Ores and metals exports in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Ores and metals exports was 16.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Ores and metals exports in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1974–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 16.1% for ores and metals exports in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 23.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ores and metals exports in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 18.4% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 5.5%, in 1981.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 4th of 46 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Ores and metals exports in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 12.5% | — |
| 1975 | 13.3% | +6.8% |
| 1976 | 14.0% | +4.7% |
| 1977 | 13.7% | -2.0% |
| 1978 | 10.5% | -23.5% |
| 1979 | 9.1% | -13.6% |
| 1981 | 5.5% | -39.2% |
| 1996 | 9.3% | +69.4% |
| 1997 | 7.9% | -15.1% |
| 1998 | 7.9% | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 12.1% | +52.3% |
| 2000 | 8.3% | -31.3% |
| 2001 | 13.3% | +60.6% |
| 2002 | 9.2% | -31.0% |
| 2003 | 11.3% | +22.9% |
| 2006 | 16.1% | +42.4% |
| 2007 | 15.0% | -6.4% |
| 2008 | 14.5% | -3.5% |
| 2009 | 13.4% | -7.6% |
| 2010 | 14.4% | +7.1% |
| 2011 | 14.0% | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 12.7% | -9.7% |
| 2013 | 13.6% | +7.3% |
| 2014 | 13.1% | -4.0% |
| 2015 | 13.7% | +4.7% |
| 2016 | 12.7% | -7.3% |
| 2017 | 13.0% | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 13.1% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 14.8% | +13.0% |
| 2020 | 16.9% | +14.2% |
| 2021 | 18.4% | +9.3% |
| 2022 | 16.5% | -10.3% |
| 2023 | 16.0% | -3.0% |
| 2024 | 16.1% | +0.6% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Ores and metals exports in Sub-Saharan Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +69.4% | 5.5% | 9.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 12.2% | 9.1% | 14.0% | 6 |
| 1980s | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 1 |
| 1990s | 9.3% | 7.9% | 12.1% | 4 |
| 2000s | 12.6% | 8.3% | 16.1% | 8 |
| 2010s | 13.5% | 12.7% | 14.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.8% | 16.0% | 18.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More energy & mining data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Fuel imports 23.6% (2024)
- Ores and metals imports 2.0% (2024)
- Fuel exports 40.1% (2024)
- Electric power transmission and distribution losses 25.8% (2024)
- Mineral rents 2.9% (2021)
- Natural gas rents 0.5% (2021)
- Total natural resources rents 10.0% (2021)
- Alternative and nuclear energy 17.4% (2024)
- Electric power consumption 376.79 kWh per capita (2023)
- Combustible renewables and waste 62.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is ores and metals exports in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Ores and metals exports in Sub-Saharan Africa was 16.1% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest ores and metals exports recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 18.4% in 2021.
- What is the lowest ores and metals exports recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.5% in 1981.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for ores and metals exports?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 4th out of 46 groups with data for 2024.
- Is ores and metals exports rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Ores and metals exports (% of merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Ores and metals comprise the commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) sections 27 (crude fertilizer, minerals nes); 28 (metalliferous ores, scrap); and 68 (non-ferrous metals). Exports of services are services provided by residents to non-residents. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise exports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a resident and a non-resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e.