South Africa

Region: Africa
 

Classification of economies by geographic region is based on that of the United Nations Statistics Division.

Middle Income
 

Based on the income levels set out by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in its Global Competitiveness Report. However, the groupings are slightly different due to the numbers of economies covered. For GEM, the low income group contains both those classified as low income and lower middle by WEF, and the middle income group has those that WEF groups as upper middle. High income is the same for both GEM and WEF.

Population: 56.8 million (2018)
 

Population data is from the World Bank, except Palestinian Territories World Population Review and Taiwan Worldometers

GDP Growth: 1.4% (2017)
 

GDP growth data is from the World Economic Outlook Database, except Palestinian Territories Worldometers

GDP Per Capita: $6,182 (2017)
 

GDP per capita data is from the World Economic Outlook Database, except Palestinian Territories Worldometers

South Africa Reports

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Igniting startups for economic growth and social change
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GEM South Africa 2017-2018 Report
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  • Year of publication: 2017
  • Category: National Reports
  • Language: English
  • Upload date: 2017-05-15

  • South Africa over the last year, and especially the last few months, has gone through a series of political and economic setbacks, all of which are likely to have a dramatic effect on the overall well-being of the citizens of the country. These setbacks include a politically-motivated reshuffle of the cabinet; rating agencies Standard and Poor and Fitch downgrading South Africa to junk status; and GDP growth in 2016 at a mere 0.3%. South Africa’s main social problems remain its extremely high income inequality and employment challenge. A weak job-creating capacity that has led to chronically high unemployment and – even more significantly –under employment has been a critical contributory factor in the country’s persistent poverty and inequality. Unemployment is at its highest level ever (27.6%), with an expanded rate of over 40% and youth unemployment at over 65%. It has never been more important or urgent for South Africa’s policy makers to make a strong commitment to growing the economy. A key priority is to introduce reforms aimed at fostering a more enabling business environment, particularly for the small and medium-sized enterprises which contribute so much to employment. In many developing economies, small businesses have been shown to contribute substantially to job creation, economic growth and more equal income distribution.
  • URL: https://www.gemconsortium.org/report/49833
GEM South Africa 2016-2017 Report
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  • Year of publication: 2016
  • Category: National Reports
  • Language: English
  • Upload date: 2016-05-25

  • Data from the 2015 GEM survey (the 14th in which South Africa has participated) confirm South Africa’s persistently low levels of entrepreneurial activity relative to other countries participating in GEM. Although 2015 sees an encouraging increase in the number of South Africans who believe there are good opportunities for starting a business in their area, as well as those who believe that they have the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to start a business, this has not translated into higher levels of entrepreneurial intention.
  • URL: https://www.gemconsortium.org/report/49537
GEM South Africa 2015 - 2016 Report
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GEM South Africa 2014 Report
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