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2022
Flag → Flag
Exports $404MRnk 44 / 214
2022
Flag → Flag
Top Product $64.7MCitrus
2022
Flag → Flag
Exports $4.5BRnk 21 / 138
2022
Flag → Flag
Top Product $2.07BRefined Petroleum
2022
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Economic Complexity (ECI) ECI 0.076Rnk 59 / 133
2022
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Economic Complexity (ECI) ECI 0.78Rnk 35 / 133
2022
Flag  
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$1.11TCURRENT US$
Rnk 17 / 186
2012-2022
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GDP GROWTH49.4%CURRENT US$
Rnk 62 / 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$30,436CURRENT US$
Rnk 37 / 186
2012-2022
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GDP PC GROWTH26.5%CURRENT US$
Rnk 71 / 186

About

South Africa-Saudi Arabia Trade: In 2022, South Africa exported $404M to Saudi Arabia. The main products that South Africa exported to Saudi Arabia were Citrus ($64.7M), Acyclic Hydrocarbons ($34.8M), and Delivery Trucks ($26.9M). Over the past 5 years the exports of South Africa to Saudi Arabia have decreased at an annualized rate of 13.3%, from $826M in 2017 to $404M in 2022.

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

Saudi Arabia-South Africa Trade: In 2022, Saudi Arabia exported $4.5B to South Africa. The main products that Saudi Arabia exported to South Africa were Refined Petroleum ($2.07B), Crude Petroleum ($1.54B), and Ethylene Polymers ($226M). Over the past 5 years the exports of Saudi Arabia to South Africa have increased at an annualized rate of 2.97%,  from $3.89B in 2017 to $4.5B in 2022.

In 2022, Saudi Arabia 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, Saudi Arabia ranked 35 in the Economic Complexity Index (ECI 0.78), and 23 in total exports ($362B).

Latest Trends

August, 2024

About

Overview In August 2024, South Africa exported ZAR616M and imported ZAR2.82B from Saudi Arabia, resulting in a negative trade balance of ZAR2.2B. Between August 2023 and August 2024 the exports of South Africa have decreased by ZAR-541M (-46.7%) from ZAR1.16B to ZAR616M, while imports decreased by ZAR-1.42B (-33.5%) from ZAR4.24B to ZAR2.82B.

Trade In August 2024, the top exports of South Africa to Saudi Arabia were Acyclic Hydrocarbons (ZAR145M), Coal Briquettes (ZAR130M), Other Pure Vegetable Oils (ZAR32M), Grapes (ZAR28.3M), and Cheese (ZAR24.6M). In August 2024 the top imports of South Africa from Saudi Arabia were Crude Petroleum (ZAR2.85B), Refined Petroleum (ZAR2.12B), Ethylene Polymers (ZAR173M), Alkylbenzenes and Alkylnaphthalenes (ZAR93.5M), and Acyclic Alcohols (ZAR75.2M).

Origins In August 2024 the exports of South Africa were mainly from Cape Town (ZAR210M), Port Elizabeth (ZAR136M), Durban (ZAR120M), O.R. Tambo Int Airport (ZAR58.5M), and Cape Town Int Airport (ZAR34.4M), while imports destinations were mainly Durban (ZAR2.6B), Richards Bay (ZAR109M), Cape Town (ZAR89.8M), Port Elizabeth (ZAR11.6M), and Komatipoort (ZAR2.14M).

Growth In August 2024, the decrease in South Africa's year-by-year exports to Saudi Arabia was explained primarily by an decrease in product exports in Forage Crops (ZAR-7.42M or -24.2%), Iron Cloth (ZAR-7.28M or -92.9%), and Petroleum Jelly (ZAR-6.07M or -88.6%). In August 2024, the decrease in South Africa's year-by-year imports  from Saudi Arabia was explained primarily by an decrease in product imports  in Ethylene Polymers (ZAR-121M or -41.2%), Propylene Polymers (ZAR-52.9M or -85.7%), and Cyclic Hydrocarbons (ZAR-36.1M or -53.7%).

Latest Trade

Time Scale
Flow
Value
Depth
EXPORT GROWTH (August 2023 - August 2024)ZAR-541M(-46.7%)
IMPORT GROWTH (August 2023 - August 2024)ZAR-1.42B(-33.5%)
MAIN EXPORTER (August 2024)Cape TownZAR210M

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 Saudi Arabia and South Africa trade dynamics, check the bilateral page.

For full datasets download visit Bulk Download page.

Explore Saudi Arabia and South Africa Data

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Historical Data

Bilateral Trade by Products

Depth
Value

In 2022, South Africa exported $404M to Saudi Arabia. The main products exported from South Africa to Saudi Arabia were Citrus ($64.7M), Acyclic Hydrocarbons ($34.8M), and Delivery Trucks ($26.9M). During the last 5 years the exports of South Africa to Saudi Arabia have decreased at an annualized rate of 13.3%, from $826M in 2017 to $404M in 2022.

In 2017, Saudi Arabia exported $4.5B to South Africa. The main products exported from Saudi Arabia to South Africa were Refined Petroleum ($2.07B), Crude Petroleum ($1.54B), and Ethylene Polymers ($226M). During the last 5 years the exports of Saudi Arabia to South Africa have increased at an annualized rate of 2.97%, from $3.89B in 2022 to $4.5B in 2017.

Exports from South Africa (Flag) to Saudi Arabia (Flag) (2022)

Exports from Saudi Arabia (Flag) to South Africa (Flag) (2022)

Market Competitiveness

Color
South Africa
Top DestinationChina$23.4B
Saudi Arabia
Top DestinationChina$68B

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

In 2022, countries that imported more from South Africa than Saudi Arabia included Germany ($9.96B), Switzerland ($6.43B), and Mozambique ($5.43B).

In 2022, countries that imported more from Saudi Arabia than South Africa included China ($68B), India ($46.2B), and South Korea ($36B).

Difference in imports from Saudi Arabia (Flag) and South Africa (Flag) (2022)

Comparative Advantage South Africa - Saudi Arabia

Flow
Scale

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

During 2022, South Africa had a large net trade with Saudi Arabia in the exports of Vegetable Products ($119M), Chemical Products ($59.1M), and Transportation ($55.1M).

During 2017, Saudi Arabia had a large net trade with South Africa in the exports of Mineral Products ($3.64B), Chemical Products ($508M), and Plastics and Rubbers ($307M).

Potential Exports

Potential Exports

Depth
View
Sort By
Top Product Potential South Africa Saudi Arabia+$48.6MCars
Top Product Potential Saudi Arabia South Africa+$114MCrude Petroleum

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 Saudi Arabia. This means that a dot/product with the flag of South Africa indicates it has a comparative advantage over Saudi Arabia. Similarly, a dot/product with the flag of Saudi Arabia indicates it has a comparative advantage over South Africa.

Product Space of South Africa (Flag) and Saudi Arabia (Flag) (2022)

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