Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Ghana
Ghana: Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region was 22.8% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Ghana, 1960–2023
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 Ghana stood at 22.8%.
The figure is down 11.9% on the previous year and up 113.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Ghana peaked at 43.9% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1961.
That places Ghana 57th out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 Ghana, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.9% | — |
| 1961 | 0.1% | -85.8% |
| 1962 | 1.1% | +747.7% |
| 1963 | 0.8% | -28.6% |
| 1964 | 1.7% | +112.2% |
| 1965 | 3.0% | +77.4% |
| 1966 | 3.7% | +25.2% |
| 1967 | 1.1% | -71.2% |
| 1968 | 1.6% | +51.1% |
| 1969 | 1.9% | +19.2% |
| 1970 | 2.1% | +8.4% |
| 1971 | 2.5% | +19.8% |
| 1972 | 2.8% | +12.4% |
| 1973 | 3.0% | +7.6% |
| 1974 | 1.8% | -42.2% |
| 1975 | 4.1% | +134.6% |
| 1976 | 2.6% | -36.8% |
| 1977 | 2.9% | +9.9% |
| 1978 | 3.3% | +13.7% |
| 1979 | 3.0% | -7.6% |
| 1980 | 4.9% | +61.7% |
| 1981 | 2.7% | -44.1% |
| 1982 | 4.7% | +73.5% |
| 1983 | 3.1% | -34.9% |
| 1984 | 4.4% | +43.4% |
| 1985 | 7.4% | +69.1% |
| 1986 | 6.4% | -14.0% |
| 1987 | 4.2% | -33.6% |
| 1988 | 4.9% | +14.4% |
| 1989 | 4.9% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 4.3% | -11.4% |
| 1991 | 2.2% | -48.5% |
| 1992 | 0.7% | -67.2% |
| 1993 | 8.3% | +1036.0% |
| 1994 | 9.4% | +13.7% |
| 1995 | 8.2% | -12.8% |
| 1996 | 10.4% | +26.9% |
| 1997 | 10.2% | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 7.5% | -26.7% |
| 1999 | 12.2% | +63.6% |
| 2000 | 6.0% | -50.6% |
| 2001 | 14.8% | +145.9% |
| 2002 | 10.6% | -28.4% |
| 2003 | 3.3% | -69.1% |
| 2004 | 8.4% | +157.5% |
| 2005 | 7.3% | -13.0% |
| 2006 | 8.0% | +8.3% |
| 2007 | 8.8% | +10.4% |
| 2008 | 14.6% | +66.4% |
| 2009 | 6.0% | -58.7% |
| 2010 | 4.7% | -21.6% |
| 2011 | 8.1% | +71.6% |
| 2012 | 9.5% | +17.1% |
| 2013 | 10.6% | +12.1% |
| 2014 | 17.9% | +67.8% |
| 2015 | 31.3% | +75.2% |
| 2016 | 31.4% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 43.2% | +37.6% |
| 2018 | 43.9% | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 35.6% | -19.0% |
| 2020 | 28.1% | -21.1% |
| 2021 | 25.9% | -7.6% |
| 2022 | 25.8% | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 22.8% | -11.9% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 22.8% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 19.4%, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 22.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 22.0%, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Ghana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +1036.0% | 0.7% | 8.3% |
| 1962 | +747.7% | 0.1% | 1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.6% | 0.1% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.8% | 1.8% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.8% | 2.7% | 7.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.3% | 0.7% | 12.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.8% | 3.3% | 14.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.6% | 4.7% | 43.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.7% | 22.8% | 28.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More private sector data for Ghana
- Merchandise trade 42.5% (2025)
- Food imports 13.7% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 51.5% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 17.45 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 18.1% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 6.0% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 31.11 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 887.14 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2724 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 62.31 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Ghana?
- Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Ghana was 22.8% 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 Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 43.9% in 2018.
- What is the lowest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1961.
- How does Ghana rank for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region?
- Ghana ranks 57th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 113.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana 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.