Total reserves in months of imports in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Total reserves in months of imports was 6.46 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Total reserves in months of imports in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1977–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) recorded 6.46 for total reserves in months of imports in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 20.2% on the previous year and up 34.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total reserves in months of imports in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 12.31 in 1998 and was at its lowest, 1.92, in 1982.
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 29th of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.
Total reserves in months of imports in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 3.23 | — |
| 1978 | 2.17 | -32.8% |
| 1979 | 4.19 | +92.9% |
| 1980 | 4.51 | +7.6% |
| 1981 | 1.98 | -56.1% |
| 1982 | 1.92 | -3.0% |
| 1983 | 2.15 | +11.6% |
| 1984 | 2.18 | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 3.19 | +46.2% |
| 1986 | 4.31 | +35.2% |
| 1987 | 5.24 | +21.5% |
| 1988 | 5.24 | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 6.56 | +25.1% |
| 1990 | 6.32 | -3.6% |
| 1991 | 6.77 | +7.1% |
| 1992 | 7.47 | +10.4% |
| 1993 | 8.91 | +19.2% |
| 1994 | 8.84 | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 8.12 | -8.1% |
| 1996 | 10.16 | +25.1% |
| 1997 | 10.85 | +6.8% |
| 1998 | 12.31 | +13.5% |
| 1999 | 8.2 | -33.4% |
| 2000 | 8.66 | +5.6% |
| 2001 | 8.58 | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 7 | -18.5% |
| 2003 | 5.64 | -19.4% |
| 2004 | 6.2 | +9.9% |
| 2005 | 6.61 | +6.6% |
| 2006 | 8.27 | +25.0% |
| 2007 | 7.37 | -10.9% |
| 2008 | 5.9 | -19.9% |
| 2009 | 6.42 | +8.8% |
| 2010 | 4.95 | -22.9% |
| 2011 | 4.57 | -7.7% |
| 2012 | 5.01 | +9.7% |
| 2013 | 4.9 | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 4.48 | -8.6% |
| 2015 | 4.79 | +7.1% |
| 2016 | 5.86 | +22.4% |
| 2017 | 5.87 | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 5.06 | -13.9% |
| 2019 | 4.85 | -4.2% |
| 2020 | 6.11 | +26.0% |
| 2021 | 5.52 | -9.6% |
| 2022 | 4.38 | -20.6% |
| 2023 | 4.66 | +6.2% |
| 2024 | 5.37 | +15.4% |
| 2025 | 6.46 | +20.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.2 | 2.17 | 4.19 | 3 |
| 1980s | 3.73 | 1.92 | 6.56 | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.8 | 6.32 | 12.31 | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.06 | 5.64 | 8.66 | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.03 | 4.48 | 5.87 | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.42 | 4.38 | 6.46 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
More financial sector data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Net migration -223,909 (2025)
- Domestic credit to private sector by banks 24.7% (2023)
- Broad money 38.7% (2023)
- Claims on central government, etc. 12.2% (2022)
- Domestic credit to private sector 29.4% (2022)
- Total reserves in months of imports, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Total reserves in months of imports, annual growth rate 20.18 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total reserves in months of imports, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Monetary Sector credit to private sector 22.9% (2022)
- Net migration, annual growth rate 67.11 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total reserves in months of imports in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Total reserves in months of imports in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) was 6.46 in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest total reserves in months of imports recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 12.31 in 1998.
- What is the lowest total reserves in months of imports recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.92 in 1982.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for total reserves in months of imports?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 29th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is total reserves in months of imports rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 34.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 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)].