South Africa and Mozambique
Shared history, the border and trade link South Africa and Mozambique. The binational commission provides follow-up on projects and regional matters. Published goods data and the 2025 visits show distinct dimensions of a relationship with its own businesses and institutions.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-07 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-07History and intergovernmental contact
The March 2025 meeting recalled ties in the fight against apartheid and colonialism.
Goods trade in 2024
The South African communication reports 119,400 million rand in trade in 2024 compared with 114,000 million in 2023, and places Mozambique among its top five export destinations.
Contacts in 2025
The March meeting and December trip to Maputo document dialogue at different levels.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 6,172.4 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / ZAF |
| Goods: South Africa to Mozambique | 5,250.57 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / ZAF |
| Goods: Mozambique to South Africa | 921.83 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / ZAF |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: South Africa to Mozambique | 4.53 % | 2025 · UN Comtrade / ZAF |
| Export share: Mozambique to South Africa | ||
| Investment stock: South Africa in Mozambique | ||
| Investment stock: Mozambique in South Africa |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / ZAF · Goods; full year; reporter ZAF. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. Mirror reports are not added together.
- Goods: South Africa to Mozambique
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / ZAF · Goods; full year; reporter ZAF. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. Mirror reports are not added together.
- Goods: Mozambique to South Africa
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / ZAF · Goods; full year; reporter ZAF. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. Mirror reports are not added together.
- Export share: South Africa to Mozambique
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / ZAF · Goods share: ZAF exports to the partner / exports by the same reporter to the world, same year.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
Some annual indicators refer to different years. Check the period beside each value before comparing them.
| Indicator | South Africa | Mozambique |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 427.18 billion USD2025 · World Bank | 22.34 billion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 6,597.71 USD2025 · World Bank | 626.91 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 1.11 %2025 · World Bank | -0.52 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | ||
| Inflation · annual average | 3.21 %Annual average · 2025 · World Bank | 4.37 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 4.4 %Year-on-year · 2026-08 · Stats SAurban | |
| Unemployment | 32.39 %ILO est.2025 · World Bank | 6.63 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -5.8 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -4 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 78.6 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 102.5 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -0.42 %2025 · World Bank | -10.96 %2024 · WB |
| Population | 64,747,3192025 · World Bank | 35,631,6532025 · WB |
| Area | 1,219,090 km²2023 · World Bank | 799,380 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDSouth Africa: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Mozambique: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personSouth Africa: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Mozambique: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)South Africa: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Mozambique: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)South Africa: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Mozambique: 2025 · Annual average CPI change (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedSouth Africa: 2026-08 · Headline CPI; change from the same month of the previous year · Stats SA · Urban headline CPI, not a geographically comprehensive national index or core inflation.
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionSouth Africa: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate, percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Mozambique: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)South Africa: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.Mozambique: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)South Africa: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.Mozambique: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPSouth Africa: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Mozambique: 2024 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Population
- PeopleSouth Africa: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Mozambique: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceSouth Africa: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Mozambique: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
South Africa to Mozambique
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Mineral fuels and oils | 508.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 315.2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Land vehicles and components | 118.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 102.6 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 50.1 M USD2025 · Source |
Mozambique to South Africa
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Mineral fuels and oils | 635.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 1.6 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 0.9 M USD2025 · Source |
| Land vehicles and components | 0.1 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 0 M USD2025 · Source |
Connections between people
Education, work, visits and community connections have their own records and procedures. Residents are not equivalent to annual arrivals, and visits may be repeated. The tables retain dates, definitions and sources to distinguish these connections from business contracts and government decisions. [2]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from South Africa living in Mozambique | ||
| Residents from Mozambique living in South Africa | ||
| Study and training: South Africa in Mozambique | ||
| Study and training: Mozambique in South Africa | ||
| Academic stays: South Africa in Mozambique | ||
| Academic stays: Mozambique in South Africa | ||
| Travel: South Africa to Mozambique | ||
| Travel: Mozambique to South Africa |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
History and intergovernmental contact
The March 2025 meeting recalled ties in the fight against apartheid and colonialism. That historical precedent provides context, not proof of identical current decisions. The South African government identifies trade relations and international cooperation as part of its agenda. Institutions and businesses have contacts distinct from the presidential meeting and official expressions of solidarity. [1]
Goods trade in 2024
The South African communication reports 119,400 million rand in trade in 2024 compared with 114,000 million in 2023, and places Mozambique among its top five export destinations. These are values from the South African reporter and their own periods. They are not added to Comtrade dollars or automatically converted without a compatible exchange rate. [2]
The Binational Commission and projects
The fourth commission in Maputo was tasked with evaluating earlier commitments and expanding cooperation. A program review is not disbursed investment or verification of all projects. Regional affairs, trade and border connections require different institutions. Transport, services and electricity may have coverage that cannot be known through a single economic aggregate. [2]
The scale of the two economies
South Africa recorded nominal GDP of 427.2 billion USD in 2025, compared with 22.3 in 2025 for Mozambique. The reference populations were 64.75 million (2025) and 35.63 million (2025), respectively. In the same year, South Africa's nominal GDP was 19.12 times Mozambique's. The figures contextualize market size; they do not in themselves describe well-being, individual wealth or political influence. IMF estimates or demographic extrapolations retain their markings in the table. A ratio is not calculated when the periods do not match. [4] [5] [6] [7]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Reviewed: 2026-10-07
Contacts in 2025
The March meeting and December trip to Maputo document dialogue at different levels. The second is presented from the arrival record, not merely a future invitation. Subsequent goods statistics provide private activity with different coverage. The profile distinguishes history, coordination mechanisms and observed economy without treating a cooperation announcement as a general result. [2]
Observed economic exchange
In 2025, goods recorded between South Africa and Mozambique totaled 6172.4 million USD. South Africa's shipments to Mozambique were USD 5250.6 million; shipments in the opposite direction were USD 921.8 million. South Africa's shipments to the partner represented 4.53% of its goods exports to the world, using the same year and reporter. A single customs declaration is used for both directions. This annual flow does not include all services activity or subsidiaries' local sales and is not added to accumulated investment capital. [3]
Milestones and consequences
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Each figure retains its period, unit, definition and source. Announcements, contracts and results are not interchangeable. Empty cells do not mean zero. Customs data for 2025 are not presented as activity observed during later crises.
- Meeting with Mozambique's president
Government of South Africa · Institutional source · Document: 2025-03-04 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Fourth binational commission with Mozambique
Government of South Africa · Institutional source · Document: 2025-12 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Annual TOTAL X/M; 2025; reporter 710; partners 0,716,508
UN Comtrade / ZAF · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; country ISO and year preserved; no military data; exact requested country subset independently re-fetched and values compared
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- SP.POP.TOTL; country ISO and year preserved; no military data; exact requested country subset independently re-fetched and values compared
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- SP.POP.TOTL; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 27; 2025; reporter 710; partners 716,508; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / ZAF · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 30; 2025; reporter 710; partners 716,508; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / ZAF · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 84; 2025; reporter 710; partners 716,508; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / ZAF · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 85; 2025; reporter 710; partners 716,508; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / ZAF · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 87; 2025; reporter 710; partners 716,508; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / ZAF · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade / ZAF
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 27; 2025; reporter 710; partners 716,508; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / ZAF
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 84; 2025; reporter 710; partners 716,508; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / ZAF
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 87; 2025; reporter 710; partners 716,508; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / ZAF
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 85; 2025; reporter 710; partners 716,508; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / ZAF
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 30; 2025; reporter 710; partners 716,508; X/M; annual goods.