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)
Overview: In December 2020 South Africa exported ZAR120B and imported ZAR93.8B, resulting in a positive trade balance of ZAR26.3B. Between December 2019 and December 2020 the exports of South Africa have increased by ZAR20.5B (20.6%) from ZAR99.6B to ZAR120B, while imports increased by ZAR5.42B (6.13%) from ZAR88.4B to ZAR93.8B.
Growth: In December 2020, the increase in South Africa's year-by-year exports was explained primarily by an increase in exports to China (ZAR4.72B or 41.5%), Germany (ZAR3.2B or 43.8%), and Netherlands (ZAR2B or 67.2%), and product exports increase in Iron Ore (ZAR5.06B or 66.5%), Cars (ZAR2.28B or 63.4%), and Reaction and Catalytic Products (ZAR1.82B or 408%). In December 2020, the increase in South Africa's year-by-year imports was explained primarily by an increase in imports from China (ZAR6.46B or 43.2%), Oman (ZAR1.28B or 2.24k%), and Thailand (ZAR1.22B or 61.5%), and product imports increase in Commodities not elsewhere specified (ZAR2.23B or 64.6%), Refined Petroleum (ZAR1.71B or 43.5%), and Electric Motors (ZAR960M or 520%).
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.
*Disclaimer:South Africa is part of the Southern Africa Custom Union (SACU), a custom union among five countries of Southern Africa: Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho, Namibia, and South Africa. As part of SACU and given that some countries do not report particular trade with South Africa, the reported data has been gather under the Southern Africa Custom Union single entity, based on the BACI's methodology. The following visualizations shows trade data at Southern Africa Custom Union level.
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.
*Disclaimer:South Africa is part of the Southern Africa Custom Union (SACU), a custom union among five countries of Southern Africa: Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho, Namibia, and South Africa. As part of SACU and given that some countries do not report particular trade with South Africa, the reported data has been gather under the Southern Africa Custom Union single entity, based on the BACI's methodology. The following visualizations shows trade data at Southern Africa Custom Union level.
*Disclaimer:South Africa is part of the Southern Africa Custom Union (SACU), a custom union among five countries of Southern Africa: Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho, Namibia, and South Africa. As part of SACU and given that some countries do not report particular trade with South Africa, the reported data has been gather under the Southern Africa Custom Union single entity, based on the BACI's methodology. The following visualizations shows trade data at Southern Africa Custom Union level.
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 tariffs applied to imports for South Africa are:136: Most Favoured Nation duty rate treatement163: Preferential tariff for Argentina173: Preferential tariff for Brazil217: Preferential tariff for European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries219: Preferential tariff for European Union countries (AA) Association Agreement288: Preferential tariff for Paraguay330: Preferential tariff for Uruguay347: Regional Preferential tariff for SADC countries371: Southern African Customs Union rate
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.
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.