Value of imported goods and services, per unit of GDP in South Africa
South Africa: Value of imported goods and services, per unit of GDP was 0.244 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.244 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP
Change on year
down 5.0%
World rank
128th
of 170 countries
All-time high
1.37 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP
in 1960
All-time low
0.187 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP
in 1992
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Value of imported goods and services, per unit of GDP in South Africa, 1960–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, value of imported goods and services, per unit of gdp in South Africa stood at 0.244 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP.
The figure is down 5.0% on the previous year and down 15.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, value of imported goods and services, per unit of gdp in South Africa peaked at 1.37 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP in 1960 and was at its lowest, 0.187 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP, in 1992.
South Africa ranks 128th of 170 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Value of imported goods and services, per unit of GDP in South Africa, year by year
| Year | constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.37 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | — |
| 1961 | 1.18 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -13.9% |
| 1962 | 1.12 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -4.8% |
| 1963 | 1.22 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +8.1% |
| 1964 | 1.36 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +12.2% |
| 1965 | 1.37 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +0.4% |
| 1966 | 1.12 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -17.9% |
| 1967 | 1.18 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +4.5% |
| 1968 | 1.07 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -8.7% |
| 1969 | 1.08 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 1.13 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +4.4% |
| 1971 | 1.13 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -0.2% |
| 1972 | 0.9398 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -16.5% |
| 1973 | 0.7705 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -18.0% |
| 1974 | 0.737 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -4.4% |
| 1975 | 0.6875 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -6.7% |
| 1976 | 0.6452 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -6.2% |
| 1977 | 0.5056 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -21.6% |
| 1978 | 0.4445 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -12.1% |
| 1979 | 0.3604 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -18.9% |
| 1980 | 0.3026 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -16.0% |
| 1981 | 0.3303 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +9.2% |
| 1982 | 0.296 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -10.4% |
| 1983 | 0.2217 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -25.1% |
| 1984 | 0.3011 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +35.8% |
| 1985 | 0.3408 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +13.2% |
| 1986 | 0.2922 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -14.3% |
| 1987 | 0.2298 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -21.4% |
| 1988 | 0.26 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +13.2% |
| 1989 | 0.251 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -3.5% |
| 1990 | 0.2026 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -19.3% |
| 1991 | 0.193 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -4.8% |
| 1992 | 0.187 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -3.1% |
| 1993 | 0.1998 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +6.8% |
| 1994 | 0.2224 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +11.3% |
| 1995 | 0.2322 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +4.4% |
| 1996 | 0.2656 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +14.4% |
| 1997 | 0.2704 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 0.3047 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +12.7% |
| 1999 | 0.2819 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -7.5% |
| 2000 | 0.2965 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +5.2% |
| 2001 | 0.333 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +12.3% |
| 2002 | 0.3681 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +10.5% |
| 2003 | 0.2606 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -29.2% |
| 2004 | 0.2319 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -11.0% |
| 2005 | 0.2277 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 0.256 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +12.4% |
| 2007 | 0.2554 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 0.2766 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +8.3% |
| 2009 | 0.2184 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -21.1% |
| 2010 | 0.1912 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -12.5% |
| 2011 | 0.1947 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 0.2134 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +9.6% |
| 2013 | 0.2405 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +12.7% |
| 2014 | 0.2512 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +4.4% |
| 2015 | 0.2901 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +15.5% |
| 2016 | 0.298 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 0.2567 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -13.9% |
| 2018 | 0.25 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -2.6% |
| 2019 | 0.2617 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +4.7% |
| 2020 | 0.2485 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -5.0% |
| 2021 | 0.2194 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -11.7% |
| 2022 | 0.2599 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +18.5% |
| 2023 | 0.2886 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | +11.1% |
| 2024 | 0.2569 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -11.0% |
| 2025 | 0.244 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | -5.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.244 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.3601 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP, 68% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 0.244 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.2819 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP, 87% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.21 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | 1.07 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | 1.37 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.7344 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.3604 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | 1.13 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2826 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2217 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.3408 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.236 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.187 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.3047 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2724 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2184 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.3681 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2447 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.1912 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.298 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2528 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2194 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2886 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 125 Spain 0.2538 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 126 Guatemala 0.2498 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 127 Italy 0.2455 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 129 Dominican Republic 0.2416 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 130 Mali 0.2364 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 131 Sri Lanka 0.2353 constant 2015 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$), annual growth rate 16.18 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is value of imported goods and services, per unit of gdp in South Africa?
- Value of imported goods and services, per unit of gdp in South Africa was 0.244 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest value of imported goods and services, per unit of gdp recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.37 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP in 1960.
- What is the lowest value of imported goods and services, per unit of gdp recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.187 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP in 1992.
- How does South Africa rank for value of imported goods and services, per unit of gdp?
- South Africa ranks 128th out of 170 countries with data for 2025.
- Is value of imported goods and services, per unit of gdp rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Value of imported goods and services, per unit of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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How this figure is calculated
Value of imported goods and services divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Value of imported goods and services ÷ GDP (current US$)
Computed from
- Value of imported goods and services National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
- 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
Value of imported goods and services divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.