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Trade between France and South Africa

In 2024, France exported $1.9 billion to South Africa and imported $1.5 billion. France ran a surplus of $403 million with South Africa, compared with a surplus of $514 million in 2019. South Africa was France’s 52nd largest trading partner (0.2% of its trade), and France was South Africa’s 18th (1%).

Summary

France → South Africa
$1.9billion
South Africa → France
$1.5billion
France’s balance
$403million

Balance

France’s trade balance with South Africa

Trade between France and South Africa grew 77% since 1995

USD billions (current). France’s exports and imports; bars: its balance (green surplus, red deficit).

  • Exports 1.9
  • Imports 1.5
  • Balance +0.4

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$1.1 billion$811 million$271 million
1996$964 million$846 million$118 million
1997$1.1 billion$782 million$316 million
1998$1.2 billion$878 million$312 million
1999$995 million$865 million$131 million
2000$1.2 billion$865 million$307 million
2001$986 million$912 million$74 million
2002$1.1 billion$906 million$195 million
2003$2 billion$985 million$1.1 billion
2004$2.9 billion$1.3 billion$1.6 billion
2005$2.4 billion$1.3 billion$1.1 billion
2006$2.5 billion$1.4 billion$1 billion
2007$2.7 billion$1.5 billion$1.1 billion
2008$2.5 billion$1.8 billion$693 million
2009$2 billion$1.2 billion$828 million
2010$2.5 billion$1.4 billion$1.1 billion
2011$2.8 billion$1.3 billion$1.4 billion
2012$2.5 billion$1.1 billion$1.4 billion
2013$2.3 billion$1.2 billion$1.2 billion
2014$2.6 billion$1.2 billion$1.3 billion
2015$1.9 billion$1.1 billion$875 million
2016$2.2 billion$1.1 billion$1.1 billion
2017$2 billion$1.3 billion$701 million
2018$1.9 billion$1.6 billion$357 million
2019$1.9 billion$1.4 billion$514 million
2020$1.5 billion$593 million$938 million
2021$1.9 billion$715 million$1.2 billion
2022$2 billion$957 million$1.1 billion
2023$2 billion$1.2 billion$797 million
2024$1.9 billion$1.5 billion$403 million

What they sell each other

What France sells to South Africa

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$126 million · 6.7%
    2 thousand tonnes · France’s destinations
  2. Spirits$121 million · 6.4%
    6 thousand tonnes
  3. Vaccines, blood and antisera$76 million · 4.1%
    90 tonnes · France’s destinations
  4. Aircraft parts$76 million · 4%
    15 tonnes
  5. Perfumes$46 million · 2.4%
    694 tonnes · France’s destinations
  6. Refined petroleum$44 million · 2.4%
    32 thousand tonnes · France’s destinations
  7. Wine$43 million · 2.3%
    1 thousand tonnes · France’s destinations
  8. Fuel and lubricant additives$42 million · 2.2%
    11 thousand tonnes
  9. Makeup and skin care$39 million · 2.1%
    1 thousand tonnes · France’s destinations
  10. Pesticides and herbicides$34 million · 1.8%
    2 thousand tonnes

What South Africa sells to France

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Cars$630 million · 42.7%
    35 thousand tonnes · South Africa’s destinations
  2. Citrus fruit$86 million · 5.8%
    65 thousand tonnes · South Africa’s destinations
  3. Trucks$77 million · 5.2%
    5 thousand tonnes · South Africa’s destinations
  4. Diamonds$61 million · 4.1%
    4 tonnes · South Africa’s destinations
  5. Yachts and pleasure boats$38 million · 2.6%
    961 tonnes
  6. Manganese ore$30 million · 2.1%
    166 thousand tonnes · South Africa’s destinations
  7. Avocados, mangoes, pineapples and dates$30 million · 2.1%
    8 thousand tonnes
  8. Grapes$25 million · 1.7%
    8 thousand tonnes
  9. Wine$23 million · 1.6%
    18 thousand tonnes
  10. Aircraft parts$22 million · 1.5%
    49 tonnes

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Le Havre to Durban.

The estimated sea route between Le Havre and Durban is 7,010 nautical miles (12,982 km) long: ≈ 16–21 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).

Passages it crosses: Cape of Good Hope.

Sailing estimate without port calls, waiting or transshipment; not a schedule. One main reference port per country: in large countries it does not represent all of its ports.

Split by transport mode

  1. Sea$2.5 billion · 74.1%
  2. Air$868 million · 25.9%

Mode estimated from value per kilo and geography; both directions together.

How much each matters to the other

South Africa was France’s 52nd largest trading partner (0.2% of its trade), and France was South Africa’s 18th (1%).

South Africa in France’s trade
0.2%
South Africa’s rank among France’s partners
52nd
France in South Africa’s trade
1.3%
France’s rank among South Africa’s partners
18th

Compare with

Other partners of France

Other partners of South Africa

Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

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. The sea route comes from our own network derived from World Bank shipping density (not from nautical charts), between one main reference port per country (World Port Index); days are the distance at 14 and 18 knots, without port calls or waiting. Data up to 2024.