Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$), per in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$), per was 19,573 current US$ per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
19,573 current US$ per square kilometre
Change on year
up 1.4%
Rank
37th
of 44 groups
All-time high
19,573 current US$ per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
125.59 current US$ per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$), per in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in current US$ per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), per in Sub-Saharan Africa is 19,573 current US$ per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 8.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), per in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 19,573 current US$ per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 125.59 current US$ per square kilometre, in 1961.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 37th of 44 groups on this measure, 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$), per in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | current US$ per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 125.59 current US$ per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 131.96 current US$ per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1963 | 152.6 current US$ per square kilometre | +15.6% |
| 1964 | 194.06 current US$ per square kilometre | +27.2% |
| 1965 | 214.58 current US$ per square kilometre | +10.6% |
| 1966 | 217.17 current US$ per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1967 | 216.3 current US$ per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 1968 | 232.69 current US$ per square kilometre | +7.6% |
| 1969 | 257.1 current US$ per square kilometre | +10.5% |
| 1970 | 307.4 current US$ per square kilometre | +19.6% |
| 1971 | 342.79 current US$ per square kilometre | +11.5% |
| 1972 | 376.58 current US$ per square kilometre | +9.9% |
| 1973 | 464.97 current US$ per square kilometre | +23.5% |
| 1974 | 657.15 current US$ per square kilometre | +41.3% |
| 1975 | 840.12 current US$ per square kilometre | +27.8% |
| 1976 | 908.76 current US$ per square kilometre | +8.2% |
| 1977 | 1,167 current US$ per square kilometre | +28.5% |
| 1978 | 1,303 current US$ per square kilometre | +11.6% |
| 1979 | 1,242 current US$ per square kilometre | -4.6% |
| 1980 | 988.14 current US$ per square kilometre | -20.5% |
| 1981 | 2,014 current US$ per square kilometre | +103.9% |
| 1982 | 1,633 current US$ per square kilometre | -19.0% |
| 1983 | 1,364 current US$ per square kilometre | -16.5% |
| 1984 | 1,119 current US$ per square kilometre | -17.9% |
| 1985 | 1,194 current US$ per square kilometre | +6.6% |
| 1986 | 1,110 current US$ per square kilometre | -7.0% |
| 1987 | 1,257 current US$ per square kilometre | +13.3% |
| 1988 | 1,294 current US$ per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 1,381 current US$ per square kilometre | +6.8% |
| 1990 | 1,741 current US$ per square kilometre | +26.1% |
| 1991 | 1,716 current US$ per square kilometre | -1.5% |
| 1992 | 2,158 current US$ per square kilometre | +25.7% |
| 1993 | 1,806 current US$ per square kilometre | -16.3% |
| 1994 | 1,772 current US$ per square kilometre | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 2,068 current US$ per square kilometre | +16.7% |
| 1996 | 2,138 current US$ per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1997 | 2,194 current US$ per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 3,740 current US$ per square kilometre | +70.5% |
| 1999 | 3,448 current US$ per square kilometre | -7.8% |
| 2000 | 3,595 current US$ per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2001 | 3,697 current US$ per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 3,880 current US$ per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 2003 | 5,354 current US$ per square kilometre | +38.0% |
| 2004 | 6,575 current US$ per square kilometre | +22.8% |
| 2005 | 8,209 current US$ per square kilometre | +24.9% |
| 2006 | 9,860 current US$ per square kilometre | +20.1% |
| 2007 | 11,955 current US$ per square kilometre | +21.2% |
| 2008 | 15,212 current US$ per square kilometre | +27.2% |
| 2009 | 12,898 current US$ per square kilometre | -15.2% |
| 2010 | 14,627 current US$ per square kilometre | +13.4% |
| 2011 | 18,279 current US$ per square kilometre | +25.0% |
| 2012 | 16,974 current US$ per square kilometre | -7.1% |
| 2013 | 17,987 current US$ per square kilometre | +6.0% |
| 2014 | 18,353 current US$ per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 15,660 current US$ per square kilometre | -14.7% |
| 2016 | 13,398 current US$ per square kilometre | -14.4% |
| 2017 | 14,489 current US$ per square kilometre | +8.1% |
| 2018 | 15,626 current US$ per square kilometre | +7.8% |
| 2019 | 15,450 current US$ per square kilometre | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 13,843 current US$ per square kilometre | -10.4% |
| 2021 | 16,172 current US$ per square kilometre | +16.8% |
| 2022 | 19,298 current US$ per square kilometre | +19.3% |
| 2023 | 19,573 current US$ per square kilometre | +1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 193.56 current US$ per square kilometre | 125.59 current US$ per square kilometre | 257.1 current US$ per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 761.07 current US$ per square kilometre | 307.4 current US$ per square kilometre | 1,303 current US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 1,335 current US$ per square kilometre | 988.14 current US$ per square kilometre | 2,014 current US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 2,278 current US$ per square kilometre | 1,716 current US$ per square kilometre | 3,740 current US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 8,123 current US$ per square kilometre | 3,595 current US$ per square kilometre | 15,212 current US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 16,084 current US$ per square kilometre | 13,398 current US$ per square kilometre | 18,353 current US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 17,221 current US$ per square kilometre | 13,843 current US$ per square kilometre | 19,573 current US$ per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 34 Mauritius 2.26 million current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 35 Ireland 2.18 million current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 36 Saint Lucia 2.16 million current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 37 Japan 2.15 million current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 38 Italy 2.15 million current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 39 Kuwait 2.10 million current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 40 Lebanon 1.76 million current US$ per square kilometre 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$), annual growth rate 11.24 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), per in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), per in Sub-Saharan Africa was 19,573 current US$ per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), per recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 19,573 current US$ per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), per recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 125.59 current US$ per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), per?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 37th out of 44 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), per rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.8%. 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$), per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$) ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Merchandise imports by the reporting economy Staff estimates, World Bank (WB)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.