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Indicators · Trade

Ores and metals exports

Share of goods exports made up of ores, metals and scrap.

Why it matters

Shows dependence on mining. High shares mean the economy, currency and tax take move with copper, cobalt, platinum and other prices.

Read with care

Gold and diamonds may be classed elsewhere, so mineral dependence can be understated.

Source

World Bank

% of merchandise exports. 50 African countries, 1990 to 2025.

Metals exports: highest in DRC, lowest in Malawi

Ores and metals exports, % of merchandise exports. Latest year available, mostly 2024. 16 of 16 countries have data.

1.5%
5.9%
27%
33%
No data
Loading map…
Source: World Bank· Get the data (Professional)·dotzedw Insights Centre

Ranked: metals exportsiWhy it mattersShows dependence on mining. High shares mean the economy, currency and tax take move with copper, cobalt, platinum and other prices.

Click a country to highlight it.

0%20%40%60%80%DRC76.5% (2024)Zambia73.0% (2024)Zimbabwe33.8% (2024)Madagascar32.9% (2024)Namibia32.3% (2024)South Africa30.4%Mozambique27.5%Seychelles13.7% (2024)Botswana10.7% (2023)Angola5.9%Tanzania5.5%Mauritius2.1%Lesotho1.5% (2024)Comoros1.2% (2023)Eswatini0.6% (2023)Malawi0.6%median 12.2%
dotzedw Insights Centre
How spread out SADC is
Median 12.2%Log scaleLowest: Malawi 0.6%Highest: DRC 76.5%

Over time

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Ores and metals exports against income per person

Each bubble is a SADC country, sized by population. Dashed lines mark the SADC medians. Countries far from the pattern are worth a closer look.

0.0%20.0%40.0%60.0%80.0%$1,000$3,000$10kGDP per person, US$ (log scale)Metals exportsDRCTanzaniaSouth AfricaAngolaMozambiqueMadagascarMalawiZambia
Source: World Bank, World Bank·dotzedw Insights Centre

Table

The same figures as the map, for screen readers and copying.
RankCountryValueYearFive-year changeGradeDetails
1DRC76.5%2024up 9.3 points since 2019A
2Zambia73.0%2024down 1.6 point since 2019A
3Zimbabwe33.8%2024down 1.3 point since 2019A
4Madagascar32.9%2024up 5.8 points since 2019A
5Namibia32.3%2024little changed since 2019A
6South Africa30.4%2025down 1.0 point since 2020A
7Mozambique27.5%2025down 7.4 points since 2020A
8Seychelles13.7%2024up 13.5 points since 2019A
9Botswana10.7%2023up 9.7 points since 2018B
10Angola5.9%2025up 0.6 points since 2020A
11Tanzania5.5%2025down 1.7 point since 2020A
12Mauritius2.1%2025little changed since 2020A
13Lesotho1.5%2024up 1.2 point since 2019A
14Comoros1.2%2023up 1.1 point since 2018B
15Eswatini0.6%2023up 0.4 points since 2018B
16Malawi0.6%2025little changed since 2020A