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Merchandise imports (constant US$) in South Africa

South Africa: Merchandise imports (constant US$) was 26.58 billion constant US$ in 2009. ▲ Rising

Latest (2009)
26.58 billion constant US$
Change on year
up 2.0%
World rank
3rd
of 45 countries
All-time high
31.51 billion constant US$
in 1993
All-time low
4.05 billion constant US$
in 1980
Years of data
45
1965–2009

Merchandise imports in South Africa, 1965–2009

010.0B20.0B30.0B1965198720091965: 15.0B constant US$1966: 16.4B constant US$1967: 14.1B constant US$1968: 15.7B constant US$1969: 19.4B constant US$1970: 18.6B constant US$1971: 16.8B constant US$1972: 14.1B constant US$1973: 14.2B constant US$1974: 14.2B constant US$1975: 8.2B constant US$1976: 10.6B constant US$1977: 7.3B constant US$1978: 5.3B constant US$1979: 6.3B constant US$1980: 4.1B constant US$1981: 4.4B constant US$1982: 5.6B constant US$1983: 8.0B constant US$1984: 7.8B constant US$1985: 7.5B constant US$1986: 7.4B constant US$1987: 8.4B constant US$1988: 9.4B constant US$1989: 12.7B constant US$1990: 18.2B constant US$1991: 19.9B constant US$1992: 22.0B constant US$1993: 31.5B constant US$1994: 26.6B constant US$1995: 27.4B constant US$1996: 23.2B constant US$1997: 22.7B constant US$1998: 20.3B constant US$1999: 21.3B constant US$2000: 20.7B constant US$2001: 19.8B constant US$2002: 17.6B constant US$2003: 24.9B constant US$2004: 24.1B constant US$2005: 24.6B constant US$2006: 25.0B constant US$2007: 25.5B constant US$2008: 26.1B constant US$2009: 26.6B constant US$

Source: World Bank country economists. Measured in constant US$.

Analysis

In 2009, merchandise imports in South Africa stood at 26.58 billion constant US$.

That represents a change of up 2.0% on the previous year and up 25.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, merchandise imports in South Africa peaked at 31.51 billion constant US$ in 1993 and was at its lowest, 4.05 billion constant US$, in 1980.

That places South Africa 3rd out of 45 countries with data for 2009, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.

Merchandise imports (constant US$) in South Africa, year by year

Year constant US$ Change
1965 14.96 billion constant US$ —
1966 16.42 billion constant US$ +9.8%
1967 14.07 billion constant US$ -14.3%
1968 15.73 billion constant US$ +11.8%
1969 19.44 billion constant US$ +23.5%
1970 18.64 billion constant US$ -4.1%
1971 16.82 billion constant US$ -9.8%
1972 14.15 billion constant US$ -15.9%
1973 14.17 billion constant US$ +0.2%
1974 14.18 billion constant US$ +0.1%
1975 8.22 billion constant US$ -42.0%
1976 10.65 billion constant US$ +29.5%
1977 7.31 billion constant US$ -31.4%
1978 5.27 billion constant US$ -27.9%
1979 6.33 billion constant US$ +20.2%
1980 4.05 billion constant US$ -36.0%
1981 4.43 billion constant US$ +9.4%
1982 5.56 billion constant US$ +25.4%
1983 8.02 billion constant US$ +44.2%
1984 7.80 billion constant US$ -2.7%
1985 7.48 billion constant US$ -4.1%
1986 7.44 billion constant US$ -0.6%
1987 8.40 billion constant US$ +12.9%
1988 9.43 billion constant US$ +12.4%
1989 12.66 billion constant US$ +34.2%
1990 18.25 billion constant US$ +44.1%
1991 19.87 billion constant US$ +8.9%
1992 21.98 billion constant US$ +10.6%
1993 31.51 billion constant US$ +43.3%
1994 26.60 billion constant US$ -15.6%
1995 27.39 billion constant US$ +3.0%
1996 23.18 billion constant US$ -15.4%
1997 22.69 billion constant US$ -2.1%
1998 20.34 billion constant US$ -10.3%
1999 21.26 billion constant US$ +4.5%
2000 20.75 billion constant US$ -2.4%
2001 19.79 billion constant US$ -4.6%
2002 17.61 billion constant US$ -11.0%
2003 24.90 billion constant US$ +41.4%
2004 24.07 billion constant US$ -3.3%
2005 24.56 billion constant US$ +2.0%
2006 25.05 billion constant US$ +2.0%
2007 25.55 billion constant US$ +2.0%
2008 26.06 billion constant US$ +2.0%
2009 26.58 billion constant US$ +2.0%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 26.58 billion constant US$ is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.96 billion constant US$, 13.6× the median. (7 countries reporting)
  • South Africa's 26.58 billion constant US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.26 billion constant US$, 21.1× the median. (40 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 16.12 billion constant US$ 14.07 billion constant US$ 19.44 billion constant US$ 5
1970s 11.57 billion constant US$ 5.27 billion constant US$ 18.64 billion constant US$ 10
1980s 7.53 billion constant US$ 4.05 billion constant US$ 12.66 billion constant US$ 10
1990s 23.31 billion constant US$ 18.25 billion constant US$ 31.51 billion constant US$ 10
2000s 23.49 billion constant US$ 17.61 billion constant US$ 26.58 billion constant US$ 10

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 1 Egypt 32.84 billion constant US$ compare
  2. 2 Nigeria 29.11 billion constant US$ compare
  3. 4 Morocco 25.24 billion constant US$ compare
  4. 5 Algeria 13.47 billion constant US$ compare
  5. 6 Angola 13.27 billion constant US$ compare

See the full ranking of 51 places →

More trade data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is merchandise imports in South Africa?
Merchandise imports in South Africa was 26.58 billion constant US$ in 2009, according to World Bank country economists.
What is the highest merchandise imports recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 31.51 billion constant US$ in 1993.
What is the lowest merchandise imports recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 4.05 billion constant US$ in 1980.
How does South Africa rank for merchandise imports?
South Africa ranks 3rd out of 45 countries with data for 2009.
Is merchandise imports rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 25.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from World Bank country economists, published as part of Merchandise imports (constant US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Merchandise imports in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on World Bank country economists. Retrieved 08 November 2026, from https://trade.statizoid.com/stat/merchandise-imports-constant-us/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Merchandise imports (constant US$)
Unit
constant US$
Source
World Bank country economists
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
51 places, 1,355 data points, 1965–2011
Last refreshed

Total merchandise imports, cif (includes freight and insurance costs) in 1987 constant US dollars.