GDP: In 2023, South Africa ranked second after Egypt with $378 billion. According to preliminary statistics released in 2024, South Africa ranked first with $403 billion.

Unemployment rate: 31.9 percent.

Economic growth rate: 0.6 percent.

Inflation rate: 4.4 percent.

 Exports and imports: According to statistics released by the South African Revenue Service (SARS), South Africa had a total of about 2039 billion rand in exports (about $109.6 billion) and 1844 billion rand (about $99.1 billion) in imports in 2024.

Top five export destinations: China 10.8%, USA 7.6%, Germany 7.5%, Mozambique 5.8%, UK 4.9%

Top five import destinations to South Africa: China 21.5%, India 7.2%, Germany 7%, USA 6.5%, Thailand 3.1%

China will be South Africa's largest trading partner in 2024, with total foreign trade of R618.7 billion (about $33 billion). Germany, the United States, India and Japan are next.

In 2024, South Africa's major export items were: precious stones, minerals, automobiles and their parts, and steel and iron sections. In contrast, machinery; petrochemical products, crude oil, petroleum products, industrial equipment, and chemicals were the country's major imported goods.