Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Pre-demographic dividend
Pre-demographic dividend: Food imports (% of merchandise imports) was 14.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Food imports in Pre-demographic dividend, 1972–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
In 2024, food imports in Pre-demographic dividend stood at 14.5%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.2% on the previous year and up 6.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Pre-demographic dividend peaked at 20.4% in 1974 and was at its lowest, 11.2%, in 2008.
That places Pre-demographic dividend 14th out of 47 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.
Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Pre-demographic dividend, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 17.0% | — |
| 1973 | 18.6% | +9.4% |
| 1974 | 20.4% | +9.8% |
| 1975 | 15.5% | -24.2% |
| 1976 | 13.0% | -15.7% |
| 2000 | 13.4% | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 13.5% | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 13.5% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 16.3% | +20.6% |
| 2008 | 11.2% | -31.2% |
| 2009 | 14.7% | +31.1% |
| 2010 | 13.7% | -7.3% |
| 2013 | 14.9% | +9.2% |
| 2014 | 13.7% | -8.4% |
| 2015 | 14.8% | +8.1% |
| 2016 | 17.0% | +14.9% |
| 2017 | 19.2% | +13.1% |
| 2018 | 16.6% | -13.3% |
| 2019 | 15.5% | -7.1% |
| 2021 | 16.3% | +5.8% |
| 2022 | 14.8% | -9.1% |
| 2023 | 15.5% | +4.2% |
| 2024 | 14.5% | -6.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 16.9% | 13.0% | 20.4% | 5 |
| 2000s | 13.8% | 11.2% | 16.3% | 6 |
| 2010s | 15.7% | 13.7% | 19.2% | 8 |
| 2020s | 15.3% | 14.5% | 16.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Pre-demographic dividend
More private sector data for Pre-demographic dividend
- Merchandise trade 45.3% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 60.3% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 373.79 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 117.24 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 10.0% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 5.1% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 383.71 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 47.67 billion current US$ (2024)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 338.63 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2303 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Pre-demographic dividend?
- Food imports in Pre-demographic dividend was 14.5% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Pre-demographic dividend?
- The highest recorded value was 20.4% in 1974.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Pre-demographic dividend?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.2% in 2008.
- How does Pre-demographic dividend rank for food imports?
- Pre-demographic dividend ranks 14th out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Pre-demographic dividend?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Pre-demographic dividend 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.