Food imports in Arab World
Arab World: Food imports was 11.7% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Food imports in Arab World, 1978–2023
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
Arab World recorded 11.7% for food imports in 2023.
The figure is down 6.2% on the previous year and up 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Arab World peaked at 16.1% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 11.3%, in 2006.
That places Arab World 19th out of 47 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Food imports in Arab World, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 14.1% | — |
| 1979 | 14.6% | +3.8% |
| 1980 | 15.9% | +8.7% |
| 1981 | 15.8% | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 14.2% | -10.4% |
| 1983 | 15.0% | +5.7% |
| 1992 | 15.4% | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 15.0% | -2.6% |
| 1999 | 16.1% | +7.8% |
| 2000 | 15.2% | -5.8% |
| 2001 | 14.2% | -6.4% |
| 2002 | 13.9% | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 13.5% | -2.6% |
| 2004 | 12.8% | -5.8% |
| 2005 | 11.9% | -6.8% |
| 2006 | 11.3% | -4.6% |
| 2007 | 12.0% | +5.6% |
| 2008 | 11.4% | -5.2% |
| 2009 | 11.9% | +4.7% |
| 2010 | 12.3% | +3.3% |
| 2011 | 13.3% | +8.0% |
| 2012 | 12.2% | -8.0% |
| 2013 | 11.5% | -5.9% |
| 2014 | 12.0% | +4.6% |
| 2015 | 12.2% | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 13.4% | +9.2% |
| 2017 | 13.4% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 13.0% | -3.1% |
| 2019 | 12.3% | -5.2% |
| 2020 | 13.6% | +10.6% |
| 2021 | 12.2% | -10.5% |
| 2022 | 12.5% | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 11.7% | -6.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 14.4% | 14.1% | 14.6% | 2 |
| 1980s | 15.2% | 14.2% | 15.9% | 4 |
| 1990s | 15.5% | 15.0% | 16.1% | 3 |
| 2000s | 12.8% | 11.3% | 15.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.6% | 11.5% | 13.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.5% | 11.7% | 13.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Arab World
- 16 Samoa 29.6% compare
- 17 Iran, Islamic Republic of 29.5% compare
- 18 Timor-Leste 28.1% compare
- 19 Micronesia, Federated States of 27.8% compare
- 20 Antigua and Barbuda 27.7% compare
- 21 Saint Lucia 27.6% compare
- 22 Tonga 27.5% compare
More private sector data for Arab World
- Merchandise trade 53.7% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 60.2% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 1.48 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 3.6% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 16.3% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 1.59 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 3,163 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.4193 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 6.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 2,937 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Arab World?
- Food imports in Arab World was 11.7% in 2023, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Arab World?
- The highest recorded value was 16.1% in 1999.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Arab World?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.3% in 2006.
- How does Arab World rank for food imports?
- Arab World ranks 19th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Arab World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Arab World data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Food imports (% of merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
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.