Total reserves in months of imports in South Africa
South Africa: Total reserves in months of imports was 6.22 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Total reserves in months of imports in South Africa, 1960–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Analysis
South Africa recorded 6.22 for total reserves in months of imports in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 9.8% on the previous year and up 31.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total reserves in months of imports in South Africa peaked at 7.12 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.7492, in 1996.
That places South Africa 46th out of 179 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Total reserves in months of imports in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.45 | — |
| 1961 | 2.22 | +53.3% |
| 1962 | 3.61 | +62.5% |
| 1963 | 3.62 | +0.2% |
| 1964 | 2.73 | -24.5% |
| 1965 | 2.04 | -25.4% |
| 1966 | 2.94 | +44.4% |
| 1967 | 2.39 | -18.9% |
| 1968 | 5.18 | +116.9% |
| 1969 | 3.71 | -28.4% |
| 1970 | 2.36 | -36.4% |
| 1971 | 1.55 | -34.2% |
| 1972 | 3.76 | +142.7% |
| 1973 | 3.96 | +5.3% |
| 1974 | 3.86 | -2.5% |
| 1975 | 2.73 | -29.3% |
| 1976 | 2.11 | -22.9% |
| 1977 | 2.03 | -3.7% |
| 1978 | 2.26 | +11.5% |
| 1979 | 3.85 | +70.2% |
| 1980 | 3.63 | -5.7% |
| 1981 | 1.79 | -50.8% |
| 1982 | 1.96 | +9.8% |
| 1983 | 2.09 | +6.6% |
| 1984 | 1.39 | -33.8% |
| 1985 | 1.37 | -0.9% |
| 1986 | 1.47 | +7.3% |
| 1987 | 1.89 | +28.4% |
| 1988 | 1.05 | -44.7% |
| 1989 | 1.05 | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 1.19 | +13.7% |
| 1991 | 1.52 | +27.6% |
| 1992 | 1.45 | -4.6% |
| 1993 | 1.3 | -10.5% |
| 1994 | 1.3 | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 1.43 | +9.9% |
| 1996 | 0.7492 | -47.7% |
| 1997 | 1.81 | +141.8% |
| 1998 | 1.76 | -2.8% |
| 1999 | 2.55 | +44.7% |
| 2000 | 2.38 | -6.5% |
| 2001 | 2.45 | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 2.5 | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 1.93 | -22.9% |
| 2004 | 2.69 | +39.5% |
| 2005 | 3.16 | +17.5% |
| 2006 | 3.24 | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 3.46 | +7.0% |
| 2008 | 3.33 | -3.9% |
| 2009 | 5.13 | +54.0% |
| 2010 | 4.54 | -11.4% |
| 2011 | 4.19 | -7.7% |
| 2012 | 4.33 | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 4.3 | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 4.43 | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 4.72 | +6.8% |
| 2016 | 5.44 | +15.1% |
| 2017 | 5.23 | -3.9% |
| 2018 | 4.81 | -7.9% |
| 2019 | 5.41 | +12.4% |
| 2020 | 7.12 | +31.7% |
| 2021 | 5.56 | -21.9% |
| 2022 | 4.91 | -11.7% |
| 2023 | 5.33 | +8.5% |
| 2024 | 5.67 | +6.4% |
| 2025 | 6.22 | +9.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.99 | 1.45 | 5.18 | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.85 | 1.55 | 3.96 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.77 | 1.05 | 3.63 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.51 | 0.7492 | 2.55 | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.03 | 1.93 | 5.13 | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.74 | 4.19 | 5.44 | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.8 | 4.91 | 7.12 | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 43 Bosnia and Herzegovina 6.49 compare
- 44 Jamaica 6.47 compare
- 45 Republic of Korea 6.46 compare
- 47 Serbia 6.16 compare
- 48 Timor-Leste 6.07 compare
- 49 Morocco 5.93 compare
More financial sector data for South Africa
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0021 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 13.81 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 0.0607 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0015 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 10.08 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0021 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 13.81 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 0.0607 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total reserves in months of imports in South Africa?
- Total reserves in months of imports in South Africa was 6.22 in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest total reserves in months of imports recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 7.12 in 2020.
- What is the lowest total reserves in months of imports recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7492 in 1996.
- How does South Africa rank for total reserves in months of imports?
- South Africa ranks 46th out of 179 countries with data for 2025.
- Is total reserves in months of imports rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Total reserves in months of imports. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Reserve assets are external assets, including monetary gold, that are readily available to and controlled by monetary authorities for meeting balance of payments financing needs, for intervention in exchange markets to affect the currency exchange rate, and for other related purposes (such as maintaining confidence in the currency and the economy, and serving as a basis for foreign borrowing). Reserve assets must be denominated and settled in foreign currency. This item is expressed in terms of the number of months of imports of goods and services they could pay for [X/(Imports/12)].