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2022
Flag → Flag
Exports $1.46BRnk 23 / 214
2022
Flag → Flag
Top Product $220MRefined Petroleum
2022
Flag → Flag
Exports $434MRnk 1 / 107
2022
Flag → Flag
Top Product $62MWater
2022
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Economic Complexity (ECI) ECI 0.076Rnk 59 / 133
2022
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GDP$406BCURRENT US$
Rnk 37 / 186
2012-2022
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GDP GROWTH-6.57%CURRENT US$
Rnk 171 / 186
2022
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 GDP$2.55BCURRENT US$
Rnk 163 / 186
2012-2022
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GDP GROWTH3.06%CURRENT US$
Rnk 158 / 186
2022
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GDP PC $6,776CURRENT US$
Rnk 95 / 186
2012-2022
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GDP PC GROWTH-17.1%CURRENT US$
Rnk 167 / 186
2022
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GDP PC$1,107CURRENT US$
Rnk 164 / 186
2012-2022
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GDP PC GROWTH-8.17%CURRENT US$
Rnk 160 / 186

About

South Africa-Lesotho Trade: In 2022, South Africa exported $1.46B to Lesotho. The main products that South Africa exported to Lesotho were Refined Petroleum ($220M), Electricity ($43.8M), and Poultry Meat ($37.7M). Over the past 5 years the exports of South Africa to Lesotho have increased at an annualized rate of 3.12%, from $1.25B in 2017 to $1.46B in 2022.

In 2022, South Africa did not export any services to Lesotho.

Lesotho-South Africa Trade: In 2022, Lesotho exported $434M to South Africa. The main products that Lesotho exported to South Africa were Water ($62M), Non-Knit Men's Suits ($44.3M), and Wool ($36.2M). Over the past 5 years the exports of Lesotho to South Africa have increased at an annualized rate of 1.3%,  from $402M in 2017 to $434M in 2022.

In 2022, Lesotho did not export any services to South Africa.

Comparison In 2022,  South Africa ranked 59 in the Economic Complexity Index (ECI 0.076),  and 34 in total exports ($147B). That same year, Lesotho ranked 158 in total exports ($1.16B), and does not have data regarding Economic Complexity Index.

Latest Trends

August, 2024

About

Overview In August 2024, South Africa exported ZAR2.09B and imported ZAR531M from Lesotho, resulting in a positive trade balance of ZAR1.56B. Between August 2023 and August 2024 the exports of South Africa have decreased by ZAR-14.7M (-0.7%) from ZAR2.11B to ZAR2.09B, while imports increased by ZAR62.6M (13.4%) from ZAR468M to ZAR531M.

Trade In August 2024, the top exports of South Africa to Lesotho were Refined Petroleum (ZAR269M), Poultry Meat (ZAR49.2M), Cereal Meal and Pellets (ZAR48.6M), Delivery Trucks (ZAR39.7M), and Electricity (ZAR38.1M). In August 2024 the top imports of South Africa from Lesotho were Wool (ZAR89.4M), Non-Knit Men's Suits (ZAR59.7M), Low-voltage Protection Equipment (ZAR32.8M), Non-Knit Women's Suits (ZAR28.3M), and Bedspreads (ZAR27.4M).

Origins In August 2024 the exports of South Africa were mainly from Maseru Bridge (ZAR1.18B), Ficksburg Bridge (ZAR374M), Caledonspoort (ZAR267M), Johannesburg (ZAR182M), and Van Rooyenshek (ZAR85.7M), while imports destinations were mainly Ficksburg Bridge (ZAR271M), Maseru Bridge (ZAR259M), Cape Town Int Airport (ZAR631k), Johannesburg (ZAR130k), and Qachasnek (ZAR46.7k).

Growth In August 2024, the decrease in South Africa's year-by-year exports to Lesotho was explained primarily by an decrease in product exports in Wheat (ZAR-89.9M or -91.4%), Electrical Power Accessories (ZAR-21.7M or -42.4%), and Light Pure Woven Cotton (ZAR-20.4M or -83.3%). In August 2024, the increase in South Africa's year-by-year imports  from Lesotho was explained primarily by an increase in product imports  in Non-Knit Men's Suits (ZAR23.2M or 63.3%), Non-Knit Women's Suits (ZAR12.8M or 82.7%), and Non-fillet Fresh Fish (ZAR5M or 223%).

Latest Trade

Time Scale
Flow
Value
Depth
EXPORT GROWTH (August 2023 - August 2024)ZAR-14.7M(-0.7%)
IMPORT GROWTH (August 2023 - August 2024)ZAR62.6M(13.4%)
MAIN EXPORTER (August 2024)Maseru BridgeZAR1.18B

This section shows exports and imports data at subnational level for South Africa. Click any date in the line plot, any subnational region in the geomap or any product to explore the exports or imports behavior of South Africa over time.

To check Lesotho and South Africa trade dynamics, check the bilateral page.

For full datasets download visit Bulk Download page.

Explore Lesotho and South Africa Data

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Historical Data

Bilateral Trade by Products

Depth
Value

In 2022, South Africa exported $1.46B to Lesotho. The main products exported from South Africa to Lesotho were Refined Petroleum ($220M), Electricity ($43.8M), and Poultry Meat ($37.7M). During the last 5 years the exports of South Africa to Lesotho have increased at an annualized rate of 3.12%, from $1.25B in 2017 to $1.46B in 2022.

In 2017, Lesotho exported $434M to South Africa. The main products exported from Lesotho to South Africa were Water ($62M), Non-Knit Men's Suits ($44.3M), and Wool ($36.2M). During the last 5 years the exports of Lesotho to South Africa have increased at an annualized rate of 1.3%, from $402M in 2022 to $434M in 2017.

Exports from South Africa (Flag) to Lesotho (Flag) (2022)

Exports from Lesotho (Flag) to South Africa (Flag) (2022)

Market Competitiveness

Color
South Africa
Top DestinationChina$23.4B
Lesotho
Top DestinationSouth Africa$434M

This map shows whether countries import more from South Africa or Lesotho. Each country is colored based on the difference in imports they receive from South Africa and Lesotho or the difference in the growth in imports.

In 2022, countries that imported more from South Africa than Lesotho included China ($23.4B), United States ($10.9B), and Germany ($9.96B).

In 2022, no countries were registered that imported more from Lesotho than from South Africa.

Difference in imports from Lesotho (Flag) and South Africa (Flag) (2022)

Comparative Advantage South Africa - Lesotho

Flow
Scale

This chart compares trade between South Africa and Lesotho by product, considering products traded by both, South Africa and Lesotho.

During 2022, South Africa had a large net trade with Lesotho in the exports of Mineral Products ($318M), Foodstuffs ($186M), and Vegetable Products ($169M).

During 2017, Lesotho had a large net trade with South Africa in the exports of Textiles ($253M), Foodstuffs ($67.7M), and Machines ($55.7M).

Potential Exports

Potential Exports

Depth
View
Sort By
Top Product Potential South Africa Lesotho+$1.98MCars
Top Product Potential Lesotho South Africa+$5.44MKnit Women's Suits

We estimate the export potential of an economy for each product and destination using an extension of the bilateral relatedness model of Jun et al. (2019).This extended gravity model considers similarities among products and geographies and explains more than 50% of the variance in future trade flows.

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Economic Complexity

Competitive Landscape

This visualization shows the product space at the HS4 level with the flags of South Africa and Lesotho. This means that a dot/product with the flag of South Africa indicates it has a comparative advantage over Lesotho. Similarly, a dot/product with the flag of Lesotho indicates it has a comparative advantage over South Africa.

Product Space of South Africa (Flag) and Lesotho (Flag) (2022)

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