globaltraffic.earth

Trade between South Africa and Turkey

In 2024, South Africa exported $1.2 billion to Turkey and imported $773 million. South Africa ran a surplus of $455 million with Turkey, compared with a surplus of $95 million in 2019. Turkey was South Africa’s 30th largest trading partner (0.8% of its trade), and South Africa was Turkey’s 55th (0.3%).

Summary

South Africa → Turkey
$1.2billion
Turkey → South Africa
$773million
South Africa’s balance
$455million

Balance

South Africa’s trade balance with Turkey

Trade between South Africa and Turkey grew 8.7-fold since 1995

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

  • Exports 1.2
  • Imports 0.8
  • Balance +0.5

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$163 million$66 million$97 million
1996$294 million$64 million$231 million
1997$209 million$73 million$136 million
1998$174 million$77 million$97 million
1999$164 million$71 million$93 million
2000$196 million$65 million$131 million
2001$369 million$64 million$305 million
2002$204 million$84 million$120 million
2003$280 million$139 million$141 million
2004$935 million$213 million$723 million
2005$1.2 billion$335 million$867 million
2006$1.7 billion$513 million$1.2 billion
2007$2 billion$721 million$1.3 billion
2008$1.5 billion$1.3 billion$204 million
2009$874 million$950 million-$76 million
2010$847 million$398 million$449 million
2011$1.8 billion$573 million$1.2 billion
2012$1.1 billion$508 million$577 million
2013$1.3 billion$666 million$623 million
2014$1.1 billion$643 million$427 million
2015$926 million$574 million$352 million
2016$1.1 billion$440 million$645 million
2017$1.7 billion$545 million$1.2 billion
2018$1.4 billion$592 million$824 million
2019$736 million$640 million$95 million
2020$876 million$575 million$301 million
2021$1.1 billion$926 million$131 million
2022$1.6 billion$1.8 billion-$244 million
2023$1.2 billion$876 million$319 million
2024$1.2 billion$773 million$455 million

What they sell each other

What South Africa sells to Turkey

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

  1. Trucks$271 million · 22.1%
    18 thousand tonnes · South Africa’s destinations
  2. Cars$246 million · 20%
    14 thousand tonnes · South Africa’s destinations
  3. Centrifuges and filters$204 million · 16.6%
    4 thousand tonnes
  4. Iron ore$99 million · 8%
    809 thousand tonnes · South Africa’s destinations
  5. Gold$59 million · 4.8%
    1 tonne · South Africa’s destinations
  6. Chromium ore$49 million · 4%
    139 thousand tonnes · South Africa’s destinations
  7. Coal$38 million · 3.1%
    335 thousand tonnes · South Africa’s destinations
  8. Unwrought aluminum$23 million · 1.9%
    8 thousand tonnes · South Africa’s destinations
  9. Pig iron$21 million · 1.7%
    46 thousand tonnes
  10. Dissolving wood pulp$16 million · 1.3%
    17 thousand tonnes

What Turkey sells to South Africa

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

  1. Refined petroleum$95 million · 12.3%
    111 thousand tonnes · Turkey’s destinations
  2. Petroleum coke and bitumen$40 million · 5.2%
    78 thousand tonnes
  3. Auto parts$33 million · 4.2%
    6 thousand tonnes · Turkey’s destinations
  4. Copper wire$24 million · 3.1%
    2 thousand tonnes
  5. Trucks$20 million · 2.6%
    2 thousand tonnes · Turkey’s destinations
  6. Washing machines$15 million · 2%
    5 thousand tonnes
  7. Tractors$14 million · 1.8%
    1 thousand tonnes · Turkey’s destinations
  8. Parts for cranes and excavators$12 million · 1.6%
    1 thousand tonnes
  9. Carbonates$12 million · 1.5%
    58 thousand tonnes
  10. Fragrance mixtures$12 million · 1.5%
    295 tonnes

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Durban to Istanbul.

The estimated sea route between Durban and Istanbul is 7,947 nautical miles (14,717 km) long: ≈ 18.5–23.5 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).

Because of the 2024 disruptions, traffic is split: 85% via the Cape of Good Hope, the Strait of Gibraltar and the Dardanelles (7,947 nautical miles); and 15% via the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, the Suez Canal and the Dardanelles (5,598 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$1.6 billion · 81.9%
  2. Air$363 million · 18.1%

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

How much each matters to the other

Turkey was South Africa’s 30th largest trading partner (0.8% of its trade), and South Africa was Turkey’s 55th (0.3%).

Turkey in South Africa’s trade
0.8%
Turkey’s rank among South Africa’s partners
30th
South Africa in Turkey’s trade
0.3%
South Africa’s rank among Turkey’s partners
55th

Compare with

Other partners of South Africa

Other partners of Turkey

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.