Merchandise trade (% of GDP) — all countries

Merchandise trade (% of GDP) — South Sudan

Merchandise trade (% of GDP) in South Sudan in 2025 — 37.16%. Ranked 146 in the world out of 189. Since 2020, the indicator has risen by 1.12 pp.

2025 37.16% +9.84 pp vs 2024
World rank 146of 189
Period maximum 40.15%2022
Period minimum 27.33%2024

Trend over time

2020–2025 · % of GDP

Merchandise trade (% of GDP) — South Sudan, 2020–202525303540452020202120222023202420252020: 36.04%2021: 38.02%2022: 40.15%2023: 27.87%2024: 27.33%2025: 37.16%
Change over the period: +1.12 pp Annual average: 0.22 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: South Sudan

South Sudan 37.16%
World 43.89%
Eastern Africa computed 37.9%
Low-income countries computed 39.9%
Merchandise trade (% of GDP) — South Sudan, by year South Sudan All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 37.16 +9.84 pp
2024 27.33 −0.55 pp
2023 27.87 −12.28 pp
2022 40.15 +2.14 pp
2021 38.02 +1.98 pp
2020 36.04

About the indicator

The sum of exports and imports of goods as a percent of GDP. It differs from trade openness in that services are not counted here, and the difference between the two indicators is exactly what shows the weight of services in a country's foreign trade. The highest values come not from large exporters but from transshipment economies — Singapore, Hong Kong, Luxembourg — where goods are brought in to be sent out again, and both flows are counted in full.

Important: Goods only. The value can exceed 100% of GDP: exports and imports are counted at the full value of the goods while GDP is counted as value added, so in transshipment economies the values run to several hundred percent.

Source: World Development Indicators (World Bank), license CC BY 4.0.