% |
| 2000 | 4.67 billion SDR | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 4.81 billion SDR | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 4.34 billion SDR | -9.7% |
| 2003 | 4.37 billion SDR | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 8.46 billion SDR | +93.6% |
| 2005 | 13.00 billion SDR | +53.6% |
| 2006 | 15.33 billion SDR | +17.9% |
| 2007 | 18.72 billion SDR | +22.2% |
| 2008 | 19.86 billion SDR | +6.0% |
| 2009 | 22.48 billion SDR | +13.2% |
| 2010 | 24.79 billion SDR | +10.3% |
| 2011 | 27.74 billion SDR | +11.9% |
| 2012 | 28.63 billion SDR | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 29.13 billion SDR | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 30.55 billion SDR | +4.9% |
| 2015 | 30.03 billion SDR | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 31.66 billion SDR | +5.4% |
| 2017 | 31.95 billion SDR | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 33.42 billion SDR | +4.6% |
| 2019 | 35.38 billion SDR | +5.9% |
| 2020 | 32.90 billion SDR | -7.0% |
| 2021 | 35.91 billion SDR | +9.1% |
| 2022 | 40.01 billion SDR | +11.4% |
| 2023 | 40.38 billion SDR | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 42.11 billion SDR | +4.3% |
| 2025 | 42.64 billion SDR | +1.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 42.64 billion SDR is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.12 billion SDR, 8.3× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 42.64 billion SDR is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 872.46 million SDR, 48.9× the median. (40 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Reserves excluding gold 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 | +443.2% | 654.79 million SDR | 3.56 billion SDR |
| 1972 | +129.0% | 244.95 million SDR | 560.85 million SDR |
| 1959 | +119.5% | 105.00 million SDR | 230.50 million SDR |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 188.96 million SDR | 97.01 million SDR | 261.01 million SDR | 10 |
| 1960s | 168.34 million SDR | 91.00 million SDR | 283.16 million SDR | 10 |
| 1970s | 361.21 million SDR | 244.95 million SDR | 560.85 million SDR | 10 |
| 1980s | 496.46 million SDR | 246.75 million SDR | 785.92 million SDR | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.78 billion SDR | 628.31 million SDR | 4.63 billion SDR | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.60 billion SDR | 4.34 billion SDR | 22.48 billion SDR | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.33 billion SDR | 24.79 billion SDR | 35.38 billion SDR | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.99 billion SDR | 32.90 billion SDR | 42.64 billion SDR | 6 |
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 reserves excluding gold in South Africa?
- Reserves excluding gold in South Africa was 42.64 billion SDR in 2025, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest reserves excluding gold recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 42.64 billion SDR in 2025.
- What is the lowest reserves excluding gold recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 91.00 million SDR in 1960.
- How does South Africa rank for reserves excluding gold?
- South Africa ranks 38th out of 188 countries with data for 2025.
- Is reserves excluding gold rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 42.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Reserves excluding gold (SDR). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
International Liquidity (IL) 2026 April