Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region was 17.2% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Afghanistan, 1963–2023
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 outside region in Afghanistan is 17.2%, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 2.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Afghanistan peaked at 58.6% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1986.
Afghanistan ranks 77th of 206 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 1.8% | — |
| 1965 | 0.2% | -87.3% |
| 1966 | 2.9% | +1153.0% |
| 1967 | 7.1% | +146.9% |
| 1969 | 6.7% | -5.4% |
| 1970 | 4.2% | -37.8% |
| 1971 | 10.0% | +138.2% |
| 1972 | 6.7% | -33.1% |
| 1973 | 9.3% | +39.8% |
| 1974 | 11.3% | +21.5% |
| 1975 | 9.6% | -15.1% |
| 1976 | 9.4% | -2.1% |
| 1977 | 10.1% | +6.7% |
| 1980 | 0.3% | -97.4% |
| 1981 | 0.1% | -68.7% |
| 1982 | 1.9% | +2184.5% |
| 1983 | 0.5% | -74.3% |
| 1984 | 3.9% | +720.4% |
| 1985 | 0.9% | -75.9% |
| 1986 | 0.1% | -91.4% |
| 1987 | 0.2% | +138.0% |
| 1988 | 1.3% | +555.3% |
| 1989 | 0.8% | -39.6% |
| 1990 | 4.3% | +463.1% |
| 1991 | 1.6% | -63.8% |
| 1992 | 2.5% | +61.5% |
| 1993 | 2.1% | -15.1% |
| 1994 | 25.9% | +1111.7% |
| 1995 | 58.6% | +126.6% |
| 1996 | 23.6% | -59.8% |
| 1997 | 14.8% | -37.1% |
| 1998 | 9.2% | -38.2% |
| 1999 | 12.5% | +36.7% |
| 2000 | 8.8% | -29.4% |
| 2001 | 8.9% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 8.9% | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 8.8% | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 8.8% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 8.8% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 8.8% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 8.9% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 12.8% | +44.6% |
| 2009 | 19.2% | +50.0% |
| 2010 | 28.1% | +46.2% |
| 2011 | 17.3% | -38.5% |
| 2012 | 10.3% | -40.6% |
| 2013 | 16.8% | +64.1% |
| 2014 | 11.8% | -30.2% |
| 2015 | 16.3% | +38.6% |
| 2016 | 9.5% | -41.8% |
| 2017 | 9.8% | +3.1% |
| 2018 | 11.4% | +16.1% |
| 2019 | 11.2% | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 13.5% | +20.1% |
| 2021 | 17.3% | +28.8% |
| 2022 | 17.2% | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 17.2% | +0.0% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 17.2% is below the median for low income countries, which is 19.8%, 87% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 17.2% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 25.5%, 67% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Afghanistan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | +2184.5% | 0.1% | 1.9% |
| 1966 | +1153.0% | 0.2% | 2.9% |
| 1994 | +1111.7% | 2.1% | 25.9% |
| 1984 | +720.4% | 0.5% | 3.9% |
| 1988 | +555.3% | 0.2% | 1.3% |
| 1990 | +463.1% | 0.8% | 4.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.8% | 0.2% | 7.1% | 5 |
| 1970s | 8.8% | 4.2% | 11.3% | 8 |
| 1980s | 1.0% | 0.1% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.5% | 1.6% | 58.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.3% | 8.8% | 19.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.2% | 9.5% | 28.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.3% | 13.5% | 17.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More private sector data for Afghanistan
- Merchandise trade 22.2% (2025)
- Food imports 26.9% (2019)
- Manufactures imports 41.1% (2019)
- Merchandise imports 3.61 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 63.9% (2019)
- Manufactures exports 4.8% (2019)
- Merchandise exports 926.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 21.12 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0517 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 0.7617 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Afghanistan?
- Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Afghanistan was 17.2% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 58.6% in 1995.
- What is the lowest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1986.
- How does Afghanistan rank for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region?
- Afghanistan ranks 77th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region (% 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 outside region are the sum of merchandise exports from the reporting economy to other low- and middle-income economies in other World Bank regions according to the World Bank classification of economies. Data are expressed 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.