Merchandise trade to GDP ratio in South Africa
South Africa: Merchandise trade to GDP ratio was 58.3% in 2011. ▲ Rising
Merchandise trade to GDP ratio in South Africa, 1960–2011
Source: World Bank country economists. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 58.3% for merchandise trade to gdp ratio in 2011.
The figure is up 6.1% on the previous year and up 3.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise trade to gdp ratio in South Africa peaked at 74.6% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 38.6%, in 1992.
That places South Africa 40th out of 53 countries with data for 2011, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 52 years of available data.
Merchandise trade to GDP ratio in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 56.0% | — |
| 1961 | 52.7% | -5.8% |
| 1962 | 51.7% | -1.8% |
| 1963 | 53.4% | +3.1% |
| 1964 | 54.7% | +2.5% |
| 1965 | 54.1% | -1.2% |
| 1966 | 49.9% | -7.8% |
| 1967 | 50.2% | +0.7% |
| 1968 | 48.8% | -2.8% |
| 1969 | 46.8% | -4.3% |
| 1970 | 47.1% | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 48.0% | +1.8% |
| 1972 | 48.2% | +0.4% |
| 1973 | 48.1% | -0.1% |
| 1974 | 56.5% | +17.5% |
| 1975 | 57.8% | +2.3% |
| 1976 | 56.7% | -2.0% |
| 1977 | 55.5% | -2.2% |
| 1978 | 58.0% | +4.6% |
| 1979 | 61.0% | +5.1% |
| 1980 | 62.7% | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 58.7% | -6.4% |
| 1982 | 53.3% | -9.2% |
| 1983 | 45.7% | -14.2% |
| 1984 | 49.1% | +7.4% |
| 1985 | 54.0% | +9.9% |
| 1986 | 52.3% | -3.0% |
| 1987 | 50.6% | -3.3% |
| 1988 | 51.7% | +2.2% |
| 1989 | 48.1% | -7.0% |
| 1990 | 43.0% | -10.6% |
| 1991 | 39.2% | -8.8% |
| 1992 | 38.6% | -1.5% |
| 1993 | 40.3% | +4.3% |
| 1994 | 42.0% | +4.1% |
| 1995 | 44.9% | +6.9% |
| 1996 | 47.9% | +6.8% |
| 1997 | 48.0% | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 50.2% | +4.4% |
| 1999 | 48.1% | -4.2% |
| 2000 | 52.8% | +9.8% |
| 2001 | 56.2% | +6.5% |
| 2002 | 62.0% | +10.3% |
| 2003 | 53.4% | -13.8% |
| 2004 | 53.1% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 55.2% | +3.9% |
| 2006 | 62.5% | +13.1% |
| 2007 | 65.5% | +4.9% |
| 2008 | 74.6% | +13.9% |
| 2009 | 55.7% | -25.4% |
| 2010 | 54.9% | -1.4% |
| 2011 | 58.3% | +6.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 51.8% | 46.8% | 56.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 53.7% | 47.1% | 61.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 52.6% | 45.7% | 62.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 44.2% | 38.6% | 50.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 59.1% | 52.8% | 74.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 56.6% | 54.9% | 58.3% | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More economy & growth data for South Africa
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.4836 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.4 Percent per annum (2029)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), annual growth rate 6.35 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1367 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), per capita 901.96 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) 4.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 0.1889 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 1,246 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 2.32 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU), per 3.38 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise trade to gdp ratio in South Africa?
- Merchandise trade to gdp ratio in South Africa was 58.3% in 2011, according to World Bank country economists.
- What is the highest merchandise trade to gdp ratio recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 74.6% in 2008.
- What is the lowest merchandise trade to gdp ratio recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.6% in 1992.
- How does South Africa rank for merchandise trade to gdp ratio?
- South Africa ranks 40th out of 53 countries with data for 2011.
- Is merchandise trade to gdp ratio rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank country economists, published as part of Merchandise trade to GDP ratio (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Merchandise trade as a share of GDP is the sum of merchandise exports and imports divided by the value of GDP, all in current US dollars and from the national accounts.