Least developed countries vs South Africa: Merchandise exports
Merchandise exports over time
- Least developed countries
- South Africa
How they compare
Least developed countries currently reports 311.48 billion current US$ against 116.40 billion current US$ in South Africa, a difference of 195.08 billion current US$.
That makes Least developed countries's figure about 2.7 times South Africa's.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 66 shared years of data; in 1960 it was Least developed countries ahead.
Least developed countries ranks 36th and South Africa ranks 37th of 45 groups.
Across the 7 decades both report, Least developed countries averaged higher in 4 and South Africa in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Least developed countries | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.46 billion current US$ | 2.60 billion current US$ | 860.71 million current US$ | Least developed countries |
| 1970s | 7.98 billion current US$ | 8.33 billion current US$ | 347.67 million current US$ | South Africa |
| 1980s | 13.62 billion current US$ | 19.95 billion current US$ | 6.33 billion current US$ | South Africa |
| 1990s | 22.05 billion current US$ | 26.10 billion current US$ | 4.05 billion current US$ | South Africa |
| 2000s | 77.30 billion current US$ | 49.36 billion current US$ | 27.94 billion current US$ | Least developed countries |
| 2010s | 180.39 billion current US$ | 91.91 billion current US$ | 88.47 billion current US$ | Least developed countries |
| 2020s | 257.65 billion current US$ | 111.61 billion current US$ | 146.05 billion current US$ | Least developed countries |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher merchandise exports, Least developed countries or South Africa?
- Least developed countries, at 311.48 billion current US$ against 116.40 billion current US$ in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in merchandise exports between Least developed countries and South Africa?
- 195.08 billion current US$, with Least developed countries ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Least developed countries and South Africa?
- 66 years are reported by both, from 1960 to 2025.
- How do Least developed countries and South Africa rank globally for merchandise exports?
- Least developed countries ranks 36th and South Africa ranks 37th of 45 groups.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Trade Organization (WTO), published as Merchandise exports (current US$). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Merchandise exports includes goods whose economic ownership is changed from a resident to 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. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.