Food imports in Pacific island small states

Pacific island small states: Food imports was 23.7% in 2021. ▼ Falling

Latest (2021)
23.7%
Change on year
up 18.4%
Rank
1st
of 47 groups
All-time high
25.9%
in 1974
All-time low
18.5%
in 2006
Years of data
36
1970–2021

Food imports in Pacific island small states, 1970–2021

01020301970199520211970: 24.4 % of merchandise imports1971: 23.9 % of merchandise imports1972: 24 % of merchandise imports1973: 25.4 % of merchandise imports1974: 25.9 % of merchandise imports1975: 23.6 % of merchandise imports1976: 24.5 % of merchandise imports1977: 24.5 % of merchandise imports1978: 24.8 % of merchandise imports1979: 21.2 % of merchandise imports1980: 20 % of merchandise imports1981: 19 % of merchandise imports1982: 19.9 % of merchandise imports1983: 20.4 % of merchandise imports1984: 21.4 % of merchandise imports1985: 20.5 % of merchandise imports1986: 19.8 % of merchandise imports1987: 21.3 % of merchandise imports2002: 22.6 % of merchandise imports2003: 21.1 % of merchandise imports2004: 20.4 % of merchandise imports2005: 19.4 % of merchandise imports2006: 18.5 % of merchandise imports2007: 19.3 % of merchandise imports2008: 20.4 % of merchandise imports2009: 24.7 % of merchandise imports2010: 22.2 % of merchandise imports2011: 23.4 % of merchandise imports2012: 22.9 % of merchandise imports2013: 19.9 % of merchandise imports2014: 20.6 % of merchandise imports2015: 21.4 % of merchandise imports2016: 21.1 % of merchandise imports2017: 21.8 % of merchandise imports2018: 20 % of merchandise imports2021: 23.7 % of merchandise imports

Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.

Analysis

In 2021, food imports in Pacific island small states stood at 23.7%.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 18.4% on the previous year and up 1.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, food imports in Pacific island small states peaked at 25.9% in 1974 and was at its lowest, 18.5%, in 2006.

Pacific island small states ranks 1st of 47 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.

Food imports in Pacific island small states, year by year

Annual values for Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Pacific island small states, 1970 to 2021.
Year % of merchandise imports Change
1970 24.4%
1971 23.9% -1.8%
1972 24.0% +0.2%
1973 25.4% +6.0%
1974 25.9% +1.9%
1975 23.6% -9.1%
1976 24.5% +4.0%
1977 24.5% -0.1%
1978 24.8% +1.1%
1979 21.2% -14.5%
1980 20.0% -5.4%
1981 19.0% -4.9%
1982 19.9% +4.7%
1983 20.4% +2.5%
1984 21.4% +4.5%
1985 20.5% -3.8%
1986 19.8% -3.8%
1987 21.3% +7.8%
2002 22.6% +6.2%
2003 21.1% -6.8%
2004 20.4% -3.0%
2005 19.4% -5.3%
2006 18.5% -4.6%
2007 19.3% +4.5%
2008 20.4% +5.7%
2009 24.7% +20.9%
2010 22.2% -9.9%
2011 23.4% +5.3%
2012 22.9% -1.9%
2013 19.9% -13.4%
2014 20.6% +3.9%
2015 21.4% +3.8%
2016 21.1% -1.5%
2017 21.8% +3.5%
2018 20.0% -8.5%
2021 23.7% +18.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 24.2% 21.2% 25.9% 10
1980s 20.3% 19.0% 21.4% 8
2000s 20.8% 18.5% 24.7% 8
2010s 21.5% 19.9% 23.4% 9
2020s 23.7% 23.7% 23.7% 1

Countries ranked near Pacific island small states

  1. 1 Comoros 42.1% compare
  2. 2 Guinea-Bissau 41.7% compare
  3. 3 Kiribati 41.4% compare
  4. 4 Yemen 39.1% compare

See the full ranking of 243 places →

More private sector data for Pacific island small states

All data for Pacific island small states →

Frequently asked questions

What is food imports in Pacific island small states?
Food imports in Pacific island small states was 23.7% in 2021, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
What is the highest food imports recorded in Pacific island small states?
The highest recorded value was 25.9% in 1974.
What is the lowest food imports recorded in Pacific island small states?
The lowest recorded value was 18.5% in 2006.
How does Pacific island small states rank for food imports?
Pacific island small states ranks 1st out of 47 groups with data for 2021.
Is food imports rising or falling in Pacific island small states?
Over the last ten years it is up 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Pacific island small states 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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Food imports in Pacific island small states. Statizoid, drawing on Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://private-sector.statizoid.com/stat/food-imports-percent-of-merchandise-imports/pacific-island-small-states/

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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, 9,994 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.