Somalia vs South Asia: Food imports (% of merchandise imports)

Somalia
22.4%
in 1982
South Asia
5.5%
in 2025
Somalia rank
45th
South Asia rank
46th

Food imports (% of merchandise imports) over time

  • Somalia
  • South Asia
010203040196219932025

How they compare

Somalia currently reports 22.4% against 5.5% in South Asia, a difference of 16.9%.

That makes Somalia's figure about 4.1 times South Asia's.

The two have swapped places 4 times across 14 shared years of data; in 1962 it was Somalia ahead.

Somalia ranks 45th and South Asia ranks 46th of 196 countries.

Somalia has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Somalia South Asia Difference Ahead
1960s 32.3% 26.4% 5.9% Somalia
1970s 25.4% 19.3% 6.1% Somalia
1980s 26.4% 10.4% 16.0% Somalia

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher food imports, Somalia or South Asia?
Somalia, at 22.4% against 5.5% in South Asia as of 1982.
What is the difference in food imports between Somalia and South Asia?
16.9%, with Somalia ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Somalia and South Asia?
14 years are reported by both, from 1962 to 1981.
How do Somalia and South Asia rank globally for food imports?
Somalia ranks 45th and South Asia ranks 46th of 196 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as Food imports (% of merchandise imports). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Somalia vs South Asia: Food imports. Statizoid, drawing on Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Retrieved 08 November 2026, from https://private-sector.statizoid.com/compare/food-imports-percent-of-merchandise-imports/somalia-fed-rep/south-asia/

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About this data

Indicator
Food imports (% of merchandise imports)
Unit
% of merchandise imports
Source
Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
243 places, 10,133 data points, 1962–2025
Last refreshed

Food comprises the commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) sections 0 (food and live animals), 1 (beverages and tobacco), and 4 (animal and vegetable oils and fats) and division 22 (oil seeds, oil nuts, and oil kernels). This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise imports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a non-resident and a resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e.