Zambia2020 Economic Complexity : -0.71, Rank 92 of 127
2020 Product Exports | Imports: $11B | $5.77B, 85 of 226 | 123 of 226
2020 Per Capita Product Exports | Imports: $596 | $314, 156 of 219 | 187 of 219
2017 Service Exports | Imports : $855M | $574M, 111 of 145 | 117 of 145
Overview In 2020 Zambia was the number 114 economy in the world in terms of GDP (current US$), the number 85 in total exports, the number 123 in total imports, the number 172 economy in terms of GDP per capita (current US$) and the number 92 most complex economy according to the Economic Complexity Index (ECI).
Exports The top exports of Zambia are Raw Copper ($5.77B), Refined Copper ($2.03B), Gold ($757M), Copper Ore ($195M), and Raw Tobacco ($185M), exporting mostly to Switzerland ($3.46B), China ($1.53B), Namibia ($1.35B), Democratic Republic of the Congo ($952M), and Singapore ($913M).
In 2020, Zambia was the world's biggest exporter of Raw Copper ($5.77B)
Imports The top imports of Zambia are Refined Copper ($290M), Refined Petroleum ($216M), Crude Petroleum ($205M), Nitrogenous Fertilizers ($170M), and Mixed Mineral or Chemical Fertilizers ($153M), importing mostly from South Africa ($1.77B), China ($916M), United Arab Emirates ($505M), Democratic Republic of the Congo ($372M), and India ($303M).
Location Zambia borders Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe by land.
The following section uses the most recent trade data from partners of Zambia.
Disclaimer: data is presented based on availability and only countries that use the harmonized system are being shown.
*All data is converted to USD using January 2020 exchange rates when data is reported in local currency.
Data is presented based on data availability. Only countries using the Harmonic System (HS) are selected. Every source is shown using their own latest twelve months of data.
*All data is converted to USD using January 2020 exchange rates when data is reported in local currency.
Top Export (2020): Raw Copper, $5.77B
Top Destination (2020): Switzerland, $3.46B
In 2020, Zambia exported a total of $11B, making it the number 85 exporter in the world. During the last five reported years the exports of Zambia have changed by $804M from $10.2B in 2015 to $11B in 2020.
The most recent exports are led by Raw Copper ($5.77B), Refined Copper ($2.03B), Gold ($757M), Copper Ore ($195M), and Raw Tobacco ($185M). The most common destination for the exports of Zambia are Switzerland ($3.46B), China ($1.53B), Namibia ($1.35B), Democratic Republic of the Congo ($952M), and Singapore ($913M).
Top Import (2020): Refined Copper, $290M
Top Origin (2020): South Africa, $1.77B
In 2020 Zambia imported $5.77B, making it the number 123 trade destination in the world. During the last five reported years the imports of Zambia changed by -$1.59B from $7.37B in 2015 to $5.77B in 2020.
The most recent imports of Zambia are led by Refined Copper ($290M), Refined Petroleum ($216M), Crude Petroleum ($205M), Nitrogenous Fertilizers ($170M), and Mixed Mineral or Chemical Fertilizers ($153M). The most common import partners for Zambia are South Africa ($1.77B), China ($916M), United Arab Emirates ($505M), Democratic Republic of the Congo ($372M), and India ($303M).
Fastest Growing Export Markets (2019 - 2020)
Fastest Growing Import Markets (2019 - 2020)
Zambia Exports Services (2017): $855M
Zambia Imports Services (2017): $574M
In 2017, Zambia exported $855M worth of services. The top services exported by Zambia in 2017 were Business travel ($370M), Personal travel ($283M), Reinsurance ($75.4M), Transportation ($48.8M), and Telecommunications services ($37M).
The top services imported by Zambia in 2017 were Business travel ($156M), Reinsurance ($79.6M), Personal travel ($67M), Government services, n.i.e. ($58.2M), and Miscellaneous business, professional, and technical services ($56.9M).
The top product import tariffs by their MFN Ad Valorem value for Zambia are Articles of agglomerated cork (40%)and Bedroom furniture, wooden, nes (40%).
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 Zambia are:
Zambia has a high level of specialization in Raw Copper (612), Sulfuric Acid (128), Quicklime (104), Precious Stones (48.2), and Refined Copper (43.2). Specialization is measured using RCA, an index that takes the ratio between Zambia observed and expected exports in each product.
The highest complexity exports of Zambia according to the product complexity index (PCI) are Articles of stone or other mineral substances, nes (0.85), Paints and varnishes nes, water pigments for leather (0.41), Organic surface active agent, preparation, except soap (0.012), Sulphuric acid, oleum (-0.11), and Zinc oxide and peroxide (-0.21). PCI measures the knowledge intensity of a product by considering the knowledge intensity of its exporters.
The top export opportunities for Zambia according to the relatedness index, are Niobium, Tantalum, Vanadium and Zirconium Ore (0.12), Cocoa Beans (0.11), Tropical Fruits (0.11), Other Oily Seeds (0.11), and Tin Ores (0.11). Relatedness measures the distance between a country's current exports and each product. The barchart show only products that Zambia 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 a country currently specializes in.
The Complexity-Relatedness diagram compares the risk vs strategic value of a country's potential export oppotunities. Relatedness is 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 greenhouse emissions.
During the last 16 years Zambia's economy has become relatively less complex, moving from the 90th to the 92nd 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.
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