Commercial service exports (current US$) in South Africa
South Africa: Commercial service exports (current US$) was 17.80 billion current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
17.80 billion current US$
Change on year
up 11.7%
World rank
57th
of 200 countries
All-time high
17.80 billion current US$
in 2025
All-time low
245.00 million current US$
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Commercial service exports in South Africa, 1960–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current US$.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 17.80 billion current US$ for commercial service exports in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 11.7% on the previous year and up 17.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, commercial service exports in South Africa peaked at 17.80 billion current US$ in 2025 and was at its lowest, 245.00 million current US$, in 1960.
South Africa ranks 57th of 200 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Commercial service exports (current US$) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 245.00 million current US$ | — |
| 1961 | 252.00 million current US$ | +2.9% |
| 1962 | 263.20 million current US$ | +4.4% |
| 1963 | 296.80 million current US$ | +12.8% |
| 1964 | 303.80 million current US$ | +2.4% |
| 1965 | 319.20 million current US$ | +5.1% |
| 1966 | 371.00 million current US$ | +16.2% |
| 1967 | 418.60 million current US$ | +12.8% |
| 1968 | 457.80 million current US$ | +9.4% |
| 1969 | 494.20 million current US$ | +8.0% |
| 1970 | 574.00 million current US$ | +16.1% |
| 1971 | 692.00 million current US$ | +20.6% |
| 1972 | 735.93 million current US$ | +6.3% |
| 1973 | 982.87 million current US$ | +33.6% |
| 1974 | 1.24 billion current US$ | +26.2% |
| 1975 | 1.48 billion current US$ | +19.3% |
| 1976 | 1.28 billion current US$ | -13.7% |
| 1977 | 1.41 billion current US$ | +10.8% |
| 1978 | 1.67 billion current US$ | +18.1% |
| 1979 | 2.02 billion current US$ | +21.2% |
| 1980 | 2.48 billion current US$ | +22.7% |
| 1981 | 2.61 billion current US$ | +5.0% |
| 1982 | 2.32 billion current US$ | -11.0% |
| 1983 | 2.29 billion current US$ | -1.4% |
| 1984 | 2.12 billion current US$ | -7.3% |
| 1985 | 1.73 billion current US$ | -18.4% |
| 1986 | 1.87 billion current US$ | +7.9% |
| 1987 | 2.29 billion current US$ | +22.5% |
| 1988 | 2.36 billion current US$ | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 2.82 billion current US$ | +19.9% |
| 1990 | 3.32 billion current US$ | +17.5% |
| 1991 | 3.05 billion current US$ | -8.0% |
| 1992 | 3.21 billion current US$ | +5.2% |
| 1993 | 3.12 billion current US$ | -2.8% |
| 1994 | 3.56 billion current US$ | +13.9% |
| 1995 | 4.41 billion current US$ | +24.1% |
| 1996 | 4.85 billion current US$ | +9.8% |
| 1997 | 5.21 billion current US$ | +7.5% |
| 1998 | 5.21 billion current US$ | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 5.04 billion current US$ | -3.3% |
| 2000 | 4.89 billion current US$ | -3.0% |
| 2001 | 4.73 billion current US$ | -3.3% |
| 2002 | 4.99 billion current US$ | +5.5% |
| 2003 | 8.48 billion current US$ | +70.0% |
| 2004 | 9.96 billion current US$ | +17.5% |
| 2005 | 11.57 billion current US$ | +16.2% |
| 2006 | 12.54 billion current US$ | +8.4% |
| 2007 | 14.30 billion current US$ | +14.1% |
| 2008 | 13.40 billion current US$ | -6.3% |
| 2009 | 12.61 billion current US$ | -5.9% |
| 2010 | 15.81 billion current US$ | +25.3% |
| 2011 | 17.08 billion current US$ | +8.1% |
| 2012 | 17.45 billion current US$ | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 16.71 billion current US$ | -4.3% |
| 2014 | 16.82 billion current US$ | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 15.17 billion current US$ | -9.8% |
| 2016 | 14.58 billion current US$ | -3.9% |
| 2017 | 16.15 billion current US$ | +10.8% |
| 2018 | 16.71 billion current US$ | +3.5% |
| 2019 | 15.55 billion current US$ | -6.9% |
| 2020 | 8.41 billion current US$ | -45.9% |
| 2021 | 9.02 billion current US$ | +7.3% |
| 2022 | 12.62 billion current US$ | +39.9% |
| 2023 | 14.19 billion current US$ | +12.4% |
| 2024 | 15.94 billion current US$ | +12.3% |
| 2025 | 17.80 billion current US$ | +11.7% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 17.80 billion current US$ is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.87 billion current US$, 3.7× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 17.80 billion current US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 461.00 million current US$, 38.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 342.16 million current US$ | 245.00 million current US$ | 494.20 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.21 billion current US$ | 574.00 million current US$ | 2.02 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.29 billion current US$ | 1.73 billion current US$ | 2.82 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.10 billion current US$ | 3.05 billion current US$ | 5.21 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.75 billion current US$ | 4.73 billion current US$ | 14.30 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.20 billion current US$ | 14.58 billion current US$ | 17.45 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.00 billion current US$ | 8.41 billion current US$ | 17.80 billion current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More private sector data for South Africa
- Merchandise trade 57.2% (2025)
- Food imports 7.2% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 62.1% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 128.08 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 21.49 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 12.8% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 38.3% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 116.40 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 1,798 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2725 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is commercial service exports in South Africa?
- Commercial service exports in South Africa was 17.80 billion current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest commercial service exports recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 17.80 billion current US$ in 2025.
- What is the lowest commercial service exports recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 245.00 million current US$ in 1960.
- How does South Africa rank for commercial service exports?
- South Africa ranks 57th out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
- Is commercial service exports rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Commercial service exports (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Commercial service exports are total service exports minus exports of government services not included elsewhere. Exports of services are services provided by residents to non-residents. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.