Least developed countries vs South Africa: Merchandise imports
Merchandise imports over time
- Least developed countries
- South Africa
How they compare
Least developed countries currently reports 376.94 billion current US$ against 128.08 billion current US$ in South Africa, a difference of 248.86 billion current US$.
That makes Least developed countries's figure about 2.9 times South Africa's.
Across all 66 years both countries report, Least developed countries has been ahead every year.
Least developed countries ranks 35th and South Africa ranks 37th of 45 groups.
Least developed countries has averaged higher in every one of the 7 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Least developed countries | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.70 billion current US$ | 2.23 billion current US$ | 1.47 billion current US$ | Least developed countries |
| 1970s | 10.13 billion current US$ | 6.36 billion current US$ | 3.76 billion current US$ | Least developed countries |
| 1980s | 22.28 billion current US$ | 16.95 billion current US$ | 5.33 billion current US$ | Least developed countries |
| 1990s | 32.32 billion current US$ | 25.00 billion current US$ | 7.32 billion current US$ | Least developed countries |
| 2000s | 88.01 billion current US$ | 58.56 billion current US$ | 29.45 billion current US$ | Least developed countries |
| 2010s | 235.20 billion current US$ | 111.61 billion current US$ | 123.59 billion current US$ | Least developed countries |
| 2020s | 329.87 billion current US$ | 119.43 billion current US$ | 210.45 billion current US$ | Least developed countries |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher merchandise imports, Least developed countries or South Africa?
- Least developed countries, at 376.94 billion current US$ against 128.08 billion current US$ in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in merchandise imports between Least developed countries and South Africa?
- 248.86 billion current US$, with Least developed countries ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Least developed countries and South Africa?
- 66 years are reported by both, from 1960 to 2025.
- How do Least developed countries and South Africa rank globally for merchandise imports?
- Least developed countries ranks 35th and South Africa ranks 37th of 45 groups.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Trade Organization (WTO), published as Merchandise imports (current US$). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Merchandise imports includes goods whose economic ownership is changed from a non-resident to a 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.