Food imports in Tuvalu
Tuvalu: Food imports was 21.5% in 2008. ▼ Falling
Food imports in Tuvalu, 1977–2008
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for food imports in Tuvalu is 21.5%, measured in 2008. That is the lowest value across all 16 years on record.
The figure is down 14.6% on the previous year and down 22.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Tuvalu peaked at 49.5% in 1979 and was at its lowest, 21.5%, in 2008.
Tuvalu ranks 47th of 196 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 16 years of available data.
Food imports in Tuvalu, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 39.0% | — |
| 1978 | 44.2% | +13.3% |
| 1979 | 49.5% | +12.0% |
| 1980 | 37.6% | -24.1% |
| 1981 | 35.1% | -6.6% |
| 1982 | 27.2% | -22.6% |
| 1985 | 29.9% | +9.9% |
| 1997 | 33.8% | +13.0% |
| 1998 | 27.8% | -17.5% |
| 1999 | 31.6% | +13.5% |
| 2001 | 24.1% | -23.8% |
| 2002 | 24.9% | +3.4% |
| 2004 | 29.8% | +19.9% |
| 2005 | 30.7% | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 25.2% | -17.8% |
| 2008 | 21.5% | -14.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 44.2% | 39.0% | 49.5% | 3 |
| 1980s | 32.4% | 27.2% | 37.6% | 4 |
| 1990s | 31.1% | 27.8% | 33.8% | 3 |
| 2000s | 26.0% | 21.5% | 30.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Tuvalu
More private sector data for Tuvalu
- Merchandise trade 47.1% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 15.5% (2008)
- Merchandise imports 27.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 3.2% (2004)
- Manufactures exports 39.6% (2005)
- Merchandise exports 0 current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 0 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 2,844 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.4708 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Tuvalu?
- Food imports in Tuvalu was 21.5% in 2008, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Tuvalu?
- The highest recorded value was 49.5% in 1979.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Tuvalu?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.5% in 2008.
- How does Tuvalu rank for food imports?
- Tuvalu ranks 47th out of 196 countries with data for 2008.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Tuvalu?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Tuvalu 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 — 16 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.