Imports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Imports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP was 0.2788 current US$ per US$ of GDP in 2025. ▲ Rising
Imports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1976–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in current US$ per US$ of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for imports of goods and services (current us$), per unit of gdp in Sub-Saharan Africa is 0.2788 current US$ per US$ of GDP, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 2.6% on the previous year and up 9.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, imports of goods and services (current us$), per unit of gdp in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 0.2973 current US$ per US$ of GDP in 2008 and was at its lowest, 0.1776 current US$ per US$ of GDP, in 1983.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 25th of 45 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Imports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | current US$ per US$ of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 0.2193 current US$ per US$ of GDP | — |
| 1977 | 0.2147 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -2.1% |
| 1978 | 0.2258 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +5.2% |
| 1979 | 0.232 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 0.2482 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +7.0% |
| 1981 | 0.1953 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -21.3% |
| 1982 | 0.1809 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -7.3% |
| 1983 | 0.1776 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.9% |
| 1984 | 0.1969 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +10.9% |
| 1985 | 0.1818 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -7.7% |
| 1986 | 0.2149 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +18.2% |
| 1987 | 0.2217 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 0.2271 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 0.2285 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 0.2104 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -7.9% |
| 1991 | 0.2048 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -2.7% |
| 1992 | 0.2208 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +7.8% |
| 1993 | 0.2139 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -3.1% |
| 1994 | 0.2276 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +6.4% |
| 1995 | 0.217 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -4.7% |
| 1996 | 0.2028 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -6.6% |
| 1997 | 0.2001 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 0.1981 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 0.2639 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +33.2% |
| 2000 | 0.2601 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 0.2626 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 0.2597 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 0.2548 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.9% |
| 2004 | 0.2578 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 0.2606 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 0.2563 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 0.2774 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +8.2% |
| 2008 | 0.2973 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +7.2% |
| 2009 | 0.2741 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -7.8% |
| 2010 | 0.2655 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -3.2% |
| 2011 | 0.2777 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +4.6% |
| 2012 | 0.2797 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 0.2754 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 0.2626 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -4.6% |
| 2015 | 0.2557 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 0.2504 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 0.2511 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 0.2537 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 0.2177 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -14.2% |
| 2020 | 0.2014 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -7.5% |
| 2021 | 0.223 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +10.7% |
| 2022 | 0.2477 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +11.1% |
| 2023 | 0.2633 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +6.3% |
| 2024 | 0.2863 current US$ per US$ of GDP | +8.7% |
| 2025 | 0.2788 current US$ per US$ of GDP | -2.6% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Imports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP in Sub-Saharan Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | +33.2% | 0.1981 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2639 current US$ per US$ of GDP |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.2229 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2147 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.232 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 4 |
| 1980s | 0.2073 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.1776 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2482 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.2159 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.1981 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2639 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2661 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2548 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2973 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.259 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2177 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2797 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2501 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2014 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2863 current US$ per US$ of GDP | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 22 Marshall Islands 0.7987 current US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 23 Maldives 0.7826 current US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 24 Aruba 0.7817 current US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 25 American Samoa 0.7773 current US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 26 Belgium 0.7747 current US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 27 Estonia 0.774 current US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 28 Mauritius 0.7491 current US$ per US$ of GDP compare
More economy & growth data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 4.59 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2382 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 3.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), per capita 384.35 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2297 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 8.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 358.68 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2144 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 1.12 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per capita 1,874 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is imports of goods and services (current us$), per unit of gdp in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Imports of goods and services (current us$), per unit of gdp in Sub-Saharan Africa was 0.2788 current US$ per US$ of GDP in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest imports of goods and services (current us$), per unit of gdp recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.2973 current US$ per US$ of GDP in 2008.
- What is the lowest imports of goods and services (current us$), per unit of gdp recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1776 current US$ per US$ of GDP in 1983.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for imports of goods and services (current us$), per unit of gdp?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 25th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is imports of goods and services (current us$), per unit of gdp rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Imports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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How this figure is calculated
Imports of goods and services (current US$) 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.