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Indicators · Trade

Trade openness

Exports plus imports of goods and services as a share of GDP.

Why it matters

More open economies tend to have deeper supply chains and fewer barriers for foreign firms.

Read with care

Small economies are naturally more open, so compare with peers of similar size.

Source

World Bank

% of GDP. 51 African countries, 1990 to 2025.

Trade (% GDP): highest in Seychelles, lowest in Angola

Trade openness, % of GDP. Latest year available, mostly 2025. 16 of 16 countries have data.

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Source: World Bank· Get the data (Professional)·dotzedw Insights Centre

Ranked: trade (% GDP)iWhy it mattersMore open economies tend to have deeper supply chains and fewer barriers for foreign firms.

Click a country to highlight it.

0%50%100%150%Seychelles172.3%Lesotho154.0%Mauritius139.9%Namibia108.6%Eswatini107.5% (2024)Mozambique97.1%DRC87.3%Botswana69.5%Zambia62.5% (2024)South Africa60.9%Madagascar54.2%Zimbabwe41.5% (2024)Comoros40.9%Malawi39.4%Tanzania39.0%Angola34.6%median 66.0%
dotzedw Insights Centre
How spread out SADC is
Median 66.0%Lowest: Angola 34.6%Highest: Seychelles 172.3%

Over time

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Trade openness 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%50.0%100.0%150.0%$1,000$3,000$10kGDP per person, US$ (log scale)Trade (% GDP)DRCTanzaniaSouth AfricaAngolaMadagascarMalawiZambiaNamibia
Source: World Bank, World Bank·dotzedw Insights Centre

Table

The same figures as the map, for screen readers and copying.
RankCountryValueYearFive-year changeGradeDetails
1Seychelles172.3%2025up 18.8 points since 2020A
2Lesotho154.0%2025up 12.9 points since 2020A
3Mauritius139.9%2025up 18.8 points since 2020A
4Namibia108.6%2025up 31.7 points since 2020A
5Eswatini107.5%2024up 20.8 points since 2019A
6Mozambique97.1%2025down 2.8 points since 2020A
7DRC87.3%2025up 26.3 points since 2020A
8Botswana69.5%2025down 10.8 points since 2020A
9Zambia62.5%2024down 6.3 points since 2019A
10South Africa60.9%2025up 10.2 points since 2020A
11Madagascar54.2%2025up 5.2 points since 2020A
12Zimbabwe41.5%2024up 5.0 points since 2019A
13Comoros40.9%2025up 7.2 points since 2020A
14Malawi39.4%2025down 1.6 point since 2020A
15Tanzania39.0%2025up 11.0 points since 2020A
16Angola34.6%2025down 20.0 points since 2020A