Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region was 59.6% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Democratic Republic of Congo, 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 Democratic Republic of Congo is 59.6%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 49 years on record.
The figure is up 18.4% on the previous year and up 446.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 59.6% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1980.
That places Democratic Republic of Congo 12th out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 1.4% | — |
| 1964 | 2.3% | +62.7% |
| 1965 | 1.9% | -17.6% |
| 1966 | 0.7% | -61.4% |
| 1969 | 0.1% | -93.0% |
| 1970 | 0.0% | -7.5% |
| 1972 | 0.3% | +537.7% |
| 1973 | 0.1% | -82.8% |
| 1974 | 1.2% | +2250.3% |
| 1975 | 6.2% | +406.0% |
| 1976 | 0.4% | -93.6% |
| 1977 | 1.4% | +255.4% |
| 1978 | 0.5% | -64.0% |
| 1980 | 0.0% | -93.4% |
| 1989 | 6.7% | +19949.6% |
| 1990 | 8.9% | +33.2% |
| 1991 | 9.0% | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 8.0% | -11.5% |
| 1993 | 5.6% | -29.9% |
| 1994 | 7.8% | +39.0% |
| 1995 | 5.1% | -34.9% |
| 1996 | 7.0% | +37.6% |
| 1997 | 3.9% | -43.5% |
| 1998 | 2.0% | -50.0% |
| 1999 | 0.6% | -71.9% |
| 2000 | 9.9% | +1688.4% |
| 2001 | 8.7% | -11.8% |
| 2002 | 9.7% | +11.1% |
| 2003 | 9.1% | -6.2% |
| 2004 | 8.0% | -11.8% |
| 2005 | 10.1% | +26.0% |
| 2006 | 6.7% | -33.3% |
| 2007 | 9.4% | +39.7% |
| 2008 | 10.4% | +10.5% |
| 2009 | 10.9% | +5.3% |
| 2010 | 12.2% | +11.7% |
| 2011 | 12.5% | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 10.7% | -14.8% |
| 2013 | 10.9% | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 12.2% | +11.9% |
| 2015 | 12.1% | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 29.8% | +147.3% |
| 2017 | 34.7% | +16.4% |
| 2018 | 41.8% | +20.4% |
| 2019 | 36.8% | -12.1% |
| 2020 | 54.3% | +47.6% |
| 2021 | 47.8% | -11.9% |
| 2022 | 50.3% | +5.3% |
| 2023 | 59.6% | +18.4% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 59.6% is above the median for low income countries, which is 19.8%, 3.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 59.6% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 22.0%, 2.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Democratic Republic of Congo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | +19949.6% | 0.0% | 6.7% |
| 1974 | +2250.3% | 0.1% | 1.2% |
| 2000 | +1688.4% | 0.6% | 9.9% |
| 1972 | +537.7% | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| 1975 | +406.0% | 1.2% | 6.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.3% | 0.1% | 2.3% | 5 |
| 1970s | 1.3% | 0.0% | 6.2% | 8 |
| 1980s | 3.4% | 0.0% | 6.7% | 2 |
| 1990s | 5.8% | 0.6% | 9.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.3% | 6.7% | 10.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.4% | 10.7% | 41.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.0% | 47.8% | 59.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
More private sector data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Merchandise trade 66.1% (2025)
- Food imports 4.8% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 50.2% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 28.10 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 0.6% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 17.9% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 32.10 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 284.49 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.3526 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 7.36 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Democratic Republic of Congo was 59.6% 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 Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 59.6% in 2023.
- What is the lowest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1980.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 12th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 446.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo 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.