Reserves excluding gold (SDR), per square kilometre (excluding square) in South Africa
South Africa: Reserves excluding gold (SDR), per square kilometre (excluding square) was 33,287 SDR per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Reserves excluding gold (SDR), per square kilometre in South Africa, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in SDR per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, reserves excluding gold (sdr), per square kilometre in South Africa stood at 33,287 SDR per square kilometre. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.9% on the previous year and up 38.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, reserves excluding gold (sdr), per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 33,287 SDR per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 78.32 SDR per square kilometre, in 1961.
South Africa ranks 116th 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 (SDR), per square kilometre (excluding square) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | SDR per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 78.32 SDR per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 121.59 SDR per square kilometre | +55.2% |
| 1963 | 118.29 SDR per square kilometre | -2.7% |
| 1964 | 107.58 SDR per square kilometre | -9.1% |
| 1965 | 143.86 SDR per square kilometre | +33.7% |
| 1966 | 159.94 SDR per square kilometre | +11.2% |
| 1967 | 161.59 SDR per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1968 | 188.08 SDR per square kilometre | +16.4% |
| 1969 | 233.42 SDR per square kilometre | +24.1% |
| 1970 | 284.83 SDR per square kilometre | +22.0% |
| 1971 | 201.92 SDR per square kilometre | -29.1% |
| 1972 | 462.33 SDR per square kilometre | +129.0% |
| 1973 | 306.73 SDR per square kilometre | -33.7% |
| 1974 | 253.86 SDR per square kilometre | -17.2% |
| 1975 | 344.22 SDR per square kilometre | +35.6% |
| 1976 | 301.71 SDR per square kilometre | -12.4% |
| 1977 | 282.33 SDR per square kilometre | -6.4% |
| 1978 | 267.75 SDR per square kilometre | -5.2% |
| 1979 | 271.87 SDR per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 469.13 SDR per square kilometre | +72.6% |
| 1981 | 471.84 SDR per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 362.67 SDR per square kilometre | -23.1% |
| 1983 | 647.87 SDR per square kilometre | +78.6% |
| 1984 | 203.41 SDR per square kilometre | -68.6% |
| 1985 | 236.07 SDR per square kilometre | +16.1% |
| 1986 | 249.37 SDR per square kilometre | +5.6% |
| 1987 | 372.27 SDR per square kilometre | +49.3% |
| 1988 | 477.87 SDR per square kilometre | +28.4% |
| 1989 | 602.04 SDR per square kilometre | +26.0% |
| 1990 | 584.27 SDR per square kilometre | -3.0% |
| 1991 | 517.95 SDR per square kilometre | -11.4% |
| 1992 | 594.49 SDR per square kilometre | +14.8% |
| 1993 | 611.99 SDR per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1994 | 951.6 SDR per square kilometre | +55.5% |
| 1995 | 1,564 SDR per square kilometre | +64.3% |
| 1996 | 539.77 SDR per square kilometre | -65.5% |
| 1997 | 2,932 SDR per square kilometre | +443.2% |
| 1998 | 2,551 SDR per square kilometre | -13.0% |
| 1999 | 3,816 SDR per square kilometre | +49.6% |
| 2000 | 3,849 SDR per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 3,965 SDR per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 3,580 SDR per square kilometre | -9.7% |
| 2003 | 3,603 SDR per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 6,975 SDR per square kilometre | +93.6% |
| 2005 | 10,716 SDR per square kilometre | +53.6% |
| 2006 | 12,634 SDR per square kilometre | +17.9% |
| 2007 | 15,435 SDR per square kilometre | +22.2% |
| 2008 | 16,368 SDR per square kilometre | +6.0% |
| 2009 | 18,529 SDR per square kilometre | +13.2% |
| 2010 | 20,434 SDR per square kilometre | +10.3% |
| 2011 | 22,871 SDR per square kilometre | +11.9% |
| 2012 | 23,597 SDR per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 24,015 SDR per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 25,187 SDR per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 2015 | 24,758 SDR per square kilometre | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 26,101 SDR per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 2017 | 26,337 SDR per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 27,548 SDR per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 2019 | 29,162 SDR per square kilometre | +5.9% |
| 2020 | 27,122 SDR per square kilometre | -7.0% |
| 2021 | 29,604 SDR per square kilometre | +9.1% |
| 2022 | 32,982 SDR per square kilometre | +11.4% |
| 2023 | 33,287 SDR per square kilometre | +0.9% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 33,287 SDR per square kilometre is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 92,563 SDR per square kilometre, 36% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 33,287 SDR per square kilometre is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4,282 SDR per square kilometre, 7.8× the median. (40 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Reserves excluding gold (SDR), per square kilometre (excluding square) 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% | 539.77 SDR per square kilometre | 2,932 SDR per square kilometre |
| 1972 | +129.0% | 201.92 SDR per square kilometre | 462.33 SDR per square kilometre |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 145.85 SDR per square kilometre | 78.32 SDR per square kilometre | 233.42 SDR per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 297.76 SDR per square kilometre | 201.92 SDR per square kilometre | 462.33 SDR per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 409.25 SDR per square kilometre | 203.41 SDR per square kilometre | 647.87 SDR per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,466 SDR per square kilometre | 517.95 SDR per square kilometre | 3,816 SDR per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 9,565 SDR per square kilometre | 3,580 SDR per square kilometre | 18,529 SDR per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 25,001 SDR per square kilometre | 20,434 SDR per square kilometre | 29,162 SDR per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 30,749 SDR per square kilometre | 27,122 SDR per square kilometre | 33,287 SDR per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 113 Greece 34,828 SDR per square kilometre compare
- 114 Nicaragua 33,737 SDR per square kilometre compare
- 115 Finland 33,541 SDR per square kilometre compare
- 117 Brazil 30,892 SDR per square kilometre compare
- 118 Nigeria 26,216 SDR per square kilometre compare
- 119 Algeria 21,815 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 (sdr), per square kilometre in South Africa?
- Reserves excluding gold (sdr), per square kilometre in South Africa was 33,287 SDR per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest reserves excluding gold (sdr), per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 33,287 SDR per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest reserves excluding gold (sdr), per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 78.32 SDR per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for reserves excluding gold (sdr), per square kilometre?
- South Africa ranks 116th out of 179 countries with data for 2023.
- Is reserves excluding gold (sdr), per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.6%. 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 (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 (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 (SDR) ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Reserves excluding gold 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 (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.