Migrant remittance outflows (current US$) in South Africa
South Africa: Migrant remittance outflows (current US$) was 1.44 billion current US$ in 2011. ▲ Rising
Latest (2011)
1.44 billion current US$
Change on year
up 5.2%
World rank
1st
of 49 countries
All-time high
1.44 billion current US$
in 2011
All-time low
236.60 million current US$
in 1970
Years of data
42
1970–2011
Migrant remittance outflows in South Africa, 1970–2011
Source: World Bank staff estimates based on the International Monetary Fund's Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook 2008. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 1.44 billion current US$ for migrant remittance outflows in 2011. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.2% on the previous year and up 154.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, migrant remittance outflows in South Africa peaked at 1.44 billion current US$ in 2011 and was at its lowest, 236.60 million current US$, in 1970.
That places South Africa 1st out of 49 countries with data for 2011, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Migrant remittance outflows (current US$) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 236.60 million current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 283.82 million current US$ | +20.0% |
| 1972 | 279.51 million current US$ | -1.5% |
| 1973 | 423.84 million current US$ | +51.6% |
| 1974 | 566.16 million current US$ | +33.6% |
| 1975 | 666.93 million current US$ | +17.8% |
| 1976 | 576.15 million current US$ | -13.6% |
| 1977 | 629.05 million current US$ | +9.2% |
| 1978 | 696.90 million current US$ | +10.8% |
| 1979 | 805.83 million current US$ | +15.6% |
| 1980 | 1.02 billion current US$ | +26.2% |
| 1981 | 1.05 billion current US$ | +3.3% |
| 1982 | 952.33 million current US$ | -9.3% |
| 1983 | 1.08 billion current US$ | +13.4% |
| 1984 | 934.11 million current US$ | -13.5% |
| 1985 | 721.69 million current US$ | -22.7% |
| 1986 | 843.42 million current US$ | +16.9% |
| 1987 | 1.07 billion current US$ | +26.8% |
| 1988 | 1.07 billion current US$ | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 1.09 billion current US$ | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 1.20 billion current US$ | +9.7% |
| 1991 | 863.54 million current US$ | -28.0% |
| 1992 | 808.62 million current US$ | -6.4% |
| 1993 | 707.36 million current US$ | -12.5% |
| 1994 | 658.14 million current US$ | -7.0% |
| 1995 | 629.19 million current US$ | -4.4% |
| 1996 | 592.64 million current US$ | -5.8% |
| 1997 | 669.77 million current US$ | +13.0% |
| 1998 | 696.60 million current US$ | +4.0% |
| 1999 | 723.61 million current US$ | +3.9% |
| 2000 | 685.23 million current US$ | -5.3% |
| 2001 | 567.71 million current US$ | -17.2% |
| 2002 | 540.85 million current US$ | -4.7% |
| 2003 | 705.75 million current US$ | +30.5% |
| 2004 | 936.91 million current US$ | +32.8% |
| 2005 | 1.06 billion current US$ | +12.6% |
| 2006 | 1.07 billion current US$ | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 1.19 billion current US$ | +11.1% |
| 2008 | 1.13 billion current US$ | -4.5% |
| 2009 | 1.16 billion current US$ | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 1.37 billion current US$ | +18.4% |
| 2011 | 1.44 billion current US$ | +5.2% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 1.44 billion current US$ is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 96.44 million current US$, 15.0× the median. (7 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 1.44 billion current US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 30.76 million current US$, 46.9× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 516.48 million current US$ | 236.60 million current US$ | 805.83 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 983.13 million current US$ | 721.69 million current US$ | 1.09 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 754.87 million current US$ | 592.64 million current US$ | 1.20 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 903.62 million current US$ | 540.85 million current US$ | 1.19 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.41 billion current US$ | 1.37 billion current US$ | 1.44 billion current US$ | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More trade data for South Africa
- Commodity Net Export Price Index, Individual Commodities Weighted by 109.35 (2025)
- Commodity Net Export Price Index, Individual Commodities Weighted by 100.81 (2025)
- Commodity Export Price Index, Individual Commodites Weighted by Ratio 99.79 (2025)
- Commodity Export Price Index, Individual Commodites Weighted by Ratio 95.89 (2025)
- Commodity Import Price Index, Individual Commodites Weighted by Ratio 98.98 (2025)
- Commodity Import Price Index, Individual Commodites Weighted by Ratio 77.42 (2025)
- Imports of low carbon technology products, Percent of GDP 1.03 (2024)
- Imports of low carbon technology products, US dollar (World), per 64.23 units per person (2024)
- Imports of low carbon technology products, US dollar (World), per 0.0102 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Exports of low carbon technology products, US dollar (World), gaps 1.75 billion (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is migrant remittance outflows in South Africa?
- Migrant remittance outflows in South Africa was 1.44 billion current US$ in 2011, according to World Bank staff estimates based on the International Monetary Fund's Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook 2008.
- What is the highest migrant remittance outflows recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.44 billion current US$ in 2011.
- What is the lowest migrant remittance outflows recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 236.60 million current US$ in 1970.
- How does South Africa rank for migrant remittance outflows?
- South Africa ranks 1st out of 49 countries with data for 2011.
- Is migrant remittance outflows rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 154.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank staff estimates based on the International Monetary Fund's Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook 2008, published as part of Migrant remittance outflows (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Migrants’ remittances are defined as the sum of worker’s remittances,