South Africa and Switzerland
South Africa and Switzerland maintain scientific, educational and economic cooperation through high-level consultations. Swiss accession to the SKA observatory in 2022 provides a radio astronomy connection, while a 2025 visit announcement sought to expand youth training.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-08 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-08Bilateral context
The announcement of 27 October 2025 prepared for Ramaphosa's visit to Bern on the 29th–30th at Karin Keller-Sutter's invitation.
Cooperation and bilateral issues
Deputy-minister consultations include groups on foreign policy, human rights, the economy, development, science and education.
Cooperation and bilateral issues
Deputy-minister consultations include groups on foreign policy, human rights, the economy, development, science and education.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | ||
| Goods: South Africa to Switzerland | ||
| Goods: Switzerland to South Africa | ||
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: South Africa to Switzerland | ||
| Export share: Switzerland to South Africa | ||
| Investment stock: South Africa in Switzerland | ||
| Investment stock: Switzerland 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.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
| Indicator | South Africa | Switzerland |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 427.18 billion USD2025 · World Bank | 1.04 trillion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 6,597.71 USD2025 · World Bank | 114,769.01 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 1.11 %2025 · World Bank | 1.3 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | ||
| Inflation · annual average | 3.21 %Annual average · 2025 · World Bank | 0.15 %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 | 4.87 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -5.8 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 0.5 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 78.6 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 39.4 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -0.42 %2025 · World Bank | 6.98 %2025 · WB |
| Population | 64,747,3192025 · World Bank | 9,092,436World Bank est.2025 · WB |
| Area | 1,219,090 km²2023 · World Bank | 41,291 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.Switzerland: 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.Switzerland: 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.Switzerland: 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.Switzerland: 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.Switzerland: 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.Switzerland: 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.Switzerland: 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.Switzerland: 2025 · 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.Switzerland: 2025 · World Bank · WB est. · The World Bank indicates a population extrapolation; this is not a 2025 census count.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceSouth Africa: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Switzerland: 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 Switzerland
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
Switzerland to South Africa
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
Connections between people
Deputy-minister consultations include groups on foreign policy, human rights, the economy, development, science and education. [1]
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 Switzerland | ||
| Residents from Switzerland living in South Africa | ||
| Study and training: South Africa in Switzerland | ||
| Study and training: Switzerland in South Africa | ||
| Academic stays: South Africa in Switzerland | ||
| Academic stays: Switzerland in South Africa | ||
| Travel: South Africa to Switzerland | ||
| Travel: Switzerland 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.
The scale of both economies
Nominal GDP for South Africa is 427.2 billion USD (2025), compared with 1,043.5 for Switzerland (2025). The reference populations are 64.75 and 9.09 million, respectively. In the same year, the economy of South Africa was 0.409 times that of Switzerland in nominal GDP. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [2] [3] [4] [5]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Review: 2026-10-08
Bilateral context
The announcement of 27 October 2025 prepared for Ramaphosa's visit to Bern on the 29th–30th at Karin Keller-Sutter's invitation. It highlighted a youth cooperation framework focused on training and modern labour needs. [1]
Cooperation and bilateral issues
Deputy-minister consultations include groups on foreign policy, human rights, the economy, development, science and education. The source identifies twenty-two bilateral agreements, including aviation, double taxation, development, science and visas. Switzerland's accession to SKAO in 2022 deepened astronomical collaboration within an international observatory, not an exclusively bilateral project. The statement explains differences between trade statistics arising from the treatment of gold; their totals are not mixed. As a prior announcement, it does not establish outcomes from the subsequent state visit. [1]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Bilateral relations — CHE-ZAF
South Africa's Department of International Relations (DIRCO) · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- 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