South Africa2019 Economic Complexity: 0.27, Rank 59 of 157
2019 Product Exports | Imports: $109B | $88.5B, 36 of 225 | 39 of 225
2019 Per Capita Product Exports | Imports: $1.85k | $1.51k, 97 of 219 | 129 of 219
2018 Service Exports | Imports : $14.5B | $15.6B, 27 of 88 | 27 of 88
Overview: In 2019 South Africa was the number 36 economy in the world in terms of GDP (current US$), the number 36 in total exports, the number 39 in total imports, the number 99 economy in terms of GDP per capita (current US$) and the number 59 most complex economy according to the Economic Complexity Index (ECI).
Exports: The top exports of South Africa are Gold ($16.8B), Platinum ($9.62B), Cars ($7.61B), Iron Ore ($6.73B), and Coal Briquettes ($5.05B), exporting mostly to China ($16.7B), United Kingdom ($8.5B), Germany ($8.1B), United States ($6.83B), and India ($6.03B).
In 2019, South Africa was the world's biggest exporter of Platinum ($9.62B), Manganese Ore ($3.16B), Chromium Ore ($1.92B), Titanium Ore ($583M), and Niobium, Tantalum, Vanadium and Zirconium Ore ($480M)
Imports: The top imports of South Africa are Crude Petroleum ($8.93B), Refined Petroleum ($4.25B), Cars ($3.85B), Vehicle Parts ($3.07B), and Gold ($2.7B), importing mostly from China ($16.1B), Germany ($9.85B), United States ($5.44B), India ($4.18B), and Saudi Arabia ($3.69B).
Location: South Africa borders Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini, and Zimbabwe by land.
Overview: In January 2021 South Africa exported ZAR208B and imported ZAR97.8B, resulting in a positive trade balance of ZAR110B. Between January 2020 and January 2021 the exports of South Africa have increased by ZAR110B (112%) from ZAR97.9B to ZAR208B, while imports decreased by ZAR-5.37B (-5.2%) from ZAR103B to ZAR97.8B.
Trade: In January 2021, the top exports of South Africa were Platinum (ZAR37.5B), Iron Ore (ZAR23.8B), Gold (ZAR11.8B), Coal Briquettes (ZAR7.77B), and Delivery Trucks (ZAR7.63B). In January 2021 the top imports of South Africa were Commodities not elsewhere specified (ZAR8.84B), Refined Petroleum (ZAR7.55B), Crude Petroleum (ZAR3.99B), Telephones (ZAR3.59B), and Cars (ZAR2.83B).
Origins: In January 2021 the exports of South Africa were mainly from O.R. Tambo Int Airport (ZAR51.7B), Durban (ZAR25.7B), Saldanha Bay (ZAR24.9B), Richards Bay (ZAR17.6B), and Cape Town (ZAR13B), while imports destinations were mainly Durban (ZAR47.2B), O.R. Tambo Int Airport (ZAR18B), Cape Town (ZAR9.62B), Port Elizabeth (ZAR6.57B), and Johannesburg (ZAR4.1B).
Destinations: In January 2021, South Africa exported mostly to China (ZAR29.6B), United States (ZAR20.5B), Germany (ZAR20B), Japan (ZAR15.6B), and United Kingdom (ZAR12.6B), and imported mostly from China (ZAR20.8B), Germany (ZAR8.54B), United States (ZAR6.41B), India (ZAR6B), and Japan (ZAR3.15B).
Growth: In January 2021, the increase in South Africa's year-by-year exports was explained primarily by an increase in exports to China (ZAR17.7B or 149%), Germany (ZAR13.4B or 202%), and United States (ZAR12.2B or 149%), and product exports increase in Platinum (ZAR23B or 159%), Iron Ore (ZAR14.9B or 167%), and Delivery Trucks (ZAR5.53B or 263%). In January 2021, the decrease in South Africa's year-by-year imports was explained primarily by an decrease in imports from Nigeria (ZAR-5.12B or -77.7%), Germany (ZAR-1.84B or -17.8%), and Ghana (ZAR-1.23B or -99.7%), and product imports decrease in Crude Petroleum (ZAR-6.14B or -60.6%), Cars (ZAR-1.4B or -33%), and Precious Metal Scraps (ZAR-446M or -96.5%).
EXPORT GROWTH (January 2020 - January 2021): ZAR110B, (112%)
IMPORT GROWTH (January 2020 - January 2021): ZAR-5.37B, (-5.2%)
MAIN EXPORTER (January 2021): O.R. Tambo Int Airport, ZAR51.7B
MAIN DESTINATION (January 2021): China, ZAR29.6B
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, destination or origin country to explore the exports or imports behavior of South Africa over time.
This section shows the differences between South Africa's total subnational aggregate trade throughout time. To explore different subnational trade comparisons in time, visit South Africa's subnational profiles.
In 2019, South Africa exported a total of $109B, making it the number 36 exporter in the world. During the last five reported years the exports of South Africa have changed by $5.37B from $103B in 2014 to $109B in 2019.
The most recent exports are led by Gold ($16.8B), Platinum ($9.62B), Cars ($7.61B), Iron Ore ($6.73B), and Coal Briquettes ($5.05B). The most common destination for the exports of South Africa are China ($16.7B), United Kingdom ($8.5B), Germany ($8.1B), United States ($6.83B), and India ($6.03B).
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Top Import (2019): Crude Petroleum, $8.93B
Top Origin (2019): China, $16.1B
In 2019 South Africa imported $88.5B, making it the number 39 trade destination in the world. During the last five reported years the imports of South Africa changed by -$17.9B from $106B in 2014 to $88.5B in 2019.
The most recent imports of South Africa are led by Crude Petroleum ($8.93B), Refined Petroleum ($4.25B), Cars ($3.85B), Vehicle Parts ($3.07B), and Gold ($2.7B). The most common import partners for South Africa are China ($16.1B), Germany ($9.85B), United States ($5.44B), India ($4.18B), and Saudi Arabia ($3.69B).
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Fastest Growing Export Markets (2018 - 2019)
Fastest Growing Import Markets (2018 - 2019)
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South Africa Exports Services (2018): $14.5B
South Africa Imports Services (2018): $15.6B
In 2018, South Africa exported $14.5B worth of services. The top services exported by South Africa in 2018 were Travel ($8.84B), Transportation ($2.18B), Other business services ($2.1B), Computer and information services ($622M), and Government services, n.i.e. ($367M).
The top services imported by South Africa in 2018 were Transportation ($6.73B), Travel ($3.35B), Other business services ($2.08B), Royalties and license fees ($1.79B), and Computer and information services ($1.24B).
The top product import tariffs by their MFN Ad Valorem value for South Africa are Pineapples, otherwise prepared or preserved (55%) and Pineapples, otherwise prepared or preserved (49.5%).
Click any of the products in the bar chart to see the specific Ad Valorem Duty Rates by partner country.
*The tariffs applied to imports for South Africa are:
During the last 20 years South Africa's economy has become relatively less complex, moving from the 37th to the 59th position in the ECI rank.
These economic complexity rankings use 6 digit exports classified according to the HS96 classification. We consider only countries with population of at least 1 million and exports of at least $1 billion, and products with world trade over $500 million. To explore different rankings and vary these parameters visit the custom rankings section.
This section shows exports, imports and economic complexity data at subnational level for South Africa. Click any of the Port in the geomap to visit the specific subnational profile.
South Africa has a high level of specialization in Chromium Ore (119), Manganese Ore (68.9), Granulated Slag (48.2), Niobium, Tantalum, Vanadium and Zirconium Ore (47.8), and Platinum (39.4). Specialization is measured using RCA, an index that takes the ratio between South Africa observed and expected exports in each product.
The highest complexity exports of South Africa according to the product complexity index (PCI) are Rolled stainless steel sheet, width < 600mm (1.43), Hydrides, nitrides, azides, silicides and borides (1.33), Ketones and quinones, their derivatives (1.22), Phenols and phenol-alcohols (1.21), and Rolled stainless steel sheet, width > 600mm (1.18). PCI measures the knowledge intensity of a product by considering the knowledge intensity of its exporters.
The top export opportunities for South Africa according to the relatedness index, are Crude Petroleum (0.28), Uranium and Thorium Ore (0.28), Raw Cotton (0.27), Other Ores (0.27), and Petroleum Gas (0.27). Relatedness measures the distance between a country's current exports and each product. The barchart show only products that South Africa is not specialized in.
The product space is a network connecting products that are likely to be co-exported. The product space can be used to predict future exports, since countries are more likely to start exporting products that are related to current exports. Relatedness measures the distance between a product, and all of the products it is currently specialized in.
The Complexity-Relatedness diagram compares the risk and the strategic value of a country's potential export oppotunities. Relatedness is a predictive of the probability that a country increases its exports in a product. Complexity, is associated with higher levels of income, economic growth, less income inequality, and lower emissions.
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