Tariff rate, most favored nation, weighted mean, primary products in South Africa
South Africa: Tariff rate, most favored nation, weighted mean, primary products was 4.2% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Tariff rate, most favored nation, weighted mean, primary products in South Africa, 1988–2022
Source: Staff estimates. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 4.2% for tariff rate, most favored nation, weighted mean, primary products in 2022.
That represents a change of down 22.2% on the previous year and up 68.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tariff rate, most favored nation, weighted mean, primary products in South Africa peaked at 14.4% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 2.0%, in 2008.
South Africa ranks 136th of 184 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.
Tariff rate, most favored nation, weighted mean, primary products in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 4.3% | — |
| 1990 | 4.8% | +12.1% |
| 1991 | 5.1% | +6.7% |
| 1993 | 7.3% | +42.8% |
| 1996 | 5.7% | -22.4% |
| 1997 | 3.0% | -48.0% |
| 1999 | 3.0% | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 2.8% | -7.3% |
| 2001 | 2.6% | -7.9% |
| 2002 | 2.7% | +5.1% |
| 2003 | 2.7% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 2.1% | -20.5% |
| 2005 | 2.5% | +15.5% |
| 2006 | 2.4% | -2.8% |
| 2007 | 2.4% | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 2.0% | -17.7% |
| 2009 | 2.3% | +16.0% |
| 2010 | 2.6% | +14.2% |
| 2011 | 2.5% | -4.2% |
| 2012 | 2.5% | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 2.7% | +8.7% |
| 2014 | 2.2% | -19.3% |
| 2015 | 3.2% | +44.3% |
| 2016 | 4.4% | +37.6% |
| 2017 | 4.3% | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 3.4% | -21.9% |
| 2019 | 14.4% | +330.1% |
| 2020 | 5.0% | -65.2% |
| 2021 | 5.5% | +8.8% |
| 2022 | 4.2% | -22.2% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 4.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 8.4%, 51% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 4.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13.1%, 32% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Tariff rate, most favored nation, weighted mean, primary products 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +330.1% | 3.4% | 14.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 1 |
| 1990s | 4.8% | 3.0% | 7.3% | 6 |
| 2000s | 2.4% | 2.0% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.2% | 2.2% | 14.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.9% | 4.2% | 5.5% | 3 |
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 tariff rate, most favored nation, weighted mean, primary products in South Africa?
- Tariff rate, most favored nation, weighted mean, primary products in South Africa was 4.2% in 2022, according to Staff estimates.
- What is the highest tariff rate, most favored nation, weighted mean, primary products recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 14.4% in 2019.
- What is the lowest tariff rate, most favored nation, weighted mean, primary products recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.0% in 2008.
- How does South Africa rank for tariff rate, most favored nation, weighted mean, primary products?
- South Africa ranks 136th out of 184 countries with data for 2022.
- Is tariff rate, most favored nation, weighted mean, primary products rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 68.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, published as part of Tariff rate, most favored nation, weighted mean, primary products (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Weighted mean most favored nations tariff is the average of most favored nation rates weighted by the product import shares corresponding to each partner country. 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 and import weights. Import weights were calculated using the United Nations Statistics Division's Commodity Trade (Comtrade) database. Primary products are commodities classified in SITC revision 3 sections 0-4 plus division 68 (nonferrous metals).