Merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual in South Africa
South Africa: Merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual was 0.0% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual in South Africa, 1998–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 0.0% for merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
The figure is down 93.9% on the previous year and down 99.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual in South Africa peaked at 0.3% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2023.
South Africa ranks 128th of 206 countries on this measure, 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, residual in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 0.2% | — |
| 1999 | 0.0% | -88.6% |
| 2000 | 0.0% | -68.3% |
| 2001 | 0.0% | -75.3% |
| 2002 | 0.0% | +140.7% |
| 2003 | 0.0% | +29.0% |
| 2004 | 0.0% | +87.8% |
| 2005 | 0.0% | -35.8% |
| 2006 | 0.1% | +1114.8% |
| 2007 | 0.1% | +31.9% |
| 2008 | 0.3% | +220.8% |
| 2009 | 0.1% | -72.9% |
| 2010 | 0.0% | -99.5% |
| 2011 | 0.0% | +16.0% |
| 2012 | 0.0% | +197.1% |
| 2013 | 0.0% | +214.5% |
| 2014 | 0.0% | -62.8% |
| 2015 | 0.0% | +287.7% |
| 2016 | 0.0% | +209.8% |
| 2017 | 0.0% | -7.3% |
| 2018 | 0.0% | -55.8% |
| 2019 | 0.0% | -97.6% |
| 2020 | 0.0% | -37.9% |
| 2021 | 0.0% | +240.2% |
| 2022 | 0.0% | -47.7% |
| 2023 | 0.0% | -93.9% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.0% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.0%, 2% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | +1114.8% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 2 |
| 2000s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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, residual in South Africa?
- Merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual in South Africa was 0.0% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.3% in 2008.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2023.
- How does South Africa rank for merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual?
- South Africa ranks 128th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 99.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual (% of total merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy residuals are the total merchandise imports by the reporting economy from the rest of the world as reported in the IMF's Direction of trade database, less the sum of imports by the reporting economy from high-, low-, and middle-income economies according to the World Bank classification of economies. Includes trade with unspecified partners or with economies not covered by World Bank classification. Data are as a percentage of total merchandise imports by the economy.