Merchandise exports by the reporting economy, residual in South Africa
South Africa: Merchandise exports by the reporting economy, residual was 0.0% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise exports by the reporting economy, residual in South Africa, 1998–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise exports.
Analysis
In 2023, merchandise exports by the reporting economy, residual in South Africa stood at 0.0%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 46.4% on the previous year and down 27.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise exports by the reporting economy, residual in South Africa peaked at 0.1% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2020.
South Africa ranks 39th of 206 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise exports by the reporting economy, residual in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 0.1% | — |
| 1999 | 0.1% | -34.7% |
| 2000 | 0.1% | +7.2% |
| 2001 | 0.1% | +37.7% |
| 2002 | 0.1% | -23.5% |
| 2003 | 0.0% | -80.5% |
| 2004 | 0.0% | +175.6% |
| 2005 | 0.0% | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 0.0% | +13.2% |
| 2007 | 0.1% | +51.0% |
| 2008 | 0.0% | -24.1% |
| 2009 | 0.1% | +12.4% |
| 2010 | 0.0% | -14.0% |
| 2011 | 0.1% | +24.3% |
| 2012 | 0.0% | -14.9% |
| 2013 | 0.0% | -67.7% |
| 2014 | 0.0% | -47.8% |
| 2015 | 0.0% | -32.3% |
| 2016 | 0.0% | +266.3% |
| 2017 | 0.0% | -73.0% |
| 2018 | 0.0% | +85.1% |
| 2019 | 0.0% | -84.3% |
| 2020 | 0.0% | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 0.0% | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 0.0% | +377.4% |
| 2023 | 0.0% | +46.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.0% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.0%, 12.4× the median. (59 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise exports by the reporting economy, residual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +377.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 2000s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 4 |
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)
- 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)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 5.74 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise exports by the reporting economy, residual in South Africa?
- Merchandise exports by the reporting economy, residual in South Africa was 0.0% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise exports by the reporting economy, residual recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.1% in 1998.
- What is the lowest merchandise exports by the reporting economy, residual recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for merchandise exports by the reporting economy, residual?
- South Africa ranks 39th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise exports by the reporting economy, residual rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise exports by the reporting economy, residual (% of total merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Merchandise exports by the reporting economy residuals are the total merchandise exports by the reporting economy to the rest of the world as reported in the IMF's Direction of trade database, less the sum of exports by the reporting economy to high-, low-, and middle-income economies according to the World Bank classification of economies. Includes trade with unspecified partners or with economies not covered by World Bank classification. Data are as a percentage of total merchandise exports by the economy.