Manufactures exports in South Africa
South Africa: Manufactures exports was 38.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Manufactures exports in South Africa, 1974–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 38.3% for manufactures exports in 2025.
The figure is down 2.2% on the previous year and down 19.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, manufactures exports in South Africa peaked at 61.3% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 17.5%, in 1981.
South Africa ranks 89th of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Manufactures exports in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 29.8% | — |
| 1975 | 26.7% | -10.3% |
| 1976 | 33.0% | +23.4% |
| 1977 | 38.7% | +17.2% |
| 1978 | 36.8% | -4.9% |
| 1979 | 37.9% | +3.0% |
| 1980 | 18.2% | -51.9% |
| 1981 | 17.5% | -3.6% |
| 1982 | 19.0% | +8.6% |
| 1983 | 18.1% | -5.2% |
| 1984 | 19.4% | +7.4% |
| 1992 | 28.4% | +46.6% |
| 1993 | 38.6% | +35.8% |
| 1994 | 38.9% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 42.8% | +10.2% |
| 1996 | 54.3% | +26.7% |
| 1997 | 57.3% | +5.6% |
| 1998 | 53.1% | -7.4% |
| 1999 | 54.8% | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 53.2% | -2.8% |
| 2001 | 52.8% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 61.3% | +16.1% |
| 2003 | 57.1% | -6.9% |
| 2004 | 56.5% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 55.5% | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 52.0% | -6.3% |
| 2007 | 50.7% | -2.4% |
| 2008 | 51.5% | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 46.8% | -9.1% |
| 2010 | 48.7% | +4.0% |
| 2011 | 41.1% | -15.6% |
| 2012 | 43.5% | +5.8% |
| 2013 | 42.4% | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 45.8% | +8.0% |
| 2015 | 47.6% | +4.1% |
| 2016 | 47.7% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 44.0% | -7.7% |
| 2018 | 43.5% | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 43.0% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 38.4% | -10.7% |
| 2021 | 36.1% | -6.1% |
| 2022 | 37.3% | +3.4% |
| 2023 | 40.5% | +8.6% |
| 2024 | 39.1% | -3.3% |
| 2025 | 38.3% | -2.2% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 38.3% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 34.4%, 1.1× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 38.3% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 9.5%, 4.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Manufactures exports in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | -51.9% | 37.9% | 18.2% |
| 1992 | +46.6% | 19.4% | 28.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 33.8% | 26.7% | 38.7% | 6 |
| 1980s | 18.5% | 17.5% | 19.4% | 5 |
| 1990s | 46.0% | 28.4% | 57.3% | 8 |
| 2000s | 53.7% | 46.8% | 61.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 44.7% | 41.1% | 48.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.3% | 36.1% | 40.5% | 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)
- Food exports 12.8% (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)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 5.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 1,978 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is manufactures exports in South Africa?
- Manufactures exports in South Africa was 38.3% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest manufactures exports recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 61.3% in 2002.
- What is the lowest manufactures exports recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.5% in 1981.
- How does South Africa rank for manufactures exports?
- South Africa ranks 89th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is manufactures exports rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Manufactures exports (% of merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Manufactures comprise commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) sections 5 (chemicals), 6 (basic manufactures), 7 (machinery and transport equipment), and 8 (miscellaneous manufactured goods), excluding division 68 (non-ferrous metals). This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise exports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a resident and a non-resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e.