Saudi Arabia vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$), gaps

Saudi Arabia
210.68 billion current US$
in 2023
Sub-Saharan Africa
467.85 billion current US$
in 2023
Saudi Arabia rank
30th
Sub-Saharan Africa rank
28th

Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$), gaps over time

  • Saudi Arabia
  • Sub-Saharan Africa
0100.0B200.0B300.0B400.0B500.0B196019912023

How they compare

Sub-Saharan Africa currently reports 467.85 billion current US$ against 210.68 billion current US$ in Saudi Arabia, a difference of 257.17 billion current US$.

That makes Sub-Saharan Africa's figure about 2.2 times Saudi Arabia's.

The two have swapped places 4 times across 60 shared years of data; in 1964 it was Sub-Saharan Africa ahead.

Saudi Arabia ranks 30th and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 28th of 206 countries.

Across the 7 decades both report, Saudi Arabia averaged higher in 1 and Sub-Saharan Africa in 6.

Head to head by decade

Decade Saudi Arabia Sub-Saharan Africa Difference Ahead
1960s 464.60 million current US$ 4.47 billion current US$ 4.01 billion current US$ Sub-Saharan Africa
1970s 7.57 billion current US$ 15.33 billion current US$ 7.76 billion current US$ Sub-Saharan Africa
1980s 27.73 billion current US$ 26.90 billion current US$ 832.20 million current US$ Saudi Arabia
1990s 27.47 billion current US$ 47.77 billion current US$ 20.30 billion current US$ Sub-Saharan Africa
2000s 59.10 billion current US$ 173.51 billion current US$ 114.41 billion current US$ Sub-Saharan Africa
2010s 141.25 billion current US$ 376.09 billion current US$ 234.83 billion current US$ Sub-Saharan Africa
2020s 169.16 billion current US$ 411.64 billion current US$ 242.48 billion current US$ Sub-Saharan Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), gaps, Saudi Arabia or Sub-Saharan Africa?
Sub-Saharan Africa, at 467.85 billion current US$ against 210.68 billion current US$ in Saudi Arabia as of 2023.
What is the difference in merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), gaps between Saudi Arabia and Sub-Saharan Africa?
257.17 billion current US$, with Sub-Saharan Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Saudi Arabia and Sub-Saharan Africa?
60 years are reported by both, from 1964 to 2023.
How do Saudi Arabia and Sub-Saharan Africa rank globally for merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), gaps?
Saudi Arabia ranks 30th and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 28th of 206 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Statizoid (derived), published as Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$), gaps filled. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Saudi Arabia vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$), gaps. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 12 September 2026, from https://private-sector.statizoid.com/compare/merchandise-imports-by-the-reporting-economy-current-us-gaps-filled/saudi-arabia/sub-saharan-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$), gaps filled
Unit
current US$
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
253 places, 13,570 data points, 1960–2023
Last refreshed

Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$) with 55 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.