Ed Richardson SOUTH AFRICA ranked 27th in world manufacturing exports in 2000, according to the latest statistics released by the World Trade Organisation (WTO). According to the WTO's International Trade Statistics 2001, South African merchandise exports rose by 12% to 30 billion dollars - or 0.6% of world trade. Imports rose by 11%, to 29.7-billion dollars - or 0.4% of world trade, making South Africa the 28th biggest import market for manufactured goods. Exports of commercial services rose by 0.3%, to 4.9-billion dollars, putting the country in 38th place. The country was not among the top 40 importers of commercial services. According to the WTO, the value of world merchandise exports rose by 12.5% in 2000, to US$6.2 trillion. The top merchandise exporter and importer was the United States, with goods valued at $781.1-billion, or 12% of the world total, and imports at $1257.6-billion - or 18.9% of world trade. The US was followed in both categories by Germany and Japan. At the bottom of the list of exporters were Slovenia ($8.7-billion), Angola (7.9-billion) and Morocco ($7.4-billion). The smallest importers were Tunisia ($8.6-billion), Belarus ($8.5-billion), and Bangladesh ($8.4-billion). Africa's merchandise exports rose by 27% in 2000 - four times the growth of its imports, and more than double the growth rate for world exports. This growth was, however, mainly due to oil prices which rose to $28 a barrel. While the major fuel exporters in Africa recorded sharp export and import growth, some 20 African countries reported absolute declines in the level of exports and imports. The impact of the higher fuel prices was also felt in the freight industry. Among the major categories of commercial services, transportation showed the strongest growth in 2000.
