Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$), per unit in South Africa
South Africa: Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$), per unit was 0.2948 current US$ per US$ of GDP in 2023. ▲ Rising
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$), per unit in South Africa, 1998–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in current US$ per US$ of GDP.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 0.2948 current US$ per US$ of GDP for merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), per unit in 2023.
That represents a change of up 3.3% on the previous year and up 8.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), per unit in South Africa peaked at 0.3034 current US$ per US$ of GDP in 2008 and was at its lowest, 0.1728 current US$ per US$ of GDP, in 1999.
That places South Africa 115th out of 202 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$), per unit in South Africa, year by year
| Year | current US$ per US$ of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 0.188 current US$ per US$ of GDP | — |
| 1999 | 0.1728 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -8.1% |
| 2000 | 0.1857 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +7.5% |
| 2001 | 0.1963 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +5.7% |
| 2002 | 0.2123 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +8.1% |
| 2003 | 0.1822 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -14.2% |
| 2004 | 0.1947 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +6.9% |
| 2005 | 0.1981 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 0.2369 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +19.6% |
| 2007 | 0.2723 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +14.9% |
| 2008 | 0.3034 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +11.4% |
| 2009 | 0.2156 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -28.9% |
| 2010 | 0.2085 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -3.3% |
| 2011 | 0.2349 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +12.7% |
| 2012 | 0.2521 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +7.3% |
| 2013 | 0.2721 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +7.9% |
| 2014 | 0.2761 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 0.2596 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -6.0% |
| 2016 | 0.2435 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -6.2% |
| 2017 | 0.2292 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -5.9% |
| 2018 | 0.2414 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +5.3% |
| 2019 | 0.2373 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 0.2135 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -10.0% |
| 2021 | 0.2325 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +8.9% |
| 2022 | 0.2855 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +22.8% |
| 2023 | 0.2948 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +3.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.1804 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.1728 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.188 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 2 |
| 2000s | 0.2197 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.1822 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.3034 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2455 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2085 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2761 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2566 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2135 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2948 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 112 Türkiye 0.2955 current US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 113 Luxembourg 0.2953 current US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 114 Guyana 0.2953 current US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 116 Barbados 0.2939 current US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 117 Nepal 0.2933 current US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 118 Madagascar 0.2931 current US$ per US$ of GDP compare
More private sector data for South Africa
- Merchandise trade 57.2% (2025)
- Food imports 7.2% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 62.1% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 128.08 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 12.8% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 38.3% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 116.40 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 1,798 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2725 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 5.74 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), per unit in South Africa?
- Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), per unit in South Africa was 0.2948 current US$ per US$ of GDP in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), per unit recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.3034 current US$ per US$ of GDP in 2008.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), per unit recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1728 current US$ per US$ of GDP in 1999.
- How does South Africa rank for merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), per unit?
- South Africa ranks 115th out of 202 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current us$), per unit rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$), per unit of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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How this figure is calculated
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$) divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$) ÷ GDP (current US$)
Computed from
- Merchandise imports by the reporting economy Staff estimates, World Bank (WB)
- GDP Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$) divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.