Tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products in South Africa
South Africa: Tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products was 4.6% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products in South Africa, 1988–2022
Source: Staff estimates. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 4.6% for tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products in 2022.
That represents a change of down 5.3% on the previous year and down 17.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products in South Africa peaked at 14.6% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 4.2%, in 2014.
South Africa ranks 121st of 184 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 30 years of available data.
Tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 5.2% | — |
| 1990 | 7.2% | +38.8% |
| 1991 | 7.3% | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 9.5% | +31.1% |
| 1996 | 7.6% | -20.3% |
| 1997 | 8.3% | +9.2% |
| 1999 | 8.2% | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 8.4% | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 8.0% | -4.6% |
| 2002 | 7.0% | -13.0% |
| 2003 | 7.4% | +5.9% |
| 2004 | 6.7% | -9.1% |
| 2005 | 7.0% | +3.7% |
| 2006 | 6.8% | -2.4% |
| 2007 | 6.7% | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 6.1% | -9.7% |
| 2009 | 5.4% | -11.0% |
| 2010 | 5.8% | +6.3% |
| 2011 | 5.7% | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 5.6% | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 4.5% | -19.6% |
| 2014 | 4.2% | -5.8% |
| 2015 | 4.4% | +3.3% |
| 2016 | 4.6% | +5.9% |
| 2017 | 4.4% | -5.6% |
| 2018 | 4.5% | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 14.6% | +228.8% |
| 2020 | 4.5% | -69.2% |
| 2021 | 4.9% | +8.7% |
| 2022 | 4.6% | -5.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5.2% | 5.2% | 5.2% | 1 |
| 1990s | 8.0% | 7.2% | 9.5% | 6 |
| 2000s | 6.9% | 5.4% | 8.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.8% | 4.2% | 14.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.7% | 4.5% | 4.9% | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 118 Botswana 4.8% compare
- 119 Philippines 4.8% compare
- 120 United Arab Emirates 4.7% compare
- 122 El Salvador 4.5% compare
- 123 Kyrgyzstan 4.5% compare
- 124 Libya 4.4% compare
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 tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products in South Africa?
- Tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products in South Africa was 4.6% in 2022, according to Staff estimates.
- What is the highest tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 14.6% in 2019.
- What is the lowest tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.2% in 2014.
- How does South Africa rank for tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products?
- South Africa ranks 121st out of 184 countries with data for 2022.
- Is tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, published as part of Tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 30 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Simple mean applied tariff is the unweighted average of effectively applied rates for all products subject to tariffs calculated for all traded goods. Data are classified using the Harmonized System of trade at the six- or eight-digit level. Tariff line data were matched to Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) revision 3 codes to define commodity groups. Effectively applied tariff rates at the six- and eight-digit product level are averaged for products in each commodity group. When the effectively applied rate is unavailable, the most favored nation rate is used instead. To the extent possible, specific rates have been converted to their ad valorem equivalent rates and have been included in the calculation of simple mean tariffs. Primary products are commodities classified in SITC revision 3 sections 0-4 plus division 68 (nonferrous metals).