New business density in South Africa
South Africa: New business density was 11.46 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
11.46 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64
Change on year
up 18.3%
World rank
21st
of 177 countries
All-time high
12.11 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64
in 2020
All-time low
5.14 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64
in 2011
Years of data
19
2006–2024
New business density in South Africa, 2006–2024
Source: Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB). Measured in new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 11.46 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 for new business density in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 18.3% on the previous year and up 66.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, new business density in South Africa peaked at 12.11 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 5.14 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64, in 2011.
That places South Africa 21st out of 177 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 19 years of available data.
New business density in South Africa, year by year
| Year | new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 8.48 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | — |
| 2007 | 9.06 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +6.9% |
| 2008 | 9.03 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 7.84 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -13.2% |
| 2010 | 6.16 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -21.4% |
| 2011 | 5.14 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -16.6% |
| 2012 | 6.89 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +34.0% |
| 2013 | 7.03 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 6.87 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 9.51 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +38.4% |
| 2016 | 9.91 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +4.2% |
| 2017 | 10.44 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +5.4% |
| 2018 | 10.31 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 10.52 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 12.11 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +15.1% |
| 2021 | 11.44 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -5.5% |
| 2022 | 10.34 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -9.6% |
| 2023 | 9.69 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -6.3% |
| 2024 | 11.46 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +18.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 8.6 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 7.84 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 9.06 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 4 |
| 2010s | 8.28 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 5.14 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 10.52 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.01 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 9.69 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 12.11 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 18 Botswana 13.33 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 19 Belize 13.01 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 20 Singapore 11.59 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 22 Portugal 11 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 23 Iceland 10.86 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 24 Bulgaria 10.46 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
More private sector data for South Africa
- Merchandise trade 57.2% (2025)
- Food imports 7.2% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 62.1% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 128.08 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 12.8% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 38.3% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 116.40 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 1,798 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2725 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 5.74 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is new business density in South Africa?
- New business density in South Africa was 11.46 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2024, according to Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest new business density recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 12.11 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2020.
- What is the lowest new business density recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.14 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2011.
- How does South Africa rank for new business density?
- South Africa ranks 21st out of 177 countries with data for 2024.
- Is new business density rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 66.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB), published as part of New business density (new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The number of newly registered firms with limited liability per 1,000 working-age people (ages 15-64) per calendar year.