globaltraffic.earth

Trade between Italy and South Africa

In 2024, Italy exported $2.4 billion to South Africa and imported $2.2 billion. Italy ran a surplus of $264 million with South Africa, compared with a surplus of $468 million in 2019. South Africa was Italy’s 48th largest trading partner (0.4% of its trade), and Italy was South Africa’s 13th (2%).

Summary

Italy → South Africa
$2.4billion
South Africa → Italy
$2.2billion
Italy’s balance
$264million

Balance

Italy’s trade balance with South Africa

Trade between Italy and South Africa grew 2.5-fold since 1995

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

  • Exports 2.4
  • Imports 2.2
  • Balance +0.3

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$1.2 billion$637 million$563 million
1996$1.2 billion$2.5 billion-$1.3 billion
1997$1.1 billion$2.8 billion-$1.7 billion
1998$1.1 billion$2.5 billion-$1.4 billion
1999$922 million$2.5 billion-$1.5 billion
2000$911 million$2.4 billion-$1.4 billion
2001$980 million$1.9 billion-$886 million
2002$973 million$2 billion-$991 million
2003$1.1 billion$1.8 billion-$672 million
2004$1.4 billion$2.6 billion-$1.2 billion
2005$1.6 billion$3.2 billion-$1.6 billion
2006$2.1 billion$2.9 billion-$870 million
2007$2.2 billion$3.8 billion-$1.6 billion
2008$2.2 billion$3.6 billion-$1.5 billion
2009$1.6 billion$2.4 billion-$731 million
2010$2 billion$2.7 billion-$703 million
2011$2.7 billion$2.9 billion-$137 million
2012$2.6 billion$2.4 billion$208 million
2013$2.7 billion$2 billion$607 million
2014$2.4 billion$2.3 billion$163 million
2015$2.3 billion$2.1 billion$184 million
2016$1.9 billion$1.6 billion$237 million
2017$2.2 billion$1.6 billion$596 million
2018$2.5 billion$1.8 billion$751 million
2019$2.2 billion$1.7 billion$468 million
2020$1.7 billion$1.5 billion$239 million
2021$2.6 billion$2.3 billion$244 million
2022$2.5 billion$2.6 billion-$126 million
2023$2.4 billion$2.6 billion-$174 million
2024$2.4 billion$2.2 billion$264 million

What they sell each other

What Italy sells to South Africa

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

  1. Refined petroleum$357 million · 14.7%
    508 thousand tonnes · Italy’s destinations
  2. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$107 million · 4.4%
    1 thousand tonnes · Italy’s destinations
  3. Dishwashers and packing machines$54 million · 2.2%
    824 tonnes
  4. Plastic and rubber processing machines$44 million · 1.8%
    2 thousand tonnes
  5. Liquid pumps$42 million · 1.7%
    2 thousand tonnes
  6. Auto parts$42 million · 1.7%
    4 thousand tonnes · Italy’s destinations
  7. Parts for cranes and excavators$39 million · 1.6%
    6 thousand tonnes
  8. Leather footwear$32 million · 1.3%
    261 tonnes
  9. Cars$32 million · 1.3%
    275 tonnes · Italy’s destinations
  10. Cables and wire$31 million · 1.3%
    3 thousand tonnes · Italy’s destinations

What South Africa sells to Italy

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

  1. Gold$743 million · 34.5%
    10 tonnes · South Africa’s destinations
  2. Platinum$445 million · 20.7%
    9 tonnes · South Africa’s destinations
  3. Ferroalloys$118 million · 5.5%
    103 thousand tonnes · South Africa’s destinations
  4. Pig iron$86 million · 4%
    278 thousand tonnes
  5. Citrus fruit$82 million · 3.8%
    85 thousand tonnes · South Africa’s destinations
  6. Unwrought nickel$73 million · 3.4%
    4 thousand tonnes
  7. Coal$62 million · 2.9%
    444 thousand tonnes · South Africa’s destinations
  8. Trucks$50 million · 2.3%
    4 thousand tonnes · South Africa’s destinations
  9. Unwrought aluminum$44 million · 2%
    17 thousand tonnes · South Africa’s destinations
  10. Refined copper$35 million · 1.6%
    4 thousand tonnes · Italy’s sources

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Genoa to Durban.

The estimated sea route between Genoa and Durban is 6,983 nautical miles (12,932 km) long: ≈ 16–21 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).

Because of the 2024 disruptions, traffic is split: 85% via the Strait of Gibraltar and the Cape of Good Hope (6,983 nautical miles); and 15% via the Suez Canal and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait (6,302 nautical miles).

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$2.8 billion · 60.6%
  2. Air$1.8 billion · 39.4%

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

How much each matters to the other

South Africa was Italy’s 48th largest trading partner (0.4% of its trade), and Italy was South Africa’s 13th (2%).

South Africa in Italy’s trade
0.4%
South Africa’s rank among Italy’s partners
48th
Italy in South Africa’s trade
1.8%
Italy’s rank among South Africa’s partners
13th

Compare with

Other partners of Italy

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.