Country explorer: South Africa

South Africa has experienced substantial economic challenges, including a persistently high unemployment rate that is significantly above the average for upper-middle-income countries, combined with inflation rates and GDP per capita growth that reflect ongoing economic instability and disparities, where these patterns align in part with broader upper-middle-income country trends but are distinguished by the severity of unemployment and poverty levels.

South Africa has experienced notable demographic shifts characterized by gradual population growth, positive yet fluctuating net migration, declining fertility rates, and improving life expectancy, reflecting broader trends of urbanization, healthcare improvements, and changing family structures, akin to those observed in other upper-middle-income countries.

South Africa has exhibited significant improvements in access to clean cooking fuels and electricity, mirroring trends in upper-middle-income countries, yet its advancements in safely managed sanitation facilities reveal a slower yet consistent progress, underscoring a common challenge among developing nations in fully meeting basic needs.

South Africa has shown modest improvements in human development indicators such as the Human Development Index and literacy rates, but it continues to grapple with high child mortality rates, reflecting both progress and persisting challenges in health and education relative to its upper-middle-income peers.

South Africa has experienced significant shifts in its environmental and energy landscape, with a notable increase in renewable energy production, particularly in solar and wind power, and a decrease in per capita CO₂ emissions, amidst a backdrop of declines in forest area and freshwater resources, reflecting a broader global trend towards renewable energy adoption and the ongoing challenges of natural resource management.

South Africa has seen a dramatic increase in internet usage and mobile phone subscriptions, consistent growth in research and development spending as a share of GDP, and a rise in scientific publications per million people, indicating a significant progression in technology, innovation, and information accessibility, a trend that aligns with broader upper-middle-income countries.

South Africa has experienced notable societal changes, including increased immigration, improving gender equality, gradually enhancing self-reported life satisfaction, and changes in its dependency ratio, reflecting a common trajectory of development yet distinguished by its specific context and challenges.

South Africa has witnessed a notable decline in governance indicators, including reductions in the rule of law, worsening perceptions of corruption, and decreases in civil liberties and press freedom, mirroring challenges faced by many upper-middle-income countries but with distinct severity in its own geopolitical and socio-economic context.