Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$), gaps in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$), gaps was 467.85 billion current US$ in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$), gaps in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1960–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), gaps in Sub-Saharan Africa is 467.85 billion current US$, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 8.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), gaps in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 467.85 billion current US$ in 2023 and was at its lowest, 2.37 billion current US$, in 1960.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 28th out of 44 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$), gaps in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2.37 billion current US$ | — |
| 1961 | 2.53 billion current US$ | +6.9% |
| 1962 | 2.66 billion current US$ | +5.1% |
| 1963 | 3.07 billion current US$ | +15.6% |
| 1964 | 3.91 billion current US$ | +27.2% |
| 1965 | 4.32 billion current US$ | +10.6% |
| 1966 | 4.37 billion current US$ | +1.2% |
| 1967 | 4.36 billion current US$ | -0.4% |
| 1968 | 4.69 billion current US$ | +7.6% |
| 1969 | 5.18 billion current US$ | +10.5% |
| 1970 | 6.19 billion current US$ | +19.6% |
| 1971 | 6.90 billion current US$ | +11.5% |
| 1972 | 7.58 billion current US$ | +9.9% |
| 1973 | 9.37 billion current US$ | +23.5% |
| 1974 | 13.24 billion current US$ | +41.3% |
| 1975 | 16.92 billion current US$ | +27.8% |
| 1976 | 18.30 billion current US$ | +8.2% |
| 1977 | 23.51 billion current US$ | +28.5% |
| 1978 | 26.24 billion current US$ | +11.6% |
| 1979 | 25.02 billion current US$ | -4.6% |
| 1980 | 19.90 billion current US$ | -20.5% |
| 1981 | 40.57 billion current US$ | +103.9% |
| 1982 | 32.88 billion current US$ | -19.0% |
| 1983 | 27.46 billion current US$ | -16.5% |
| 1984 | 22.54 billion current US$ | -17.9% |
| 1985 | 24.04 billion current US$ | +6.6% |
| 1986 | 22.35 billion current US$ | -7.0% |
| 1987 | 25.32 billion current US$ | +13.3% |
| 1988 | 26.06 billion current US$ | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 27.82 billion current US$ | +6.8% |
| 1990 | 35.07 billion current US$ | +26.1% |
| 1991 | 34.56 billion current US$ | -1.5% |
| 1992 | 43.45 billion current US$ | +25.7% |
| 1993 | 38.35 billion current US$ | -11.7% |
| 1994 | 37.63 billion current US$ | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 43.93 billion current US$ | +16.7% |
| 1996 | 45.42 billion current US$ | +3.4% |
| 1997 | 46.60 billion current US$ | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 79.45 billion current US$ | +70.5% |
| 1999 | 73.24 billion current US$ | -7.8% |
| 2000 | 76.36 billion current US$ | +4.3% |
| 2001 | 78.54 billion current US$ | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 82.42 billion current US$ | +4.9% |
| 2003 | 113.73 billion current US$ | +38.0% |
| 2004 | 140.63 billion current US$ | +23.7% |
| 2005 | 175.59 billion current US$ | +24.9% |
| 2006 | 210.90 billion current US$ | +20.1% |
| 2007 | 255.71 billion current US$ | +21.2% |
| 2008 | 325.38 billion current US$ | +27.2% |
| 2009 | 275.90 billion current US$ | -15.2% |
| 2010 | 312.88 billion current US$ | +13.4% |
| 2011 | 391.01 billion current US$ | +25.0% |
| 2012 | 405.53 billion current US$ | +3.7% |
| 2013 | 429.72 billion current US$ | +6.0% |
| 2014 | 438.47 billion current US$ | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 374.15 billion current US$ | -14.7% |
| 2016 | 320.15 billion current US$ | -14.4% |
| 2017 | 346.24 billion current US$ | +8.2% |
| 2018 | 373.43 billion current US$ | +7.9% |
| 2019 | 369.27 billion current US$ | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 330.87 billion current US$ | -10.4% |
| 2021 | 386.55 billion current US$ | +16.8% |
| 2022 | 461.28 billion current US$ | +19.3% |
| 2023 | 467.85 billion current US$ | +1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.75 billion current US$ | 2.37 billion current US$ | 5.18 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 15.33 billion current US$ | 6.19 billion current US$ | 26.24 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 26.90 billion current US$ | 19.90 billion current US$ | 40.57 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 47.77 billion current US$ | 34.56 billion current US$ | 79.45 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 173.51 billion current US$ | 76.36 billion current US$ | 325.38 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 376.09 billion current US$ | 312.88 billion current US$ | 438.47 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 411.64 billion current US$ | 330.87 billion current US$ | 467.85 billion current US$ | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 25 Russian Federation 262.13 billion current US$ compare
- 26 Brazil 254.86 billion current US$ compare
- 27 Czechia 229.43 billion current US$ compare
- 28 Austria 226.25 billion current US$ compare
- 29 Indonesia 221.78 billion current US$ compare
- 30 Saudi Arabia 210.68 billion current US$ compare
- 31 Sweden 192.82 billion current US$ compare
More private sector data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Merchandise trade 44.5% (2025)
- Food imports 12.1% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 56.8% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 501.15 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 14.7% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 19.4% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 486.80 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 368.33 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2201 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 11.24 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), gaps in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), gaps in Sub-Saharan Africa was 467.85 billion current US$ in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), gaps recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 467.85 billion current US$ in 2023.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), gaps recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.37 billion current US$ in 1960.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), gaps?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 28th out of 44 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), gaps rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$), gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$) 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.