Imports by region of origin, per square kilometre in South Africa
South Africa: Imports by region of origin, per square kilometre was 9,143 current US$ per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Imports by region of origin, per square kilometre in South Africa, 1998–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in current US$ per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, imports by region of origin, per square kilometre in South Africa stood at 9,143 current US$ per square kilometre. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 13.2% on the previous year and up 32.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, imports by region of origin, per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 9,143 current US$ per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 2,855 current US$ per square kilometre, in 2001.
That places South Africa 107th out of 204 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.
Imports by region of origin, per square kilometre in South Africa, year by year
| Year | current US$ per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 3,313 current US$ per square kilometre | — |
| 1999 | 3,047 current US$ per square kilometre | -8.0% |
| 2000 | 3,069 current US$ per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 2,855 current US$ per square kilometre | -7.0% |
| 2002 | 2,887 current US$ per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 3,263 current US$ per square kilometre | +13.0% |
| 2004 | 3,901 current US$ per square kilometre | +19.6% |
| 2005 | 7,019 current US$ per square kilometre | +79.9% |
| 2006 | 5,272 current US$ per square kilometre | -24.9% |
| 2007 | 6,351 current US$ per square kilometre | +20.5% |
| 2008 | 7,504 current US$ per square kilometre | +18.2% |
| 2009 | 5,092 current US$ per square kilometre | -32.1% |
| 2010 | 6,281 current US$ per square kilometre | +23.3% |
| 2011 | 8,420 current US$ per square kilometre | +34.1% |
| 2012 | 7,885 current US$ per square kilometre | -6.4% |
| 2013 | 6,913 current US$ per square kilometre | -12.3% |
| 2014 | 6,789 current US$ per square kilometre | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 6,194 current US$ per square kilometre | -8.8% |
| 2016 | 5,308 current US$ per square kilometre | -14.3% |
| 2017 | 5,674 current US$ per square kilometre | +6.9% |
| 2018 | 5,801 current US$ per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 5,932 current US$ per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 4,574 current US$ per square kilometre | -22.9% |
| 2021 | 6,669 current US$ per square kilometre | +45.8% |
| 2022 | 8,077 current US$ per square kilometre | +21.1% |
| 2023 | 9,143 current US$ per square kilometre | +13.2% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 9,143 current US$ per square kilometre is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 13,756 current US$ per square kilometre, 66% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 9,143 current US$ per square kilometre is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 790.01 current US$ per square kilometre, 11.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3,180 current US$ per square kilometre | 3,047 current US$ per square kilometre | 3,313 current US$ per square kilometre | 2 |
| 2000s | 4,721 current US$ per square kilometre | 2,855 current US$ per square kilometre | 7,504 current US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 6,520 current US$ per square kilometre | 5,308 current US$ per square kilometre | 8,420 current US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 7,116 current US$ per square kilometre | 4,574 current US$ per square kilometre | 9,143 current US$ per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 104 Sri Lanka 10,444 current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 105 Iceland 9,758 current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 106 Bosnia and Herzegovina 9,314 current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 108 Albania 9,133 current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 109 Bulgaria 9,080 current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 110 Fiji 8,698 current US$ per square kilometre compare
More economy & growth data for South Africa
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.4836 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.4 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps -4.01 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0094 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -61.95 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled -2.16 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -192.73 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0051 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -33.37 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 16.18 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is imports by region of origin, per square kilometre in South Africa?
- Imports by region of origin, per square kilometre in South Africa was 9,143 current US$ per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest imports by region of origin, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 9,143 current US$ per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest imports by region of origin, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,855 current US$ per square kilometre in 2001.
- How does South Africa rank for imports by region of origin, per square kilometre?
- South Africa ranks 107th out of 204 countries with data for 2023.
- Is imports by region of origin, per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.3%. 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 Imports by region of origin, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Imports by region of origin 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.
Imports by region of origin ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Imports by region of origin International Monetary Fund (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
- 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
Imports by region of origin 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.