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Region · southern_africa

Southern Africa

Southern Africa: GDP of 736.5 bn$ in 2025 (IMF), +41.6 % since 2020 in current dollars. Growth in 2025: +2.2 %.

Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook (October 2026) · copied on 2026-11-11

GDP, current dollars
736.5 bn$
2025 · +41.6 % since 2020
GDP per capita
3,495 $
2025 · +26.8 % since 2020
Inflation
13.7 %
2025 · −27.9 pt since 2020
Public debt
70.2 %
2025 · −6.1 pt since 2020

GDP, current dollars

Billions of current dollars · dashed: estimates and projections

400 600 800 1,000 2015 2020 2025 2030 Southern Africa 997.4 400 600 800 1,000 2015 2020 2025 2030
Chart data as a table
Southern Africa: GDP of 736.5 bn$ in 2025 (IMF), +41.6 % since 2020 in current dollars. Growth in 2025: +2.2 %.
Year Southern Africa
2015 584.0 bn$
2016 541.7 bn$
2017 638.2 bn$
2018 663.5 bn$
2019 610.3 bn$
2020 519.9 bn$
2021 644.5 bn$
2022 695.7 bn$
2023 639.6 bn$
2024 670.2 bn$
2025 · estimate 736.5 bn$
2026 · projection 847.0 bn$
2027 · projection 901.5 bn$
2028 · projection 924.8 bn$
2029 · projection 954.9 bn$
2030 · projection 997.4 bn$

The five regions

GDP in current dollars, 2020 → 2025

  1. 1 Central Africa +62.7 %
  2. 2 Southern Africa +41.6 %
  3. 3 East Africa +33.5 %
  4. 4 North Africa +23.6 %
  5. 5 West Africa −17.0 %

All indicators

Value in 2025 and change since 2020

All indicators
Indicator 20202025Change
Real GDP growth −5.7 % +2.2 % +7.9 pt
GDP, current dollars 519.9 bn$ 736.5 bn$ +41.6 %
GDP per capita 2,756 $ 3,495 $ +26.8 %
GDP per capita, PPP 7,001 $ 8,941 $ +27.7 %
Inflation 41.6 % 13.7 % −27.9 pt
Public debt 76.3 % 70.2 % −6.1 pt
Population 188.6 M 210.7 M +11.7 %
Fiscal balance −7.9 % −4.9 % +3.0 pt
Current account +0.8 % −1.1 % −1.9 pt
Unemployment n/a n/a n/a

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Member countries

GDP in current dollars, 2020 → 2025

  1. 1 Angola +112.7 %
  2. 2 Mozambique +65.8 %
  3. 3 Namibia +42.5 %
  4. 4 Botswana +33.2 %
  5. 5 Lesotho +32.2 %
  6. 6 Malawi +27.4 %
Compare Southern Africa → African ranking

Public finances and external accounts

A fiscal deficit of 4.9 % of GDP

Southern Africa: in 2025, the general government spent 4.9 % of GDP more than it collected, public debt stood at 70.2 % of GDP, the current account showed a deficit of 1.1 % (IMF).

Fiscal balance · 2025
−4.9 %
of GDP · +3.0 pt since 2020
Public debt · 2025
70.2 %
of GDP · −6.1 pt since 2020
Current account · 2025
−1.1 %
of GDP · −1.9 pt since 2020

Fiscal balance, % of GDP

Negative: a deficit · dashed: estimates and projections

−8 % −6 % −4 % −2 % 0 % 2015 2020 2025 2030 Southern Africa −3.7 Africa −3.9 −8 % −6 % −4 % −2 % 0 % 2015 2020 2025 2030
Chart data as a table
Southern Africa: in 2025, the general government spent 4.9 % of GDP more than it collected, public debt stood at 70.2 % of GDP, the current account showed a deficit of 1.1 % (IMF).
Year Southern AfricaAfrica
2015 −4.2 % −5.7 %
2016 −4.0 % −6.0 %
2017 −4.7 % −5.0 %
2018 −3.1 % −3.6 %
2019 −4.0 % −4.1 %
2020 −7.9 % −6.7 %
2021 −4.5 % −4.8 %
2022 −2.9 % −3.8 %
2023 −5.1 % −4.4 %
2024 −4.4 % −5.4 %
2025 · estimate −4.9 % −5.0 %
2026 · projection −4.2 % −5.5 %
2027 · projection −3.9 % −5.0 %
2028 · projection −3.9 % −4.7 %
2029 · projection −3.8 % −4.2 %
2030 · projection −3.7 % −3.9 %
  • Southern Africa
  • Africa

Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook (October 2026) · general government net lending or borrowing · group values weighted by GDP in dollars (Syli Atlas)

Current account, % of GDP

Trade, income and transfers with the rest of the world

−8 % −5 % −3 % 0 % 3 % 5 % 2015 2020 2025 2030 Southern Africa −1.7 −8 % −5 % −3 % 0 % 3 % 5 % 2015 2020 2025 2030
Chart data as a table
Current account balance of Southern Africa, % of GDP
Year Southern Africa
2015 −6.0 %
2016 −3.4 %
2017 −2.2 %
2018 −1.8 %
2019 −1.5 %
2020 +0.8 %
2021 +3.1 %
2022 +0.2 %
2023 −0.9 %
2024 −0.6 %
2025 · estimate −1.1 %
2026 · projection −1.2 %
2027 · projection −1.8 %
2028 · projection −1.9 %
2029 · projection −1.9 %
2030 · projection −1.7 %

Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)

Questions

How much has the economy of Southern Africa grown since 2020?

Southern Africa: GDP of 736.5 bn$ in 2025 (IMF), +41.6 % since 2020 in current dollars. Growth in 2025: +2.2 %.

What is the GDP per capita of Southern Africa?

3,495 $ in 2025 at market exchange rates, 8,941 $ in purchasing power parity (IMF).

What is the inflation rate in Southern Africa?

13.7 % in 2025, average annual change in consumer prices (IMF).

What is the public debt of Southern Africa?

70.2 % of GDP in 2025, gross debt of the general government (IMF).

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Cite this page

Syli Atlas, « Southern Africa », https://dev.syliatlas.com/en/regions/southern-africa. Data: IMF, World Economic Outlook (October 2026).