Africa
South Africa
Full profile
GDP of $427 bn in 2025, real growth of 1.1% and inflation of 3.2%, by the IMF’s figures.
In January–August 2026 the U.S. bought $7.9B of goods from South Africa and sold it $4.6B, a deficit of $3.3B, and JFK International Airport, NY handled the most of it (46.0% of the trade through listed ports).
Overview
South Africa in figures
The latest figure each source reports. Annual figures come from one international source on one definition for every country, so they compare across this site’s country pages.
Output
IMF World Economic Outlook and World Bank, annual
Prices and jobs
IMF and World Bank (ILO modelled estimates), annual
Public finances and the external account
IMF and World Bank, annual, % of GDP
Sectors
What the economy produces
Each sector’s value added as a share of GDP, and how fast it grew in real terms. World Bank, annual.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing2.8%
2.2% in 2015 (+0.6 pp)
- Industry, including construction24.1%
23.7% in 2015 (+0.4 pp)
- of which Manufacturing12.3%
12.5% in 2015 (−0.3 pp)
- Services63.1%
64.1% in 2015 (−1.0 pp)
| Sector | Latest | 5-year average |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 17.4%2025 | 1.9% |
| Industry, including construction | −1.6%2025 | 0.3% |
| Manufacturing | −1.2%2025 | 1.0% |
| Services | 0.0%2025 | 2.0% |
World Bank, World Development Indicators (national accounts). The five-year average is the compound annual rate over the last five years with figures, calculated by CK Economics.
Outlook
Where the IMF and CK see it going
The IMF’s World Economic Outlook projections next to the last two years it reports, and CK Economics’ own backtested forecasts, labelled as ours, in a table of their own.
World Economic Outlook, October 2026. Shaded columns from 2026 on are the IMF’s projections, not CK Economics’.
| Indicator | 2024 | 2025 | 2026IMF forecast → | 2027 (IMF forecast) | 2028 (IMF forecast) | 2029 (IMF forecast) | 2030 (IMF forecast) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real GDP growth, % | 0.5 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 1.8 | |
| Inflation, annual average, % | 4.4 | 3.2 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 3.0 | |
| Unemployment rate, % | 32.6 | 32.4 | 33.2 | 33.0 | 32.7 | 32.4 | 32.0 | |
| Government balance, % of GDP | −5.7 | −5.6 | −4.4 | −3.9 | −3.9 | −3.7 | −3.5 | |
| Government gross debt, % of GDP | 76.0 | 78.4 | 78.0 | 78.1 | 78.8 | 79.5 | 79.7 | |
| Current account balance, % of GDP | −0.7 | −0.5 | −0.7 | −0.9 | −1.1 | −1.5 | −1.7 |
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook, via the IMF DataMapper. Years before 2026 are the IMF’s reported series, which for some countries include staff estimates.
A baseline forecast, not a scenario: an ensemble of statistical models and the IMF’s forecast, published only where its backtest beat naive. Ranges are 80%.
| Indicator | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real GDP growth, % | 1.00.4 to 2.6 | 1.3−1.5 to 3.4 | 1.5−0.6 to 4.0 |
| Inflation, % | 4.43.8 to 4.8 | 4.01.3 to 6.5 | 3.71.0 to 7.2 |
| Unemployment rate, % | Withheld: in the backtest it was no better than assuming no change | ||
CK Economics, from the IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026. Scorecards and past forecasts →
Trade
U.S. trade with South Africa
U.S. Census Bureau goods trade between South Africa and the United States, by month, U.S. port and product.
National totals · January–August 2026
All U.S. customs districts. Imports are general imports; exports are total exports.
- Imports
- $7.9B
- −36.9% y/y
- Exports
- $4.6B
- +7.8% y/y
- Total trade
- $12.5B
- −25.5% y/y
- U.S. deficit
- $3.3B
- $4.9B smaller than a year earlier
- Share of U.S. trade
- 0.31%
- 41st of 233 partners
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade API (goods trade by country, national and by U.S. port); released 2026-10-16; retrieved 2026-10-16. Not seasonally adjusted.
Official statisticCK estimateSource figures as of October 16, 2026Sources & methods
- Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade API (goods trade by country, national and by U.S. port)
- Period covered
- January–August 2026
- Source figures as of
- October 16, 2026
- Geography
- U.S. trade with South Africa, all U.S. customs districts
- Sector
- International trade in goods
- Seasonal adjustment
- Not seasonally adjusted
- Transformations
- Monthly values summed over the period by CK Economics. Total trade (imports + exports), balance, share of U.S. trade, rank and year-on-year changes calculated by CK Economics
- Revisions
- When Census publishes a new month, CK re-collects the previous 12; older months are re-collected after Census’s annual revision each June, or sooner if Census’s totals for them change. Revised figures replace earlier ones.
- Data status
- Each month passes CK’s release checks (complete, totals reconcile with Census’s, no sharp jumps) before it is published.
- Limitations
- Goods only, not services. General imports at customs value, total exports at f.a.s. value.
Port subtotals
U.S. ports handling trade with South Africa
The 154 ports listed cover 98.3% of national trade ($12.3B of $12.5B). Another 1.7% went by mail, low-value shipments or through ports Census doesn’t name.
| U.S. port, activate to sort | Imports, activate to sort | Exports, activate to sort | Total trade, sorted descending; activate to reverse | Balance, activate to sort | Share of listed-port trade, activate to sort | Trade y/y, activate to sort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Juan International Airport, PR4913Mainly air | $56.1K | $853.4K | $909.6K | $797.3K | 0.01% | −42.1% |
| Fort Worth Alliance Airport, TX5583Mainly air | $0 | $877.7K | $877.7K | $877.7K | 0.01% | +29.5% |
| Boston, MA0401Mainly vessel | $662.9K | $210.3K | $873.2K | −$452.5K | 0.01% | −27.6% |
| Tampa, FL1801Mainly vessel | $477.4K | $326.1K | $803.5K | −$151.3K | 0.01% | −54.1% |
| Indianapolis, IN4110Mainly air | $92.1K | $681.5K | $773.6K | $589.3K | 0.01% | +63.2% |
| Grand Rapids, MI3806Mainly land/other | $0 | $762.4K | $762.4K | $762.4K | 0.01% | +9355.3% |
| Alexandria Bay, NY0708Mainly land/other | $745.2K | $0 | $745.2K | −$745.2K | 0.01% | +723.2% |
| Salem, MA0408Mainly air | $664.4K | $0 | $664.4K | −$664.4K | 0.01% | None a year earlier |
| Ft. Lauderdale International Airport, FL5210Mainly air | $0 | $625.2K | $625.2K | $625.2K | 0.01% | −74.7% |
| Port Lavaca, TX5313Mainly vessel | $0 | $622.1K | $622.1K | $622.1K | 0.01% | −83.9% |
| Blaine, WA3004Mainly land/other | $333.1K | $183.3K | $516.4K | −$149.7K | <0.01% | +231.0% |
| Bellingham, WA3005Mainly vessel | $0 | $454.5K | $454.5K | $454.5K | <0.01% | −12.6% |
| San Juan, PR4909Mainly vessel | $0 | $442.0K | $442.0K | $442.0K | <0.01% | −86.1% |
| San Diego, CA2501Mainly vessel | $107.0K | $298.0K | $405.0K | $190.9K | <0.01% | −11.6% |
| West Palm Beach, FL5204Mainly vessel | $363.1K | $19.5K | $382.6K | −$343.7K | <0.01% | −94.9% |
| Orlando-Sanford Airport, FL1809Mainly air | $12.9K | $355.4K | $368.3K | $342.4K | <0.01% | +1329.4% |
| Des Moines, IA3513Mainly air | $2.3K | $343.4K | $345.7K | $341.0K | <0.01% | +2762.1% |
| Kansas City, MO4501Mainly land/other | $0 | $333.3K | $333.3K | $333.3K | <0.01% | +378.1% |
| Portal, ND3403Mainly land/other | $24.9K | $305.7K | $330.6K | $280.8K | <0.01% | +1736.8% |
| Portland International Airport, WA2910Mainly air | $47.3K | $225.3K | $272.6K | $178.0K | <0.01% | −82.5% |
| Highgate Springs-Alburg, VT0212Mainly land/other | $2.0K | $230.5K | $232.6K | $228.5K | <0.01% | −43.5% |
| Sioux Falls, SD3502Mainly air | $1.7K | $230.1K | $231.8K | $228.3K | <0.01% | +1.0% |
| San Antonio, TX5507Mainly air | $0 | $228.7K | $228.7K | $228.7K | <0.01% | −20.3% |
| Honolulu International Airport, HI3205Mainly air | $174.8K | $51.3K | $226.1K | −$123.4K | <0.01% | +306.8% |
| Louisville, KY4115Mainly air | $0 | $217.8K | $217.8K | $217.8K | <0.01% | +3.3% |
Port figures are subtotals: they add up to the listed-port total, not the national total above. Shares are of trade through the ports listed. Main mode is each port’s mode by trade value over the latest twelve months, not its gateway type. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade API (goods trade by country, national and by U.S. port); released 2026-10-16; retrieved 2026-10-16. Not seasonally adjusted.
Official statisticCK estimateSource figures as of October 16, 2026Sources & methods
- Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade API (goods trade by country, national and by U.S. port)
- Period covered
- January–August 2026
- Source figures as of
- October 16, 2026
- Geography
- Listed U.S. ports of entry and exit handling trade with South Africa
- Sector
- International trade in goods
- Seasonal adjustment
- Not seasonally adjusted
- Transformations
- Monthly values summed over the period by CK Economics. Total trade (imports + exports), balance, shares of the listed-port total, ranks and year-on-year changes calculated by CK Economics
- Revisions
- When Census publishes a new month, CK re-collects the previous 12; older months are re-collected after Census’s annual revision each June, or sooner if Census’s totals for them change. Revised figures replace earlier ones.
- Data status
- Each month passes CK’s release checks (complete, totals reconcile with Census’s, no sharp jumps) before it is published.
- Limitations
- Goods only, not services. General imports at customs value, total exports at f.a.s. value. Port figures are subtotals and don’t add up to the national total. Listed ports only: Census’s pseudo-ports (mail, low-value shipments, vessels under their own power) and unnamed ports are left out.
Largest ports for trade with South Africa, by trade
U.S. dollars · January–August 2026 · port subtotals
- Imports
- Exports
- JFK International Airport, NYImports: $5.5BExports: $145.1M
- Newark, NJImports: $343.6MExports: $497.8M
- Houston, TXImports: $153.9MExports: $565.0M
- New Orleans, LAImports: $289.8MExports: $396.4M
- Baltimore, MDImports: $348.5MExports: $85.3M
- New York, NYImports: $6.6MExports: $364.1M
- Charleston, SCImports: $78.9MExports: $239.2M
- Chicago, ILImports: $28.0MExports: $274.8M
- Brunswick, GAImports: $112.2MExports: $115.1M
- Savannah, GAImports: $55.5MExports: $159.4M
Top 10 = 79.5% of U.S. trade with South Africa through the ports listed.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade API (goods trade by country, national and by U.S. port); released 2026-10-16; retrieved 2026-10-16. Not seasonally adjusted.
Official statisticCK estimateSource figures as of October 16, 2026Sources & methods
- Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade API (goods trade by country, national and by U.S. port)
- Period covered
- January–August 2026
- Source figures as of
- October 16, 2026
- Geography
- Listed U.S. ports of entry and exit handling trade with South Africa
- Sector
- International trade in goods
- Seasonal adjustment
- Not seasonally adjusted
- Transformations
- Monthly values summed over the period by CK Economics. Total trade (imports + exports), balance, shares of the listed-port total, ranks and year-on-year changes calculated by CK Economics
- Revisions
- When Census publishes a new month, CK re-collects the previous 12; older months are re-collected after Census’s annual revision each June, or sooner if Census’s totals for them change. Revised figures replace earlier ones.
- Data status
- Each month passes CK’s release checks (complete, totals reconcile with Census’s, no sharp jumps) before it is published.
- Limitations
- Goods only, not services. General imports at customs value, total exports at f.a.s. value. Port figures are subtotals and don’t add up to the national total. Listed ports only: Census’s pseudo-ports (mail, low-value shipments, vessels under their own power) and unnamed ports are left out.
View data table
| Port | Imports | Exports |
|---|---|---|
| JFK International Airport, NY | $5.5B | $145.1M |
| Newark, NJ | $343.6M | $497.8M |
| Houston, TX | $153.9M | $565.0M |
| New Orleans, LA | $289.8M | $396.4M |
| Baltimore, MD | $348.5M | $85.3M |
| New York, NY | $6.6M | $364.1M |
| Charleston, SC | $78.9M | $239.2M |
| Chicago, IL | $28.0M | $274.8M |
| Brunswick, GA | $112.2M | $115.1M |
| Savannah, GA | $55.5M | $159.4M |
Trade with South Africa by the ports’ main mode
U.S. dollars · January–August 2026 · every listed port
- Imports
- Exports
- Mainly vesselImports: $1.6BExports: $2.8B
- Mainly airImports: $6.0BExports: $1.4B
- Mainly land/otherImports: $271.2MExports: $116.2M
- MixedImports: $2.1MExports: $30.7M
Ports grouped by their main mode by trade value over the latest twelve months (vessel or air at least half; land/other when vessel and air together are under half; otherwise mixed). A port’s group says how most of its trade moves, not what kind of gateway it is.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade API (goods trade by country, national and by U.S. port); released 2026-10-16; retrieved 2026-10-16. Not seasonally adjusted.
Official statisticCK estimateSource figures as of October 16, 2026Sources & methods
- Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade API (goods trade by country, national and by U.S. port)
- Period covered
- January–August 2026
- Source figures as of
- October 16, 2026
- Geography
- Listed U.S. ports handling trade with South Africa
- Sector
- International trade in goods
- Seasonal adjustment
- Not seasonally adjusted
- Transformations
- Monthly values summed over the period by CK Economics. Ports grouped by their main mode over the latest twelve months, and each group summed, by CK Economics
- Revisions
- When Census publishes a new month, CK re-collects the previous 12; older months are re-collected after Census’s annual revision each June, or sooner if Census’s totals for them change. Revised figures replace earlier ones.
- Data status
- Each month passes CK’s release checks (complete, totals reconcile with Census’s, no sharp jumps) before it is published.
- Limitations
- Goods only, not services. General imports at customs value, total exports at f.a.s. value. A port’s group says how most of its trade moves, not what kind of gateway it is.
View data table
| Main mode by value | Imports | Exports |
|---|---|---|
| Mainly vessel | $1.6B | $2.8B |
| Mainly air | $6.0B | $1.4B |
| Mainly land/other | $271.2M | $116.2M |
| Mixed | $2.1M | $30.7M |
Monthly U.S. imports from and exports to South Africa
U.S. dollars · January 2025–August 2026 · national totals
- Imports
- Exports
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade API (goods trade by country, national and by U.S. port); released 2026-10-16; retrieved 2026-10-16. Not seasonally adjusted.
Official statisticSource figures as of October 16, 2026Sources & methods
- Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade API (goods trade by country, national and by U.S. port)
- Period covered
- January 2025–August 2026
- Source figures as of
- October 16, 2026
- Geography
- U.S. trade with South Africa, all U.S. customs districts
- Sector
- International trade in goods
- Seasonal adjustment
- Not seasonally adjusted
- Transformations
- None: figures as published
- Revisions
- When Census publishes a new month, CK re-collects the previous 12; older months are re-collected after Census’s annual revision each June, or sooner if Census’s totals for them change. Revised figures replace earlier ones.
- Data status
- Each month passes CK’s release checks (complete, totals reconcile with Census’s, no sharp jumps) before it is published.
- Limitations
- Goods only, not services. General imports at customs value, total exports at f.a.s. value.
View data table
| Month | Imports | Exports |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2025 | $2.3B | $377.3M |
| Feb 2025 | $3.3B | $486.1M |
| Mar 2025 | $1.4B | $616.8M |
| Apr 2025 | $840.2M | $520.3M |
| May 2025 | $826.3M | $663.8M |
| Jun 2025 | $827.6M | $469.1M |
| Jul 2025 | $2.0B | $547.5M |
| Aug 2025 | $1.0B | $604.1M |
| Sep 2025 | $1.1B | $574.0M |
| Oct 2025 | $1.1B | $516.9M |
| Nov 2025 | $799.7M | $470.7M |
| Dec 2025 | $991.6M | $447.3M |
| Jan 2026 | $995.6M | $375.6M |
| Feb 2026 | $839.3M | $366.9M |
| Mar 2026 | $833.9M | $782.5M |
| Apr 2026 | $817.3M | $641.6M |
| May 2026 | $976.9M | $863.7M |
| Jun 2026 | $1.2B | $505.3M |
| Jul 2026 | $933.1M | $478.7M |
| Aug 2026 | $1.3B | $606.0M |
Monthly U.S. goods balance with South Africa
U.S. dollars, exports − imports · January 2025–August 2026 · national totals
- Deficit (below zero)
- Surplus (above zero)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade API (goods trade by country, national and by U.S. port); released 2026-10-16; retrieved 2026-10-16. Not seasonally adjusted.
Official statisticCK estimateSource figures as of October 16, 2026Sources & methods
- Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade API (goods trade by country, national and by U.S. port)
- Period covered
- January 2025–August 2026
- Source figures as of
- October 16, 2026
- Geography
- U.S. trade with South Africa, all U.S. customs districts
- Sector
- International trade in goods
- Seasonal adjustment
- Not seasonally adjusted
- Transformations
- Balance (exports − imports) calculated by CK Economics
- Revisions
- When Census publishes a new month, CK re-collects the previous 12; older months are re-collected after Census’s annual revision each June, or sooner if Census’s totals for them change. Revised figures replace earlier ones.
- Data status
- Each month passes CK’s release checks (complete, totals reconcile with Census’s, no sharp jumps) before it is published.
- Limitations
- Goods only, not services. General imports at customs value, total exports at f.a.s. value.
View data table
| Month | Balance |
|---|---|
| Jan 2025 | −$1.9B |
| Feb 2025 | −$2.9B |
| Mar 2025 | −$794.6M |
| Apr 2025 | −$319.8M |
| May 2025 | −$162.5M |
| Jun 2025 | −$358.5M |
| Jul 2025 | −$1.4B |
| Aug 2025 | −$398.7M |
| Sep 2025 | −$514.8M |
| Oct 2025 | −$572.9M |
| Nov 2025 | −$328.9M |
| Dec 2025 | −$544.3M |
| Jan 2026 | −$620.0M |
| Feb 2026 | −$472.4M |
| Mar 2026 | −$51.4M |
| Apr 2026 | −$175.6M |
| May 2026 | −$113.2M |
| Jun 2026 | −$664.0M |
| Jul 2026 | −$454.4M |
| Aug 2026 | −$707.1M |
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South Africa: Imports of goods and services
The value of all goods and other market services received from the rest of the world, as a percentage of GDP.
Official statisticSource figures as of October 8, 2026Sources & methods
- Sources
- World Bank
- Period covered
- 1960 – 2025
- Source figures as of
- October 8, 2026
- Geography
- South Africa
- Sector
- Whole economy (not a single sector)
- Seasonal adjustment
- Not applicable
- Transformations
- None: figures as published
- Revisions
- Replaced with the source’s latest figures whenever it revises them.
- Data status
- Current
Download and source
- Every value (CSV) · JSON
- Full series page: methodology, revisions and citation →
- World Bank, World Development Indicators (WDI 2026-10-08). Source series NE.IMP.GNFS.ZS. Licence: CC BY 4.0. At the source ↗
Definitions
Read the figures alike
Every figure keeps its source’s definition; where two sound alike but are measured differently, the difference is here.
- GDP in dollars
- The IMF converts GDP at current prices at each year’s market exchange rate, so the dollar figure moves with the currency. GDP per person at purchasing power parity converts at the cost of the same basket of goods in every country instead, which suits comparisons of living standards. The World Bank’s GDP at constant 2015 prices takes price changes out, so it measures volume: use it, or the growth rates, to see how much output changed.
- Growth
- Annual growth (IMF) compares a whole year with the year before. The OECD’s quarterly figures are seasonally adjusted and compare a quarter with the previous quarter (not annualized) or with the same quarter a year earlier. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reports quarterly growth at an annualized rate, roughly four times the quarter-on-quarter change. The three need not agree in any one period.
- Inflation
- The IMF’s annual inflation is the change in the average consumer price level over a whole year. The monthly figure compares one month with the same month a year earlier, so it turns sooner and swings more. Both use the national consumer price index.
- Unemployment
- The IMF’s annual unemployment rate follows each country’s national definition (age limits, what counts as looking for work), so levels are not strictly comparable across countries. Labour force participation and employment to population are ILO modelled estimates for everyone aged 15 and over, on one definition for every country; national figures, often for ages 16 to 64, are higher.
- Trade
- The Trade section is U.S. Census Bureau goods trade between this country and the United States only, month by month. Exports and imports as a share of GDP are the World Bank’s figures for goods and services with every partner. The current account (IMF) is the balance of goods and services trade with every partner plus income flows.
- Sectors
- Sector shares are value added as a percentage of GDP. They don’t add up to 100%: GDP also includes taxes less subsidies on products. Manufacturing is part of industry, which also covers mining, construction and utilities. Sector growth is the change in real value added at constant local-currency prices.
- Latest values and forecasts
- Each latest figure is the most recent period the source does not label a projection; for some countries the IMF’s latest years are its staff estimates. Values the IMF projects are labelled “IMF forecast” wherever they appear. They are the IMF’s, not CK Economics’.