Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in in Kenya
Kenya: Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in was 39.8% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in in Kenya, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise exports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in in Kenya is 39.8%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.7% on the previous year and down 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in in Kenya peaked at 46.5% in 1971 and was at its lowest, 9.0%, in 1960.
That places Kenya 13th out of 204 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 9.0% | — |
| 1961 | 12.1% | +34.0% |
| 1962 | 11.6% | -4.3% |
| 1963 | 12.4% | +7.2% |
| 1964 | 10.9% | -12.5% |
| 1965 | 11.8% | +8.9% |
| 1966 | 10.9% | -7.8% |
| 1967 | 12.1% | +11.3% |
| 1968 | 43.3% | +257.2% |
| 1969 | 43.9% | +1.4% |
| 1970 | 43.2% | -1.6% |
| 1971 | 46.5% | +7.6% |
| 1972 | 39.4% | -15.2% |
| 1973 | 37.7% | -4.4% |
| 1974 | 39.0% | +3.3% |
| 1975 | 39.5% | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 33.3% | -15.6% |
| 1977 | 22.0% | -34.0% |
| 1978 | 22.5% | +2.2% |
| 1979 | 24.5% | +8.9% |
| 1980 | 29.5% | +20.7% |
| 1981 | 30.7% | +3.9% |
| 1982 | 30.4% | -0.9% |
| 1983 | 29.1% | -4.2% |
| 1984 | 24.1% | -17.2% |
| 1985 | 24.1% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 24.1% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 28.7% | +18.9% |
| 1988 | 26.1% | -9.1% |
| 1989 | 26.1% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 39.8% | +52.5% |
| 1991 | 17.0% | -57.1% |
| 1992 | 18.6% | +9.2% |
| 1993 | 32.4% | +74.0% |
| 1994 | 37.0% | +14.1% |
| 1995 | 43.2% | +16.7% |
| 1996 | 42.8% | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 41.3% | -3.3% |
| 1998 | 39.4% | -4.6% |
| 1999 | 30.9% | -21.5% |
| 2000 | 40.5% | +31.0% |
| 2001 | 43.8% | +8.2% |
| 2002 | 43.6% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 45.1% | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 46.2% | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 45.0% | -2.7% |
| 2006 | 40.0% | -11.0% |
| 2007 | 41.0% | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 42.8% | +4.2% |
| 2009 | 43.7% | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 41.9% | -4.0% |
| 2011 | 43.9% | +4.6% |
| 2012 | 42.1% | -4.0% |
| 2013 | 40.7% | -3.2% |
| 2014 | 39.5% | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 38.3% | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 36.8% | -4.0% |
| 2017 | 34.3% | -6.6% |
| 2018 | 31.9% | -7.2% |
| 2019 | 34.2% | +7.3% |
| 2020 | 36.0% | +5.3% |
| 2021 | 38.2% | +6.1% |
| 2022 | 37.3% | -2.4% |
| 2023 | 39.8% | +6.7% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 39.8% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.4%, 7.4× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 39.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 16.5%, 2.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in in Kenya 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | +257.2% | 12.1% | 43.3% |
| 1993 | +74.0% | 18.6% | 32.4% |
| 1991 | -57.1% | 39.8% | 17.0% |
| 1990 | +52.5% | 26.1% | 39.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 17.8% | 9.0% | 43.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 34.8% | 22.0% | 46.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 27.3% | 24.1% | 30.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 34.2% | 17.0% | 43.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 43.2% | 40.0% | 46.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 38.4% | 31.9% | 43.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 37.8% | 36.0% | 39.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More private sector data for Kenya
- Merchandise trade 22.2% (2025)
- Food imports 16.3% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 56.6% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 21.61 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 49.2% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 30.7% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 8.60 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 149.5 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0633 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 4.42 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in in Kenya?
- Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in in Kenya was 39.8% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 46.5% in 1971.
- What is the lowest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.0% in 1960.
- How does Kenya rank for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in?
- Kenya ranks 13th out of 204 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in Sub-Saharan Africa (% of total merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in Sub-Saharan Africa are the sum of merchandise exports from the reporting economy to low- and middle-income economies in the Sub-Saharan Africa region according to World Bank classification of economies. Data are as a percentage of total merchandise exports by the economy. Data are computed only if at least half of the economies in the partner country group had non-missing data.