Total reserves (% of total external debt) in South Africa
South Africa: Total reserves (% of total external debt) was 37.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Total reserves in South Africa, 1994–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total external debt.
Analysis
In 2024, total reserves in South Africa stood at 37.2%.
The figure is down 1.3% on the previous year and up 13.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total reserves in South Africa peaked at 46.9% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 9.0%, in 1996.
That places South Africa 54th out of 112 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.
Total reserves (% of total external debt) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of total external debt | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 15.2% | — |
| 1995 | 17.6% | +15.8% |
| 1996 | 9.0% | -48.9% |
| 1997 | 19.4% | +116.4% |
| 1998 | 21.2% | +8.9% |
| 1999 | 29.1% | +37.7% |
| 2000 | 28.9% | -0.9% |
| 2001 | 29.7% | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 22.3% | -25.0% |
| 2003 | 20.3% | -8.7% |
| 2004 | 33.8% | +66.4% |
| 2005 | 45.7% | +35.2% |
| 2006 | 44.2% | -3.4% |
| 2007 | 45.2% | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 45.9% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 46.9% | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 38.0% | -19.0% |
| 2011 | 39.3% | +3.3% |
| 2012 | 34.3% | -12.8% |
| 2013 | 35.1% | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 32.9% | -6.3% |
| 2015 | 35.9% | +9.2% |
| 2016 | 32.8% | -8.8% |
| 2017 | 29.0% | -11.5% |
| 2018 | 28.7% | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 28.9% | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 31.4% | +8.6% |
| 2021 | 34.0% | +8.4% |
| 2022 | 35.3% | +3.7% |
| 2023 | 37.7% | +6.9% |
| 2024 | 37.2% | -1.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 37.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 38.0%, 98% of the median. (51 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 37.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 23.9%, 1.6× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Total reserves (% of total external debt) 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 | +116.4% | 9.0% | 19.4% |
| 2004 | +66.4% | 20.3% | 33.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 18.6% | 9.0% | 29.1% | 6 |
| 2000s | 36.3% | 20.3% | 46.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.5% | 28.7% | 39.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.1% | 31.4% | 37.7% | 5 |
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 total reserves in South Africa?
- Total reserves in South Africa was 37.2% in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest total reserves recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 46.9% in 2009.
- What is the lowest total reserves recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.0% in 1996.
- How does South Africa rank for total reserves?
- South Africa ranks 54th out of 112 countries with data for 2024.
- Is total reserves rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB), published as part of Total reserves (% of total external debt). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Reserve assets are external assets, including monetary gold, that are readily available to and controlled by monetary authorities for meeting balance of payments financing needs, for intervention in exchange markets to affect the currency exchange rate, and for other related purposes (such as maintaining confidence in the currency and the economy, and serving as a basis for foreign borrowing). Reserve assets must be denominated and settled in foreign currency. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of total external debt which are all liabilities that require payment(s) of interest and/or principal by the debtor at some point(s) in the future and that are owed to non-residents by residents of an economy.