Transport services (% of commercial service imports) in South Africa
South Africa: Transport services (% of commercial service imports) was 37.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Transport services in South Africa, 1960–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of commercial service imports.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 37.0% for transport services in 2025.
That represents a change of down 1.1% on the previous year and down 9.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, transport services in South Africa peaked at 49.1% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 31.9%, in 1978.
That places South Africa 70th out of 197 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Transport services (% of commercial service imports) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 49.1% | — |
| 1961 | 46.2% | -6.1% |
| 1962 | 43.3% | -6.1% |
| 1963 | 45.4% | +4.8% |
| 1964 | 47.4% | +4.4% |
| 1965 | 48.0% | +1.2% |
| 1966 | 43.9% | -8.5% |
| 1967 | 43.2% | -1.5% |
| 1968 | 41.6% | -3.7% |
| 1969 | 43.4% | +4.2% |
| 1970 | 45.3% | +4.3% |
| 1971 | 45.0% | -0.7% |
| 1972 | 39.7% | -11.7% |
| 1973 | 42.2% | +6.2% |
| 1974 | 48.6% | +15.2% |
| 1975 | 42.1% | -13.4% |
| 1976 | 39.0% | -7.5% |
| 1977 | 32.4% | -16.8% |
| 1978 | 31.9% | -1.6% |
| 1979 | 35.9% | +12.6% |
| 1980 | 39.7% | +10.3% |
| 1981 | 45.0% | +13.5% |
| 1982 | 42.7% | -5.1% |
| 1983 | 37.6% | -12.0% |
| 1984 | 40.5% | +7.6% |
| 1985 | 44.5% | +10.0% |
| 1986 | 42.9% | -3.6% |
| 1987 | 40.2% | -6.2% |
| 1988 | 42.0% | +4.4% |
| 1989 | 45.0% | +7.2% |
| 1990 | 41.3% | -8.3% |
| 1991 | 44.2% | +7.1% |
| 1992 | 40.4% | -8.5% |
| 1993 | 37.3% | -7.7% |
| 1994 | 40.8% | +9.3% |
| 1995 | 40.1% | -1.7% |
| 1996 | 42.9% | +7.0% |
| 1997 | 42.9% | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 42.2% | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 42.7% | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 43.1% | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 41.5% | -3.6% |
| 2002 | 42.8% | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 40.5% | -5.2% |
| 2004 | 43.8% | +8.2% |
| 2005 | 44.9% | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 48.5% | +8.0% |
| 2007 | 48.0% | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 46.5% | -3.3% |
| 2009 | 40.2% | -13.5% |
| 2010 | 37.9% | -5.6% |
| 2011 | 41.2% | +8.7% |
| 2012 | 44.0% | +6.6% |
| 2013 | 43.6% | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 44.0% | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 40.9% | -7.1% |
| 2016 | 36.9% | -9.9% |
| 2017 | 37.6% | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 39.1% | +4.0% |
| 2019 | 38.6% | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 35.2% | -8.7% |
| 2021 | 38.5% | +9.5% |
| 2022 | 44.3% | +15.0% |
| 2023 | 40.3% | -9.0% |
| 2024 | 37.4% | -7.3% |
| 2025 | 37.0% | -1.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 37.0% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 31.9%, 1.2× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 37.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 41.1%, 90% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 45.2% | 41.6% | 49.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 40.2% | 31.9% | 48.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 42.0% | 37.6% | 45.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 41.5% | 37.3% | 44.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 44.0% | 40.2% | 48.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.4% | 36.9% | 44.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.8% | 35.2% | 44.3% | 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)
- Commercial service exports 17.80 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 1,798 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is transport services in South Africa?
- Transport services in South Africa was 37.0% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest transport services recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 49.1% in 1960.
- What is the lowest transport services recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.9% in 1978.
- How does South Africa rank for transport services?
- South Africa ranks 70th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is transport services rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 Transport services (% of commercial service imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Transport is the process of carriage of people and objects from one location to another as well as related supporting and auxiliary services. Also included are postal and courier services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of service imports which are commercial services provided by non-residents to residents.