{"version":1,"asset_type":"statistical_series","data_type":"time_series","slug":"za-government-expenditure-gdp","url":"https://apiardata.com/statistics/za-government-expenditure-gdp","html_url":"https://apiardata.com/statistics/za-government-expenditure-gdp/","title":"South Africa Government Expenditure (% of GDP) (2022)","description":"South Africa's Government Expenditure (% of GDP): 33.4 % of GDP in 2022, -1.2pp YoY. World Bank (GC.XPN.TOTL.GD.ZS), 1973–2022.","domain":"macro","category":"Economy & Macro","keywords":["Economy & Macro","World Bank","South Africa","2022"],"publisher":"World Bank","frequency":"Annual","geography":"South Africa","temporal_coverage":"1973/2022","unit":"% of GDP","last_updated":"2026-07-25","last_updated_text":"25 July 2026","data_as_of":"2022","variable_measured":"South Africa Government Expenditure (% of GDP)","license":"https://apiardata.com/data-license","is_accessible_for_free":true,"sources":[{"name":"World Bank","url":"https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/GC.XPN.TOTL.GD.ZS?locations=ZA"}],"meta":[{"label":"Frequency","value":"Annual"},{"label":"Coverage","value":"1973–2022"},{"label":"Observations","value":"50"},{"label":"Geography","value":"South Africa"},{"label":"Last updated","value":"25 July 2026"}],"kpis":[{"label":"South Africa (2022)","value":"33.4","unit":"% of GDP","trend":{"direction":"down","value":"-1.2pp YoY"}},{"label":"YoY Change","value":"-1.2pp","unit":"percentage points"},{"label":"Trend","value":"down","unit":""},{"label":"Series length","value":"50","unit":"years of data"}],"series":[{"key":"value","label":"South Africa Government Expenditure (% of GDP)"}],"observation_count":50,"observations":[{"period":"1973","value":15.0846943638175},{"period":"1974","value":16.0438075596487},{"period":"1975","value":17.6173967853766},{"period":"1976","value":18.5283514518067},{"period":"1977","value":18.8527501522224},{"period":"1978","value":19.0302165968446},{"period":"1979","value":19.267143933685},{"period":"1980","value":17.6658960035613},{"period":"1981","value":18.7413596936591},{"period":"1982","value":20.7438140572066},{"period":"1983","value":22.4480085089708},{"period":"1984","value":22.6145503046954},{"period":"1985","value":24.0284284312156},{"period":"1986","value":25.2407259363553},{"period":"1987","value":25.4286441109133},{"period":"1988","value":25.6903903751459},{"period":"1989","value":24.9947952504455},{"period":"1990","value":25.4039070668789},{"period":"1991","value":24.9351797289334},{"period":"1992","value":27.9224853920467},{"period":"1993","value":29.153558307063},{"period":"1994","value":25.8102919971572},{"period":"1995","value":26.0917937855667},{"period":"1996","value":27.0184443878932},{"period":"1997","value":25.8104575987438},{"period":"1998","value":25.6771109721042},{"period":"1999","value":25.3033512796678},{"period":"2000","value":24.4358091522258},{"period":"2001","value":24.3412920517984},{"period":"2002","value":23.6803783151852},{"period":"2003","value":24.7704671599849},{"period":"2004","value":25.6020497773113},{"period":"2005","value":25.6017227017192},{"period":"2006","value":25.8417852811827},{"period":"2007","value":26.0805418540207},{"period":"2008","value":27.1771183464084},{"period":"2009","value":29.1019033706759},{"period":"2010","value":29.5775128260769},{"period":"2011","value":31.0619734464171},{"period":"2012","value":30.3651797341743},{"period":"2013","value":31.259190573785},{"period":"2014","value":31.9053501556958},{"period":"2015","value":33.6797787454907},{"period":"2016","value":32.1896608002111},{"period":"2017","value":33.2518124768773},{"period":"2018","value":33.9954978254972},{"period":"2019","value":34.6532754617872},{"period":"2020","value":37.8354162011745},{"period":"2021","value":34.6050550967435},{"period":"2022","value":33.4243056296085}],"table":{"columns":[{"key":"year","label":"Year"},{"key":"value","label":"% of GDP"},{"key":"yoyChange","label":"YoY Change"}],"rows":[{"year":"2022","value":"33.4","yoyChange":"-1.2pp"},{"year":"2021","value":"34.6","yoyChange":"-3.2pp"},{"year":"2020","value":"37.8","yoyChange":"+3.1pp"},{"year":"2019","value":"34.7","yoyChange":"+0.7pp"},{"year":"2018","value":"34.0","yoyChange":"+0.7pp"},{"year":"2017","value":"33.3","yoyChange":"+1.1pp"},{"year":"2016","value":"32.2","yoyChange":"-1.5pp"},{"year":"2015","value":"33.7","yoyChange":"+1.8pp"},{"year":"2014","value":"31.9","yoyChange":"+0.6pp"},{"year":"2013","value":"31.3","yoyChange":"+0.9pp"},{"year":"2012","value":"30.4","yoyChange":"-0.7pp"},{"year":"2011","value":"31.1","yoyChange":"+1.5pp"},{"year":"2010","value":"29.6","yoyChange":"+0.5pp"},{"year":"2009","value":"29.1","yoyChange":"+1.9pp"},{"year":"2008","value":"27.2","yoyChange":"+1.1pp"},{"year":"2007","value":"26.1","yoyChange":"+0.3pp"},{"year":"2006","value":"25.8","yoyChange":"+0.2pp"},{"year":"2005","value":"25.6","yoyChange":"unchanged"},{"year":"2004","value":"25.6","yoyChange":"+0.8pp"},{"year":"2003","value":"24.8","yoyChange":"+1.1pp"}]},"qa":[{"question":"What does this indicator measure?","answer":"This page tracks general government expenditure as a share of GDP in South Africa from 1990 to present. The size of government relative to the economy shapes fiscal sustainability, crowding-out effects, and public sector demand. It is published by World Bank and updated annually."},{"question":"How current is this data?","answer":"The most recent observation covers 2022. World Bank typically publishes this series with a lag of several months after the reference period. The series runs 1973–2022 (50 observations)."},{"question":"What is the long-term trend?","answer":"The series peaked at 37.8 % of GDP in 2020 and reached its lowest recorded value of 15.1 in 1973. The latest reading of 33.4 in 2022 represents a change of -1.2pp."}]}