Imports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP in South Africa
South Africa: Imports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP was 0.295 current US$ per US$ of GDP in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
0.295 current US$ per US$ of GDP
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
141st
of 193 countries
All-time high
0.3372 current US$ per US$ of GDP
in 2008
All-time low
0.1537 current US$ per US$ of GDP
in 1992
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Imports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP in South Africa, 1960–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in current US$ per US$ of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for imports of goods and services (current us$), per unit of gdp in South Africa is 0.295 current US$ per US$ of GDP, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 1.2% on the previous year and up 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, imports of goods and services (current us$), per unit of gdp in South Africa peaked at 0.3372 current US$ per US$ of GDP in 2008 and was at its lowest, 0.1537 current US$ per US$ of GDP, in 1992.
South Africa ranks 141st of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Imports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP in South Africa, year by year
| Year | current US$ per US$ of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.2127 current US$ per US$ of GDP | — |
| 1961 | 0.1841 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -13.5% |
| 1962 | 0.1789 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -2.8% |
| 1963 | 0.2013 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +12.6% |
| 1964 | 0.2214 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +10.0% |
| 1965 | 0.2322 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +4.9% |
| 1966 | 0.2012 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -13.4% |
| 1967 | 0.211 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +4.9% |
| 1968 | 0.1933 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -8.3% |
| 1969 | 0.1958 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +1.3% |
| 1970 | 0.2138 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +9.2% |
| 1971 | 0.2202 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 0.1931 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -12.3% |
| 1973 | 0.1946 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 0.2464 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +26.6% |
| 1975 | 0.2597 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +5.4% |
| 1976 | 0.2497 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -3.9% |
| 1977 | 0.2193 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -12.2% |
| 1978 | 0.2253 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 0.2286 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 0.2464 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +7.8% |
| 1981 | 0.2699 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +9.6% |
| 1982 | 0.2375 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -12.0% |
| 1983 | 0.1849 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -22.2% |
| 1984 | 0.2089 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +13.0% |
| 1985 | 0.2005 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -4.1% |
| 1986 | 0.194 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -3.2% |
| 1987 | 0.1808 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -6.8% |
| 1988 | 0.2005 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +10.9% |
| 1989 | 0.1899 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -5.3% |
| 1990 | 0.1667 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -12.2% |
| 1991 | 0.1554 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -6.8% |
| 1992 | 0.1537 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 0.1578 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 0.1757 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +11.3% |
| 1995 | 0.1944 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +10.7% |
| 1996 | 0.2042 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +5.1% |
| 1997 | 0.2064 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 0.2152 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +4.2% |
| 1999 | 0.1999 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -7.1% |
| 2000 | 0.2182 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +9.1% |
| 2001 | 0.2281 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +4.6% |
| 2002 | 0.2503 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +9.7% |
| 2003 | 0.2181 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -12.9% |
| 2004 | 0.2289 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +4.9% |
| 2005 | 0.2383 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +4.1% |
| 2006 | 0.2767 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +16.1% |
| 2007 | 0.2917 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +5.4% |
| 2008 | 0.3372 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +15.6% |
| 2009 | 0.246 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -27.0% |
| 2010 | 0.2462 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 0.2694 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +9.4% |
| 2012 | 0.2844 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +5.6% |
| 2013 | 0.305 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +7.2% |
| 2014 | 0.305 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.2901 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -4.9% |
| 2016 | 0.2771 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -4.5% |
| 2017 | 0.262 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -5.4% |
| 2018 | 0.2699 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 0.267 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 0.2318 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -13.2% |
| 2021 | 0.2497 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +7.7% |
| 2022 | 0.3141 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +25.8% |
| 2023 | 0.3243 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +3.2% |
| 2024 | 0.2985 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -7.9% |
| 2025 | 0.295 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.2% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.295 current US$ per US$ of GDP is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.4252 current US$ per US$ of GDP, 69% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 0.295 current US$ per US$ of GDP is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.3001 current US$ per US$ of GDP, 98% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.2032 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.1789 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2322 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.2251 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.1931 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2597 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2113 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.1808 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2699 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1829 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.1537 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2152 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2533 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2181 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.3372 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2776 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2462 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.305 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2856 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2318 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.3243 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 138 Chile 0.3042 current US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 139 Italy 0.303 current US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 140 Burkina Faso 0.3001 current US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 142 Gabon 0.294 current US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 143 Eritrea 0.2924 current US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 144 South Sudan 0.289 current US$ per US$ of GDP 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$), annual growth rate 16.18 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is imports of goods and services (current us$), per unit of gdp in South Africa?
- Imports of goods and services (current us$), per unit of gdp in South Africa was 0.295 current US$ per US$ of GDP in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest imports of goods and services (current us$), per unit of gdp recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.3372 current US$ per US$ of GDP in 2008.
- What is the lowest imports of goods and services (current us$), per unit of gdp recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1537 current US$ per US$ of GDP in 1992.
- How does South Africa rank for imports of goods and services (current us$), per unit of gdp?
- South Africa ranks 141st out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is imports of goods and services (current us$), per unit of gdp rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.7%. 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 of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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How this figure is calculated
Imports of goods and services (current US$) divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Imports of goods and services (current US$) ÷ GDP (current US$)
Computed from
- Imports of goods and services Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs)
- GDP Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Imports of goods and services (current US$) divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.