Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Benin
Benin: Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region was 72.0% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Benin, 1961–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise exports.
Analysis
In 2023, merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Benin stood at 72.0%.
The figure is down 8.2% on the previous year and up 33.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Benin peaked at 78.5% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1978.
Benin ranks 8th of 206 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
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 Benin, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.4% | — |
| 1963 | 1.6% | +14.5% |
| 1964 | 0.8% | -52.3% |
| 1965 | 1.5% | +94.0% |
| 1966 | 1.0% | -31.7% |
| 1967 | 1.1% | +10.2% |
| 1968 | 0.7% | -41.7% |
| 1969 | 1.8% | +170.9% |
| 1970 | 0.3% | -83.6% |
| 1971 | 1.1% | +269.5% |
| 1972 | 2.9% | +166.5% |
| 1973 | 4.8% | +69.2% |
| 1974 | 14.6% | +202.3% |
| 1975 | 5.9% | -59.8% |
| 1976 | 4.9% | -17.1% |
| 1977 | 1.2% | -74.9% |
| 1978 | 0.0% | -99.1% |
| 1979 | 0.0% | +18.4% |
| 1980 | 3.4% | +25201.5% |
| 1981 | 10.1% | +200.5% |
| 1982 | 0.1% | -99.0% |
| 1984 | 2.6% | +2387.1% |
| 1985 | 0.3% | -87.8% |
| 1986 | 3.3% | +943.7% |
| 1987 | 7.5% | +128.0% |
| 1988 | 7.0% | -6.0% |
| 1989 | 36.7% | +423.8% |
| 1990 | 20.3% | -44.8% |
| 1991 | 33.7% | +66.5% |
| 1992 | 32.4% | -3.9% |
| 1993 | 71.8% | +121.4% |
| 1994 | 49.6% | -30.9% |
| 1995 | 52.5% | +5.9% |
| 1996 | 55.5% | +5.6% |
| 1997 | 60.9% | +9.9% |
| 1998 | 57.9% | -5.0% |
| 1999 | 68.8% | +18.9% |
| 2000 | 65.9% | -4.3% |
| 2001 | 55.1% | -16.4% |
| 2002 | 53.8% | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 59.3% | +10.1% |
| 2004 | 56.2% | -5.1% |
| 2005 | 61.7% | +9.7% |
| 2006 | 46.2% | -25.1% |
| 2007 | 50.6% | +9.5% |
| 2008 | 49.9% | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 37.0% | -25.9% |
| 2010 | 25.7% | -30.5% |
| 2011 | 43.1% | +67.9% |
| 2012 | 48.0% | +11.2% |
| 2013 | 54.1% | +12.9% |
| 2014 | 44.4% | -18.0% |
| 2015 | 55.1% | +24.0% |
| 2016 | 60.8% | +10.4% |
| 2017 | 63.7% | +4.8% |
| 2018 | 70.9% | +11.3% |
| 2019 | 70.5% | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 73.5% | +4.4% |
| 2021 | 78.1% | +6.2% |
| 2022 | 78.5% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 72.0% | -8.2% |
Benin compared with similar countries
- Benin's 72.0% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 19.4%, 3.7× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Benin's 72.0% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 22.0%, 3.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Benin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | +25201.5% | 0.0% | 3.4% |
| 1984 | +2387.1% | 0.1% | 2.6% |
| 1986 | +943.7% | 0.3% | 3.3% |
| 1989 | +423.8% | 7.0% | 36.7% |
| 1971 | +269.5% | 0.3% | 1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.2% | 0.7% | 1.8% | 8 |
| 1970s | 3.6% | 0.0% | 14.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.9% | 0.1% | 36.7% | 9 |
| 1990s | 50.4% | 20.3% | 71.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 53.6% | 37.0% | 65.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.6% | 25.7% | 70.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 75.5% | 72.0% | 78.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Benin
More private sector data for Benin
- Merchandise trade 36.4% (2025)
- Food imports 33.3% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 50.1% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 4.95 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 39.7% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 7.4% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 3.99 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 269.2 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1623 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate -0.8946 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Benin?
- Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Benin was 72.0% 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 Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 78.5% in 2022.
- What is the lowest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1978.
- How does Benin rank for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region?
- Benin ranks 8th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Benin 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.
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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.