Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$), gaps in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$), gaps was 177.41 billion current US$ in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$), gaps in Africa Western and Central, 1960–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in current US$.
Analysis
Africa Western and Central recorded 177.41 billion current US$ for merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), gaps in 2023. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.2% on the previous year and up 7.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), gaps in Africa Western and Central peaked at 177.41 billion current US$ in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.38 billion current US$, in 1960.
That places Africa Western and Central 39th out of 44 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$), gaps in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.38 billion current US$ | — |
| 1961 | 1.51 billion current US$ | +10.1% |
| 1962 | 1.53 billion current US$ | +1.2% |
| 1963 | 1.70 billion current US$ | +10.9% |
| 1964 | 1.89 billion current US$ | +11.5% |
| 1965 | 2.04 billion current US$ | +7.4% |
| 1966 | 2.10 billion current US$ | +3.4% |
| 1967 | 2.12 billion current US$ | +0.7% |
| 1968 | 2.05 billion current US$ | -3.3% |
| 1969 | 2.36 billion current US$ | +15.4% |
| 1970 | 2.97 billion current US$ | +25.5% |
| 1971 | 3.52 billion current US$ | +18.5% |
| 1972 | 3.74 billion current US$ | +6.5% |
| 1973 | 4.88 billion current US$ | +30.4% |
| 1974 | 6.99 billion current US$ | +43.1% |
| 1975 | 10.66 billion current US$ | +52.6% |
| 1976 | 12.93 billion current US$ | +21.3% |
| 1977 | 17.13 billion current US$ | +32.5% |
| 1978 | 19.58 billion current US$ | +14.3% |
| 1979 | 17.99 billion current US$ | -8.1% |
| 1980 | 10.19 billion current US$ | -43.4% |
| 1981 | 28.07 billion current US$ | +175.6% |
| 1982 | 21.96 billion current US$ | -21.8% |
| 1983 | 17.94 billion current US$ | -18.3% |
| 1984 | 13.10 billion current US$ | -27.0% |
| 1985 | 14.36 billion current US$ | +9.6% |
| 1986 | 12.59 billion current US$ | -12.3% |
| 1987 | 13.88 billion current US$ | +10.2% |
| 1988 | 13.76 billion current US$ | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 13.82 billion current US$ | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 19.71 billion current US$ | +42.6% |
| 1991 | 20.31 billion current US$ | +3.0% |
| 1992 | 27.71 billion current US$ | +36.5% |
| 1993 | 24.31 billion current US$ | -12.3% |
| 1994 | 21.83 billion current US$ | -10.2% |
| 1995 | 25.04 billion current US$ | +14.7% |
| 1996 | 26.17 billion current US$ | +4.5% |
| 1997 | 25.82 billion current US$ | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 30.36 billion current US$ | +17.6% |
| 1999 | 27.72 billion current US$ | -8.7% |
| 2000 | 20.97 billion current US$ | -24.3% |
| 2001 | 24.24 billion current US$ | +15.6% |
| 2002 | 25.47 billion current US$ | +5.1% |
| 2003 | 40.90 billion current US$ | +60.6% |
| 2004 | 51.01 billion current US$ | +24.7% |
| 2005 | 61.93 billion current US$ | +21.4% |
| 2006 | 71.97 billion current US$ | +16.2% |
| 2007 | 86.64 billion current US$ | +20.4% |
| 2008 | 119.22 billion current US$ | +37.6% |
| 2009 | 101.57 billion current US$ | -14.8% |
| 2010 | 118.57 billion current US$ | +16.7% |
| 2011 | 149.29 billion current US$ | +25.9% |
| 2012 | 146.03 billion current US$ | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 164.90 billion current US$ | +12.9% |
| 2014 | 170.64 billion current US$ | +3.5% |
| 2015 | 136.49 billion current US$ | -20.0% |
| 2016 | 118.56 billion current US$ | -13.1% |
| 2017 | 126.50 billion current US$ | +6.7% |
| 2018 | 134.13 billion current US$ | +6.0% |
| 2019 | 137.71 billion current US$ | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 131.04 billion current US$ | -4.8% |
| 2021 | 142.50 billion current US$ | +8.7% |
| 2022 | 170.22 billion current US$ | +19.5% |
| 2023 | 177.41 billion current US$ | +4.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.87 billion current US$ | 1.38 billion current US$ | 2.36 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.04 billion current US$ | 2.97 billion current US$ | 19.58 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 15.97 billion current US$ | 10.19 billion current US$ | 28.07 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 24.90 billion current US$ | 19.71 billion current US$ | 30.36 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 60.39 billion current US$ | 20.97 billion current US$ | 119.22 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 140.28 billion current US$ | 118.56 billion current US$ | 170.64 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 155.29 billion current US$ | 131.04 billion current US$ | 177.41 billion current US$ | 4 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
- 36 Denmark 120.45 billion current US$ compare
- 37 Portugal 113.59 billion current US$ compare
- 38 Slovakia 113.39 billion current US$ compare
- 39 South Africa 112.46 billion current US$ compare
- 40 Norway 96.77 billion current US$ compare
- 41 Greece 88.37 billion current US$ compare
- 42 Finland 82.82 billion current US$ compare
More private sector data for Africa Western and Central
- Merchandise trade 43.1% (2025)
- Food imports 15.3% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 54.3% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 163.34 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 12.1% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 7.0% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 204.10 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 383.07 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2394 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 20.81 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), gaps in Africa Western and Central?
- Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), gaps in Africa Western and Central was 177.41 billion current US$ in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), gaps recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 177.41 billion current US$ in 2023.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), gaps recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.38 billion current US$ in 1960.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), gaps?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 39th out of 44 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), gaps rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$), gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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How this figure is calculated
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$) 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.
Computed from
- Merchandise imports by the reporting economy Staff estimates, World Bank (WB)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
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.