Food imports in Central African Republic
Central African Republic: Food imports was 20.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Food imports in Central African Republic, 1962–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for food imports in Central African Republic is 20.9%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 13.0% on the previous year and down 20.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Central African Republic peaked at 39.3% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 0.5%, in 2006.
That places Central African Republic 55th out of 196 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Food imports in Central African Republic, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 13.9% | — |
| 1963 | 15.8% | +13.6% |
| 1964 | 13.7% | -12.8% |
| 1965 | 13.4% | -2.3% |
| 1966 | 14.7% | +9.3% |
| 1967 | 13.8% | -6.1% |
| 1968 | 14.8% | +7.5% |
| 1969 | 15.0% | +1.5% |
| 1970 | 16.9% | +12.6% |
| 1971 | 19.0% | +11.9% |
| 1973 | 16.8% | -11.1% |
| 1974 | 16.0% | -5.1% |
| 1975 | 16.1% | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 17.4% | +8.1% |
| 1977 | 16.1% | -7.7% |
| 1978 | 16.9% | +5.1% |
| 1979 | 16.3% | -3.6% |
| 1980 | 20.9% | +28.0% |
| 1993 | 18.3% | -12.2% |
| 1994 | 27.1% | +48.0% |
| 1995 | 15.6% | -42.3% |
| 1996 | 12.3% | -21.0% |
| 1997 | 21.8% | +76.5% |
| 1998 | 23.4% | +7.5% |
| 1999 | 22.8% | -2.7% |
| 2000 | 29.3% | +28.7% |
| 2001 | 27.0% | -8.1% |
| 2002 | 20.4% | -24.5% |
| 2003 | 23.4% | +15.2% |
| 2004 | 16.5% | -29.7% |
| 2005 | 17.2% | +4.5% |
| 2006 | 0.5% | -97.3% |
| 2007 | 18.6% | +3828.5% |
| 2008 | 25.9% | +39.3% |
| 2009 | 39.3% | +51.7% |
| 2010 | 28.1% | -28.6% |
| 2011 | 31.2% | +11.2% |
| 2012 | 29.6% | -5.2% |
| 2013 | 36.0% | +21.7% |
| 2014 | 26.4% | -26.8% |
| 2015 | 15.2% | -42.5% |
| 2016 | 15.9% | +5.0% |
| 2017 | 21.1% | +32.4% |
| 2018 | 20.6% | -2.4% |
| 2019 | 16.7% | -18.7% |
| 2020 | 16.4% | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 20.6% | +25.7% |
| 2022 | 16.9% | -17.9% |
| 2023 | 18.5% | +9.2% |
| 2024 | 20.9% | +13.0% |
Central African Republic compared with similar countries
- Central African Republic's 20.9% is below the median for low income countries, which is 21.5%, 97% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Central African Republic's 20.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 20.0%, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Food imports in Central African Republic changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | +3828.5% | 0.5% | 18.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 14.4% | 13.4% | 15.8% | 8 |
| 1970s | 16.8% | 16.0% | 19.0% | 9 |
| 1980s | 20.9% | 20.9% | 20.9% | 1 |
| 1990s | 20.2% | 12.3% | 27.1% | 7 |
| 2000s | 21.8% | 0.5% | 39.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.1% | 15.2% | 36.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.7% | 16.4% | 20.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Central African Republic
More private sector data for Central African Republic
- Merchandise trade 27.0% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 51.1% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 573.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 0.2% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 71.8% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 255.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 46.25 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0832 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 110.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 103.93 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Central African Republic?
- Food imports in Central African Republic was 20.9% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Central African Republic?
- The highest recorded value was 39.3% in 2009.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Central African Republic?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5% in 2006.
- How does Central African Republic rank for food imports?
- Central African Republic ranks 55th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Central African Republic?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Central African Republic 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 50 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.