Angola flag Angola: Economic and Political Overview

Foreign trade figures of Angola

Foreign Trade in Figures

Angola has significantly liberalized its trade scheme in recent years, with trade now representing around 68% of the country's GDP (World Bank, latest available data). The country is a member of SADC (Southern African Development Community) and ECCAS (Economic Community of Central African States) and has signed the African Continental Free Trade Agreement. Oil exports account for more than 95% of total exports. Additionally, Angola is a major exporter of diamonds and liquefied natural gas to the American, European, and Japanese markets. Other exports include coffee, sisal, and fish. The growth of non-oil exports has been supported by the Institutional Capacity Building Project for Private Sector Development sponsored by the African Development Bank.

Angola's main trade partners are China (42.7%), India (10.0%), France (7.1%), the Netherlands (6.7%), and Spain (4.3%), while imports primarily come from China (16.0%), Portugal (10.7%), South Korea (9.2%), the Netherlands (6.8%), and India (6.1% - data from Comtrade for 2022).

Thanks to its comfortable oil revenues, Angola historically records a large but volatile trade surplus that is expected to continue in the coming years. In 2022, merchandise exports increased to USD 51.2 billion (+48.7% y-o-y) thanks to high hydrocarbon prices, while imports increased to USD 17.8 billion (+56.4% y-o-y). Services exports were almost non-existent (USD 82 million in 2022), while imports rose to USD 11.3 billion (+60.2% y-o-y – data from WTO). In the same year, the trade surplus amounted to 18.7% of the country’s GDP (World Bank).

 
Foreign Trade Values 20192020202120222023
Imports of Goods (million USD) 13,9629,33811,37917,80316,108
Exports of Goods (million USD) 35,43222,13534,47251,27538,351
Imports of Services (million USD) 8,1725,6037,05011,2978,182
Exports of Services (million USD) 45567948273

Source: World Trade Organisation (WTO) ; Latest available data

Foreign Trade Indicators 20182019202020212022
Foreign Trade (in % of GDP) 66.457.855.462.1n/a
Trade Balance (million USD) 24,96020,59911,39421,78732,771
Trade Balance (Including Service) (million USD) 15,50212,8815,85914,83021,556
Imports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) -16.0-25.0-19.6-18.313.8
Exports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) -7.6-17.4-6.2-10.70.7
Imports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 25.517.017.316.6n/a
Exports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 40.840.838.045.4n/a

Source: World Bank ; Latest available data

Foreign Trade Forecasts 20232024 (e)2025 (e)2026 (e)2027 (e)
Volume of exports of goods and services (Annual % change) -6.22.95.75.82.0
Volume of imports of goods and services (Annual % change) -13.0-5.81.61.0-7.8

Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook ; Latest available data

Note: (e) Estimated Data

 
International Economic Cooperation
Member of African Union (AU)

Member of Southern African Development Community (SADC)

Member of Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)

Member of Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS)

Member of Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

 

Main Partner Countries

Main Customers
(% of Exports)
2022
China 42.7%
India 10.0%
France 7.1%
Netherlands 6.7%
Spain 4.3%
See More Countries 29.1%
Main Suppliers
(% of Imports)
2022
China 16.0%
Portugal 10.7%
South Korea 9.2%
Netherlands 6.8%
India 6.1%
See More Countries 51.1%

Source: Comtrade, 2024. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

 
 
 
 

To go further, check out our service Import-Export Flows.

 

Main Services

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, 2024. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

Return to top

Any Comment About This Content? Report It to Us.

 

© eexpand, All Rights Reserved.
Latest Update: October 2024