South Africa - Tax revenue (% of GDP)

Tax revenue (% of GDP) in South Africa was 24.22 as of 2019. Its highest value over the past 47 years was 25.30 in 1989, while its lowest value was 17.25 in 1972.

Definition: Tax revenue refers to compulsory transfers to the central government for public purposes. Certain compulsory transfers such as fines, penalties, and most social security contributions are excluded. Refunds and corrections of erroneously collected tax revenue are treated as negative revenue.

Source: International Monetary Fund, Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, and World Bank and OECD GDP estimates.

See also:

Year Value
1972 17.25
1973 17.79
1974 17.44
1975 18.34
1976 18.23
1977 19.09
1978 19.15
1979 19.30
1980 19.18
1981 18.60
1982 19.86
1983 19.75
1984 20.96
1985 22.71
1986 21.86
1987 21.70
1988 22.77
1989 25.30
1990 23.11
1991 22.90
1992 20.62
1993 19.87
1994 19.60
1995 20.30
1996 20.98
1997 21.25
1998 21.96
1999 21.76
2000 20.98
2001 21.70
2002 20.82
2003 20.49
2004 21.70
2005 22.97
2006 24.38
2007 24.81
2008 24.32
2009 21.89
2010 22.52
2011 22.88
2012 23.35
2013 23.83
2014 24.43
2015 25.05
2016 24.83
2017 24.04
2018 24.12
2019 24.22

Limitations and Exceptions: For most countries central government finance data have been consolidated into one account, but for others only budgetary central government accounts are available. Countries reporting budgetary data are noted in the country metadata. Because budgetary accounts may not include all central government units (such as social security funds), they usually provide an incomplete picture. In federal states the central government accounts provide an incomplete view of total public finance. Data on government revenue and expense are collected by the IMF through questionnaires to member countries and by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Despite IMF efforts to standardize data collection, statistics are often incomplete, untimely, and not comparable across countries.

Statistical Concept and Methodology: The IMF's Government Finance Statistics Manual 2014, harmonized with the 2008 SNA, recommends an accrual accounting method, focusing on all economic events affecting assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses, not just those represented by cash transactions. It accounts for all changes in stocks, so stock data at the end of an accounting period equal stock data at the beginning of the period plus flows over the period. The 1986 manual considered only debt stocks. Government finance statistics are reported in local currency. Many countries report government finance data by fiscal year; see country metadata for information on fiscal year end by country.

Aggregation method: Weighted average

Periodicity: Annual

Classification

Topic: Public Sector Indicators

Sub-Topic: Government finance