Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in in North Korea
North Korea: Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in was 17.6% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in in North Korea, 1981–2023
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 North Korea is 17.6%, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 61.6% on the previous year and up 557.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in in North Korea peaked at 45.9% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 1981.
North Korea ranks 31st of 204 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in in North Korea, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 0.3% | — |
| 1982 | 0.6% | +83.5% |
| 1983 | 1.6% | +183.4% |
| 1984 | 0.5% | -71.8% |
| 1985 | 2.3% | +404.1% |
| 1986 | 1.7% | -27.7% |
| 1987 | 1.6% | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 0.9% | -48.1% |
| 1989 | 1.0% | +19.4% |
| 1990 | 1.0% | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 1.9% | +88.3% |
| 1992 | 1.7% | -12.4% |
| 1993 | 1.9% | +13.3% |
| 1994 | 2.7% | +43.2% |
| 1995 | 3.5% | +29.2% |
| 1996 | 2.6% | -23.9% |
| 1997 | 2.4% | -10.7% |
| 1998 | 2.6% | +8.0% |
| 1999 | 2.9% | +15.2% |
| 2000 | 1.8% | -38.9% |
| 2001 | 1.8% | -1.8% |
| 2002 | 1.6% | -7.2% |
| 2003 | 2.1% | +30.8% |
| 2004 | 1.9% | -11.1% |
| 2005 | 32.3% | +1594.3% |
| 2006 | 3.5% | -89.1% |
| 2007 | 39.5% | +1022.0% |
| 2008 | 2.7% | -93.2% |
| 2009 | 3.8% | +41.3% |
| 2010 | 4.2% | +10.8% |
| 2011 | 2.5% | -40.0% |
| 2012 | 2.8% | +12.3% |
| 2013 | 2.7% | -5.2% |
| 2014 | 17.9% | +567.5% |
| 2015 | 5.2% | -71.0% |
| 2016 | 17.4% | +233.9% |
| 2017 | 5.7% | -67.0% |
| 2018 | 18.0% | +213.3% |
| 2019 | 18.1% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 30.4% | +67.4% |
| 2021 | 45.9% | +51.0% |
| 2022 | 45.9% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 17.6% | -61.6% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 17.6% is above the median for low income countries, which is 10.1%, 1.8× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 17.6% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.6%, 27.2× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in in North Korea 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +1594.3% | 1.9% | 32.3% |
| 2007 | +1022.0% | 3.5% | 39.5% |
| 2014 | +567.5% | 2.7% | 17.9% |
| 1985 | +404.1% | 0.5% | 2.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.2% | 0.3% | 2.3% | 9 |
| 1990s | 2.3% | 1.0% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.1% | 1.6% | 39.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.4% | 2.5% | 18.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.9% | 17.6% | 45.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 28 Democratic Republic of Congo 20.6% compare
- 29 American Samoa 19.7% compare
- 30 Mozambique 19.7% compare
- 32 Marshall Islands 17.3% compare
- 33 Liberia 16.5% compare
- 34 Benin 16.4% compare
More private sector data for North Korea
- Merchandise imports 2.87 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports 611.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 23 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 69.72 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 107.97 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), annual growth rate 22.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports from economies in the Arab World 0.0% (2023)
- Merchandise imports from high-income economies 0.2% (2023)
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside 2.7% (2023)
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East 97.1% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in in North Korea?
- Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in in North Korea was 17.6% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 45.9% in 2022.
- What is the lowest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 1981.
- How does North Korea rank for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in?
- North Korea ranks 31st out of 204 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 557.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Korea 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
CSV · JSON — 43 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.