Summary
- Exports
- $156.1billion
- Imports
- $99.7billion
- Trade balance
- +$56.4billion
Products
What it exports
Gold (18.6%) and platinum (10.9%) together make up 29.5% of its exports.
What it imports
Refined petroleum (12.3%) and crude petroleum (5.2%) together make up 17.5% of its imports.
By Harmonized System chapter (96)
| Chapter | Exports | Imports |
|---|---|---|
| 71 · Gems and precious metals | $54.3 billion | $4.4 billion |
| 26 · Ores and slag | $21.8 billion | $124 million |
| 87 · Vehicles | $15.7 billion | $8 billion |
| 27 · Oil, gas and coal | $10.9 billion | $19.7 billion |
| 72 · Iron and steel | $7.1 billion | $1.7 billion |
| 08 · Fruit and nuts | $6 billion | $203 million |
| 84 · Mechanical machinery | $5.5 billion | $13.9 billion |
| 76 · Aluminum | $2.8 billion | $661 million |
| 85 · Electrical and electronic equipment | $2.2 billion | $10.2 billion |
| 39 · Plastics | $1.6 billion | $3.3 billion |
| 22 · Beverages and spirits | $1.5 billion | $716 million |
| 29 · Organic chemicals | $1.4 billion | $1.5 billion |
| 74 · Copper | $1.3 billion | $837 million |
| 10 · Cereals | $1.3 billion | $1.4 billion |
| 28 · Inorganic chemicals | $1.3 billion | $1.7 billion |
| 73 · Iron and steel products | $1.3 billion | $1.3 billion |
| 47 · Wood pulp | $1.1 billion | $155 million |
| 25 · Salt, stone and cement | $1 billion | $276 million |
| 38 · Miscellaneous chemicals | $855 million | $1.7 billion |
| 20 · Preserved fruit and vegetables | $853 million | $355 million |
| 48 · Paper and paperboard | $798 million | $1.2 billion |
| 33 · Perfumes and cosmetics | $789 million | $1.2 billion |
| 75 · Nickel | $679 million | $1 billion |
| 44 · Wood | $653 million | $404 million |
| 17 · Sugar and sweets | $634 million | $502 million |
| 15 · Fats and oils | $628 million | $892 million |
| 21 · Food preparations | $615 million | $443 million |
| 30 · Pharmaceuticals | $601 million | $2.5 billion |
| 31 · Fertilizers | $585 million | $918 million |
| 90 · Precision and medical instruments | $580 million | $2.5 billion |
| 40 · Rubber | $524 million | $1.4 billion |
| 03 · Fish and seafood | $490 million | $296 million |
| 34 · Soap and cleaning products | $487 million | $358 million |
| 12 · Oilseeds and grains | $480 million | $179 million |
| 23 · Animal feed and food waste | $402 million | $317 million |
| 02 · Meat and offal | $397 million | $449 million |
| 32 · Dyes, paints and tanning agents | $395 million | $531 million |
| 11 · Milling products and malt | $355 million | $174 million |
| 51 · Wool | $354 million | $58 million |
| 94 · Furniture and lighting | $349 million | $854 million |
| 19 · Baked goods and cereal products | $343 million | $306 million |
| 89 · Ships and boats | $316 million | $122 million |
| 88 · Aircraft and spacecraft | $311 million | $668 million |
| 04 · Dairy, eggs and honey | $267 million | $147 million |
| 07 · Vegetables | $236 million | $146 million |
| 61 · Knitted clothing | $211 million | $1 billion |
| 41 · Hides and leather | $211 million | $61 million |
| 82 · Tools and cutlery | $195 million | $458 million |
| 70 · Glass | $180 million | $286 million |
| 62 · Woven clothing | $179 million | $983 million |
| 36 · Explosives and matches | $179 million | $88 million |
| 63 · Home textiles and used clothing | $163 million | $257 million |
| 68 · Stone, plaster and cement articles | $158 million | $232 million |
| 64 · Footwear | $152 million | $977 million |
| 24 · Tobacco | $151 million | $224 million |
| 09 · Coffee, tea and spices | $149 million | $277 million |
| 81 · Other base metals | $143 million | $54 million |
| 83 · Miscellaneous metal goods | $142 million | $344 million |
| 69 · Ceramics | $140 million | $395 million |
| 16 · Prepared meat and fish | $124 million | $155 million |
| 06 · Live plants and flowers | $119 million | $19 million |
| 86 · Railway equipment | $116 million | $136 million |
| 35 · Glues, starches and enzymes | $101 million | $325 million |
| 49 · Books and printed matter | $100 million | $141 million |
| 55 · Synthetic staple fibers | $95 million | $257 million |
| 97 · Art and antiques | $89 million | $15 million |
| 18 · Cocoa and chocolate | $85 million | $222 million |
| 93 · Weapons and ammunition | $73 million | $78 million |
| 52 · Cotton | $69 million | $169 million |
| 42 · Leather goods and bags | $66 million | $274 million |
| 01 · Live animals | $66 million | $187 million |
| 96 · Other manufactured goods | $64 million | $186 million |
| 95 · Toys and sports gear | $56 million | $434 million |
| 78 · Lead | $52 million | $15 million |
| 56 · Felt, nonwovens and rope | $51 million | $130 million |
| 54 · Synthetic filaments | $44 million | $287 million |
| 59 · Coated and technical textiles | $34 million | $166 million |
| 67 · Feathers and artificial flowers | $34 million | $199 million |
| 57 · Carpets and rugs | $30 million | $48 million |
| 60 · Knitted fabric | $30 million | $296 million |
| 05 · Other animal products | $27 million | $147 million |
| 58 · Special fabrics and lace | $23 million | $44 million |
| 13 · Gums and plant extracts | $20 million | $42 million |
| 65 · Hats | $18 million | $80 million |
| 14 · Other plant products | $14 million | $3 million |
| 91 · Watches and clocks | $12 million | $125 million |
| 37 · Photographic goods | $12 million | $37 million |
| 79 · Zinc | $9 million | $154 million |
| 53 · Other plant fibers | $7 million | $29 million |
| 66 · Umbrellas and canes | $6 million | $9 million |
| 92 · Musical instruments | $5 million | $15 million |
| 46 · Wicker and basketware | $4 million | $5 million |
| 50 · Silk | $3 million | $4 million |
| 43 · Fur and fur goods | $3 million | $1 million |
| 80 · Tin | $2 million | $14 million |
| 45 · Cork | $1 million | $14 million |
Trading partners
China is its main destination (18.4% of exports) and source (22.2% of imports).
Who it sells to
| Partner | Value (USD billions) | Share | Mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 28.7 | 18.4% | Sea |
| United States | 14.4 | 9.2% | Air |
| United Kingdom | 12.8 | 8.2% | Air |
| India | 12.1 | 7.7% | Air |
| Germany | 9.3 | 5.9% | Sea |
| Mozambique | 6.5 | 4.1% | Sea |
| Japan | 6.2 | 4% | Air |
| Botswana | 4.3 | 2.8% | Land |
| Zimbabwe | 3.8 | 2.4% | Land |
| Namibia | 3.4 | 2.2% | Land |
Who it buys from
| Partner | Value (USD billions) | Share | Mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 22.1 | 22.2% | Sea |
| India | 7.3 | 7.4% | Sea |
| Germany | 6 | 6.1% | Sea |
| United States | 6 | 6% | Sea |
| Oman | 3 | 3% | Sea |
| United Arab Emirates | 3 | 3% | Sea |
| Nigeria | 2.5 | 2.6% | Sea |
| Saudi Arabia | 2.5 | 2.5% | Sea |
| Thailand | 2.5 | 2.5% | Sea |
| Italy | 2.4 | 2.4% | Sea |
Overview 1995–2024
In 2024, South Africa accounted for 0.68% of world exports, compared with 0.54% in 1995.
Exports and imports
Exports grew 5.7-fold since 1995
USD billions (current). Bars: trade balance (green surplus, red deficit).
- Exports 156
- Imports 99.7
- Balance +56.4
Source: CEPII BACI
Show the numbers
| Year | Exports | Imports | Trade balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | $27.4 billion | $27.5 billion | -$143 million |
| 1996 | $31 billion | $26.4 billion | $4.6 billion |
| 1997 | $33 billion | $24.4 billion | $8.5 billion |
| 1998 | $31.5 billion | $24.4 billion | $7.1 billion |
| 1999 | $34.9 billion | $24.3 billion | $10.6 billion |
| 2000 | $40.3 billion | $27.8 billion | $12.5 billion |
| 2001 | $40.8 billion | $26 billion | $14.9 billion |
| 2002 | $43.4 billion | $26.4 billion | $17 billion |
| 2003 | $50.8 billion | $34.3 billion | $16.5 billion |
| 2004 | $62.5 billion | $48.2 billion | $14.3 billion |
| 2005 | $70 billion | $56.5 billion | $13.6 billion |
| 2006 | $76.3 billion | $70.5 billion | $5.8 billion |
| 2007 | $93.4 billion | $81.8 billion | $11.6 billion |
| 2008 | $110.7 billion | $91.6 billion | $19.1 billion |
| 2009 | $86 billion | $69.8 billion | $16.2 billion |
| 2010 | $100.4 billion | $89.1 billion | $11.3 billion |
| 2011 | $124.4 billion | $111.2 billion | $13.2 billion |
| 2012 | $114.7 billion | $115.2 billion | -$511 million |
| 2013 | $115.2 billion | $108.5 billion | $6.7 billion |
| 2014 | $114.1 billion | $103.2 billion | $10.9 billion |
| 2015 | $122 billion | $84.4 billion | $37.5 billion |
| 2016 | $107 billion | $76.7 billion | $30.2 billion |
| 2017 | $117.5 billion | $85.2 billion | $32.3 billion |
| 2018 | $127.8 billion | $92.4 billion | $35.4 billion |
| 2019 | $119.8 billion | $87.9 billion | $31.9 billion |
| 2020 | $111.6 billion | $70.8 billion | $40.8 billion |
| 2021 | $152.5 billion | $94.9 billion | $57.6 billion |
| 2022 | $165.7 billion | $111.5 billion | $54.2 billion |
| 2023 | $156.6 billion | $106.2 billion | $50.4 billion |
| 2024 | $156.1 billion | $99.7 billion | $56.4 billion |
World rank
South Africa fell from 32nd to 34th among the world's exporters
Rank among 222 countries by export value (1st at the top).
- 32nd in 1995
- 34th in 2024
Source: CEPII BACI
Show the numbers
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 32nd |
| 1996 | 32nd |
| 1997 | 32nd |
| 1998 | 33rd |
| 1999 | 33rd |
| 2000 | 33rd |
| 2001 | 33rd |
| 2002 | 33rd |
| 2003 | 36th |
| 2004 | 34th |
| 2005 | 35th |
| 2006 | 36th |
| 2007 | 34th |
| 2008 | 33rd |
| 2009 | 33rd |
| 2010 | 33rd |
| 2011 | 35th |
| 2012 | 38th |
| 2013 | 36th |
| 2014 | 36th |
| 2015 | 33rd |
| 2016 | 34th |
| 2017 | 33rd |
| 2018 | 34th |
| 2019 | 33rd |
| 2020 | 35th |
| 2021 | 34th |
| 2022 | 34th |
| 2023 | 34th |
| 2024 | 34th |
What it sells
Its top export group is still gems and precious metals: 35% in 2024
% of exports by Harmonized System chapter.
- Other 20%
- Aluminum 2%
- Mechanical machinery 4%
- Fruit and nuts 4%
- Iron and steel 5%
- Oil, gas and coal 7%
- Vehicles 10%
- Ores and slag 14%
- Gems and precious metals 35%
Source: CEPII BACI
Show the numbers
| Chapter | 1995 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Gems and precious metals | 21.2% | 34.8% |
| Ores and slag | 6.6% | 13.9% |
| Vehicles | 2.3% | 10.1% |
| Oil, gas and coal | 10.6% | 7% |
| Iron and steel | 11.4% | 4.6% |
| Fruit and nuts | 3.5% | 3.8% |
| Mechanical machinery | 3.9% | 3.5% |
| Aluminum | 0.97% | 1.8% |
| Other | 39.6% | 20.5% |
Who it trades with
China went from 2% to 20% of South Africa's trade
% of total trade (exports + imports) with each partner.
- China 20%
- United States 8%
- India 8%
- Germany 6%
- United Kingdom 6%
Source: CEPII BACI
Show the numbers
| Partner | 1995 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| China | 1.9% | 19.9% |
| United States | 10.8% | 8% |
| India | 1% | 7.6% |
| Germany | 11.2% | 6% |
| United Kingdom | 10.7% | 5.6% |
Production hubs
Largest industrial emission sources (Climate TRACE, 2025)
- Majuba power station
- Kusile power station
- Medupi power station
Sources and methodology
Sources and licenses
- CEPII BACI · Licence Ouverte Etalab 2.0
- Climate TRACE · CC BY 4.0 (emissions by asset; the 3 largest per country are shown)
- Kummu et al., gridded GDP · CC BY 4.0 (hubs aggregated by this site)
- Natural Earth · Public domain
Methodology
Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), in current US dollars, with exports and imports reconciled between countries. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. Ranks are computed among the countries with data each year. Services are not included. Data up to 2024.