Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita was 2.5% in 2011. ▼ Falling
Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita in South Africa, 1960–2011
Source: Herrendorf et al. and Groningen Growth and Development Centre (2015) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % GDP.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 2.5% for agriculture as a share of gdp vs. gdp per capita in 2011. That is the lowest value across all 52 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.8% on the previous year and down 34.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agriculture as a share of gdp vs. gdp per capita in South Africa peaked at 12.2% in 1961 and was at its lowest, 2.5%, in 2011.
South Africa ranks 32nd of 43 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 52 years of available data.
Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 11.8% | — |
| 1961 | 12.2% | +3.4% |
| 1962 | 11.7% | -4.1% |
| 1963 | 11.6% | -0.9% |
| 1964 | 10.0% | -13.8% |
| 1965 | 9.7% | -3.0% |
| 1966 | 10.1% | +4.1% |
| 1967 | 11.1% | +9.9% |
| 1968 | 9.3% | -16.2% |
| 1969 | 8.8% | -5.4% |
| 1970 | 7.6% | -13.6% |
| 1971 | 8.3% | +9.2% |
| 1972 | 8.1% | -2.4% |
| 1973 | 7.7% | -4.9% |
| 1974 | 9.2% | +19.5% |
| 1975 | 8.1% | -12.0% |
| 1976 | 7.1% | -12.3% |
| 1977 | 7.4% | +4.2% |
| 1978 | 7.1% | -4.1% |
| 1979 | 6.3% | -11.3% |
| 1980 | 6.5% | +3.2% |
| 1981 | 6.7% | +3.1% |
| 1982 | 6.0% | -10.4% |
| 1983 | 4.6% | -23.3% |
| 1984 | 5.0% | +8.7% |
| 1985 | 5.5% | +10.0% |
| 1986 | 5.2% | -5.5% |
| 1987 | 5.9% | +13.5% |
| 1988 | 6.1% | +3.4% |
| 1989 | 5.7% | -6.6% |
| 1990 | 4.9% | -14.0% |
| 1991 | 4.8% | -2.0% |
| 1992 | 4.0% | -16.7% |
| 1993 | 4.4% | +10.0% |
| 1994 | 4.9% | +11.4% |
| 1995 | 4.1% | -16.3% |
| 1996 | 4.5% | +9.8% |
| 1997 | 4.3% | -4.4% |
| 1998 | 4.0% | -7.0% |
| 1999 | 3.8% | -5.0% |
| 2000 | 3.5% | -7.9% |
| 2001 | 3.8% | +8.6% |
| 2002 | 4.4% | +15.8% |
| 2003 | 3.7% | -15.9% |
| 2004 | 3.3% | -10.8% |
| 2005 | 2.9% | -12.1% |
| 2006 | 3.1% | +6.9% |
| 2007 | 3.2% | +3.2% |
| 2008 | 3.2% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 3.1% | -3.1% |
| 2010 | 2.6% | -16.1% |
| 2011 | 2.5% | -3.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 10.6% | 8.8% | 12.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 7.7% | 6.3% | 9.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.7% | 4.6% | 6.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.4% | 3.8% | 4.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.4% | 2.9% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.6% | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More agriculture & rural data for South Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 7.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0283 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 186.56 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.812 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3618 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agriculture as a share of gdp vs. gdp per capita in South Africa?
- Agriculture as a share of gdp vs. gdp per capita in South Africa was 2.5% in 2011, according to Herrendorf et al. and Groningen Growth and Development Centre (2015) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest agriculture as a share of gdp vs. gdp per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 12.2% in 1961.
- What is the lowest agriculture as a share of gdp vs. gdp per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.5% in 2011.
- How does South Africa rank for agriculture as a share of gdp vs. gdp per capita?
- South Africa ranks 32nd out of 43 countries with data for 2011.
- Is agriculture as a share of gdp vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 34.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Herrendorf et al. and Groningen Growth and Development Centre (2015) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Agriculture includes the cultivation of crops and livestock production, as well as forestry, hunting, and fishing. GDP per capita is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.