Food imports in Gambia
Gambia: Food imports was 22.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Food imports in Gambia, 1964–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
In 2024, food imports in Gambia stood at 22.0%.
The figure is up 201.2% on the previous year and down 46.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Gambia peaked at 45.5% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 7.3%, in 2023.
Gambia ranks 44th of 196 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Food imports in Gambia, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 28.4% | — |
| 1970 | 31.7% | +11.5% |
| 1971 | 25.9% | -18.3% |
| 1972 | 21.1% | -18.4% |
| 1973 | 20.7% | -2.0% |
| 1974 | 28.6% | +38.1% |
| 1975 | 24.2% | -15.2% |
| 1976 | 27.7% | +14.3% |
| 1977 | 26.5% | -4.3% |
| 1978 | 26.9% | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 25.0% | -6.8% |
| 1980 | 25.9% | +3.4% |
| 1995 | 36.4% | +40.5% |
| 1996 | 37.3% | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 37.7% | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 43.6% | +15.6% |
| 1999 | 36.5% | -16.2% |
| 2000 | 34.5% | -5.6% |
| 2001 | 41.0% | +18.9% |
| 2002 | 37.1% | -9.5% |
| 2003 | 37.6% | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 40.8% | +8.6% |
| 2005 | 37.7% | -7.6% |
| 2006 | 31.2% | -17.3% |
| 2007 | 30.9% | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 33.6% | +8.9% |
| 2009 | 39.0% | +16.0% |
| 2010 | 45.5% | +16.5% |
| 2011 | 32.8% | -27.8% |
| 2012 | 33.2% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 37.3% | +12.3% |
| 2014 | 41.0% | +10.0% |
| 2015 | 37.3% | -9.0% |
| 2016 | 43.0% | +15.2% |
| 2017 | 33.0% | -23.2% |
| 2018 | 32.2% | -2.4% |
| 2019 | 33.2% | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 28.8% | -13.1% |
| 2021 | 23.1% | -20.0% |
| 2022 | 18.2% | -21.1% |
| 2023 | 7.3% | -59.8% |
| 2024 | 22.0% | +201.2% |
Gambia compared with similar countries
- Gambia's 22.0% is above the median for low income countries, which is 21.5%, 1.0× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Gambia's 22.0% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 20.0%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Food imports in Gambia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | +201.2% | 7.3% | 22.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 28.4% | 28.4% | 28.4% | 1 |
| 1970s | 25.8% | 20.7% | 31.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 25.9% | 25.9% | 25.9% | 1 |
| 1990s | 38.3% | 36.4% | 43.6% | 5 |
| 2000s | 36.3% | 30.9% | 41.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.9% | 32.2% | 45.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.9% | 7.3% | 28.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Gambia
More private sector data for Gambia
- Merchandise trade 54.3% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 44.7% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 894.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 90.7% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 1.0% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 514.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 182.13 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1982 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 41.6 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 316.79 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Gambia?
- Food imports in Gambia was 22.0% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Gambia?
- The highest recorded value was 45.5% in 2010.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Gambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.3% in 2023.
- How does Gambia rank for food imports?
- Gambia ranks 44th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Gambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 46.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Gambia 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 — 42 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.