Food imports in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)
Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC): Food imports was 14.9% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Food imports in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC), 1967–2023
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
In 2023, food imports in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) stood at 14.9%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.6% on the previous year and up 8.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) peaked at 19.6% in 1974 and was at its lowest, 13.6%, in 2007.
That places Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 12th out of 47 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 38 years of available data.
Food imports in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC), year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 17.6% | — |
| 1970 | 18.6% | +5.8% |
| 1971 | 18.3% | -1.4% |
| 1972 | 18.8% | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 19.6% | +4.2% |
| 1975 | 16.3% | -17.1% |
| 1976 | 14.0% | -13.8% |
| 1977 | 13.8% | -1.6% |
| 1978 | 14.8% | +7.5% |
| 1979 | 14.4% | -2.8% |
| 1995 | 17.0% | +18.0% |
| 1997 | 14.7% | -13.7% |
| 1998 | 16.0% | +9.1% |
| 1999 | 16.1% | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 15.7% | -2.3% |
| 2001 | 17.1% | +9.0% |
| 2002 | 17.2% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 18.2% | +6.0% |
| 2004 | 15.8% | -13.4% |
| 2005 | 14.3% | -9.5% |
| 2006 | 14.0% | -1.7% |
| 2007 | 13.6% | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 14.5% | +6.6% |
| 2009 | 15.3% | +5.9% |
| 2010 | 14.4% | -6.3% |
| 2011 | 14.9% | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 13.8% | -7.8% |
| 2013 | 13.7% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 15.0% | +9.2% |
| 2015 | 14.2% | -5.6% |
| 2016 | 17.4% | +22.5% |
| 2017 | 17.4% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 17.3% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 15.9% | -8.0% |
| 2020 | 18.2% | +14.4% |
| 2021 | 18.8% | +3.1% |
| 2022 | 16.1% | -14.6% |
| 2023 | 14.9% | -7.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 17.6% | 17.6% | 17.6% | 1 |
| 1970s | 16.5% | 13.8% | 19.6% | 9 |
| 1990s | 15.9% | 14.7% | 17.0% | 4 |
| 2000s | 15.6% | 13.6% | 18.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.4% | 13.7% | 17.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.0% | 14.9% | 18.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)
- 9 Cape Verde 32.6% compare
- 10 Sierra Leone 32.3% compare
- 11 Sao Tome and Principe 31.8% compare
- 12 Equatorial Guinea 31.8% compare
- 13 Palestine, State of 30.9% compare
- 14 Aruba 30.7% compare
- 15 Sudan 29.9% compare
More private sector data for Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)
- Merchandise trade 45.6% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 59.9% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 306.76 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 27.0% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 14.1% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 279.71 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 289.81 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2176 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 20.37 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 317.84 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)?
- Food imports in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) was 14.9% in 2023, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)?
- The highest recorded value was 19.6% in 1974.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.6% in 2007.
- How does Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) rank for food imports?
- Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) ranks 12th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 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.