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2023
Economic Complexity
Trade 0.07Rank 59 of 132
2021
Economic Complexity
Technology 0.93Rank 24 of 96
2022
Economic Complexity
Research 1.2Rank 22 of 140
2023
Product
Exports | Imports $154B | $103B34 of 226 |  40 of 226
2023
Per Capita Product
Exports | Imports $2.43k | $1.63k89 of 220 |  136 of 220

About

Overview In 2023, South Africa was the number 40 economy in the world in terms of GDP (current US$), the number 34 in total exports, the number 40 in total imports, the number 113 economy in terms of GDP per capita (current US$) and the number 59 most complex economy according to the Economic Complexity Index (ECI) .

Exports The top exports of South Africa are Gold ($25.9B), Platinum ($16.2B), Coal Briquettes ($9.84B), Cars ($9.46B), and Iron Ore ($6.93B), exporting mostly to China ($29.5B), United States ($13B), Germany ($10.8B), India ($10.8B), and United Kingdom ($9.01B).

In 2023, South Africa was the world's biggest exporter of Platinum ($16.2B), Chromium Ore ($6.29B), Manganese Ore ($2.9B), Niobium, Tantalum, Vanadium and Zirconium Ore ($579M), and Titanium Ore ($546M)

Imports The top imports of South Africa are Refined Petroleum ($15.4B), Crude Petroleum ($4.67B), Gold ($4.54B), Cars ($4.15B), and Broadcasting Equipment ($2.98B), importing mostly from China ($22.2B), India ($7.43B), United States ($6.85B), Germany ($6.15B), and United Arab Emirates ($4.24B).

Location South Africa borders Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini, and Zimbabwe by land.

Latest Trends

November, 2024

About

Overview In November 2024 South Africa exported ZAR171B and imported ZAR146B, resulting in a positive trade balance of ZAR25.1B. Between November 2023 and November 2024 the exports of South Africa have decreased by ZAR-6.5B (-3.66%) from ZAR178B to ZAR171B, while imports decreased by ZAR-18.6B (-11.3%) from ZAR165B to ZAR146B.

Trade In November 2024, the top exports of South Africa were Platinum (ZAR18.4B), Gold (ZAR14.5B), Delivery Trucks (ZAR11.4B), Coal Briquettes (ZAR10.9B), and Cars (ZAR10.9B). In November 2024 the top imports of South Africa were Refined Petroleum (ZAR15.2B), Commodities not elsewhere specified (ZAR8.48B), Cars (ZAR6.5B), Crude Petroleum (ZAR5.75B), and Telephones (ZAR5.14B).

Origins In November 2024 the exports of South Africa were mainly from O.R. Tambo Int Airport (ZAR27.3B), Durban (ZAR22.3B), Richards Bay (ZAR18.6B), Sa Reserwebank (ZAR14.5B), and Saldanha Bay (ZAR10.8B), while imports destinations were mainly Durban (ZAR74.7B), O.R. Tambo Int Airport (ZAR25.7B), Cape Town (ZAR13.6B), Port Elizabeth (ZAR11.8B), and Richards Bay (ZAR3.76B).

Destinations In November 2024, South Africa exported mostly to China (ZAR18.5B), Germany (ZAR14.9B), Special Categories (ZAR14.7B), United States (ZAR13.2B), and Japan (ZAR9.29B), and imported mostly from China (ZAR34.3B), India (ZAR13B), United States (ZAR11.3B), Germany (ZAR8.53B), and Thailand (ZAR5.73B).

Growth In November 2024, the decrease in South Africa's year-by-year exports was explained primarily by an decrease in exports to Netherlands (ZAR-2.15B or -33.5%), Malaysia (ZAR-1.49B or -86.4%), and Bangladesh (ZAR-1.35B or -91.7%), and product exports decrease in Iron Ore (ZAR-3.4B or -27.9%), Ferroalloys (ZAR-1.85B or -25.1%), and Nitrites and Nitrates (ZAR-1.57B or -99.5%). In November 2024, the decrease in South Africa's year-by-year imports was explained primarily by an decrease in imports from Saudi Arabia (ZAR-4.24B or -62.5%), Germany (ZAR-4.24B or -33.2%), and United States (ZAR-3.96B or -25.9%), and product imports decrease in Refined Petroleum (ZAR-8.69B or -36.4%), Crude Petroleum (ZAR-4.8B or -45.5%), and Commodities not elsewhere specified (ZAR-4.52B or -34.8%).

Latest Trade

Time Scale
Flow
Color
Depth
EXPORT GROWTH (November 2023 - November 2024)ZAR-6.5B(-3.66%)
IMPORT GROWTH (November 2023 - November 2024)ZAR-18.6B(-11.3%)
MAIN EXPORTER (November 2024)O.R. Tambo Int AirportZAR27.3B
MAIN DESTINATION (November 2024)ChinaZAR18.5B

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.

For full datasets download visit Bulk Download page.

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Historical Data

Yearly Trade

Flow
Color
Depth
Top Export (2023)Gold$25.9B
Top Destination (2023)China$29.5B

In 2023, South Africa exported a total of $154B, making it the number 34 exporter in the world. During the last five reported years the exports of South Africa have changed by $27B from $127B in 2018 to $154B in 2023.

The most recent exports are led by Gold ($25.9B), Platinum ($16.2B), Coal Briquettes ($9.84B), Cars ($9.46B), and Iron Ore ($6.93B). The most common destination for the exports of South Africa are China ($29.5B), United States ($13B), Germany ($10.8B), India ($10.8B), and United Kingdom ($9.01B).

Explore Visualizations

*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.

Exports (2023)
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Destinations (2023)
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Market Growth

Flow
View
Growth
Fastest Growing Export Markets (2022 - 2023)
Mozambique$1.7B (+ 38.4%)
United Kingdom$1.35B (+ 17.6%)
Hong Kong$1.1B (+ 58.1%)
Fastest Growing Import Markets (2022 - 2023)
United States$855M (+ 14.3%)
Bahrain$626M (+ 70.1%)
Thailand$300M (+ 17.6%)

*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.

Total Export Growth by Market (2022 - 2023)

Potential Exports

Potential Exports

Type
Flow
Depth
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Service Trade

Service Trade

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).

Service Exports (2018)

Service Imports (2018)

Economic Complexity

Overview

Economic Complexity (Trade)0.07Rank 59 of 132
Economic Complexity (Technology)0.93Rank 24 of 96
Economic Complexity (Research)1.2Rank 22 of 140

Most Specialized Products by RCA Index

South Africa has a high level of specialization in Chromium Ore (122), Manganese Ore (64.8), Platinum (48.6), Niobium, Tantalum, Vanadium and Zirconium Ore (35.7), and Titanium Ore (25.8). Specialization is measured using RCA, an index that takes the ratio between South Africa observed and expected exports in each product.

Export Opportunities by Relatedness

The top export opportunities for South Africa according to the relatedness index, were Aluminium Ore (0.26), Crude Petroleum (0.24), Raw Cotton (0.24), Copper Ore (0.23), and Other Oily Seeds (0.22). 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.

Product Space

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.

Relatedness Space

This network shows the products most related to the production structure of South Africa. These are products that tend to be co-exported with the products that South Africa exports. Higher relatedness values ​​indicate greater knowledge, which predicts a greater probability of exporting that product in the future.

Relatedness Space (2023)

Diversification Frontier

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Depth

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.

Diversification Frontier

Economic Complexity Ranking

Methodology
Scale

During the last 20 years South Africa's⁩ ⁨economy has become relatively less complex, moving from the ⁩⁨34th 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.

Explore Rankings

ECI (Trade) Ranking by Country

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