Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Iraq
Iraq: Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region was 60.0% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Iraq, 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 Iraq stood at 60.0%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.4% on the previous year and up 39.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Iraq peaked at 68.1% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.6%, in 1992.
That places Iraq 11th 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 Iraq, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3.5% | — |
| 1961 | 2.2% | -38.2% |
| 1962 | 4.0% | +83.6% |
| 1963 | 5.6% | +41.0% |
| 1964 | 11.6% | +108.2% |
| 1965 | 11.5% | -1.4% |
| 1966 | 12.7% | +10.6% |
| 1967 | 13.5% | +6.2% |
| 1968 | 12.9% | -3.9% |
| 1969 | 13.5% | +4.4% |
| 1970 | 14.1% | +4.3% |
| 1971 | 12.8% | -9.4% |
| 1981 | 36.4% | +185.2% |
| 1982 | 47.7% | +30.8% |
| 1983 | 50.6% | +6.3% |
| 1984 | 44.8% | -11.5% |
| 1985 | 34.8% | -22.3% |
| 1986 | 28.1% | -19.3% |
| 1987 | 32.8% | +16.8% |
| 1988 | 32.9% | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 31.2% | -5.2% |
| 1990 | 26.9% | -13.6% |
| 1991 | 3.1% | -88.5% |
| 1992 | 0.6% | -79.3% |
| 1993 | 7.3% | +1043.9% |
| 1994 | 0.8% | -89.6% |
| 1995 | 1.4% | +86.6% |
| 1996 | 8.1% | +472.4% |
| 1997 | 12.1% | +49.3% |
| 1998 | 15.1% | +24.8% |
| 1999 | 5.8% | -61.4% |
| 2000 | 7.3% | +24.5% |
| 2001 | 2.1% | -71.2% |
| 2002 | 6.9% | +229.2% |
| 2003 | 4.7% | -31.8% |
| 2004 | 9.3% | +97.2% |
| 2005 | 9.0% | -3.4% |
| 2006 | 21.5% | +139.8% |
| 2007 | 22.5% | +4.7% |
| 2008 | 21.8% | -3.1% |
| 2009 | 27.8% | +27.7% |
| 2010 | 30.5% | +9.6% |
| 2011 | 36.8% | +20.8% |
| 2012 | 34.6% | -6.1% |
| 2013 | 43.1% | +24.7% |
| 2014 | 44.9% | +4.3% |
| 2015 | 45.9% | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 44.6% | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 45.7% | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 49.7% | +8.7% |
| 2019 | 53.8% | +8.3% |
| 2020 | 68.1% | +26.7% |
| 2021 | 64.0% | -6.0% |
| 2022 | 61.5% | -4.0% |
| 2023 | 60.0% | -2.4% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 60.0% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 9.6%, 6.2× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 60.0% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 25.5%, 2.3× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Iraq 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 | +1043.9% | 0.6% | 7.3% |
| 1996 | +472.4% | 1.4% | 8.1% |
| 2002 | +229.2% | 2.1% | 6.9% |
| 1981 | +185.2% | 12.8% | 36.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 9.1% | 2.2% | 13.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 13.4% | 12.8% | 14.1% | 2 |
| 1980s | 37.7% | 28.1% | 50.6% | 9 |
| 1990s | 8.1% | 0.6% | 26.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.3% | 2.1% | 27.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.0% | 30.5% | 53.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 63.4% | 60.0% | 68.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More private sector data for Iraq
- Merchandise trade 70.0% (2025)
- Food imports 7.2% (2014)
- Manufactures imports 66.3% (2014)
- Merchandise imports 85.19 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 0.0% (2016)
- Manufactures exports 0.0% (2016)
- Merchandise exports 92.91 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 1,976 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.3653 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate -8 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Iraq?
- Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Iraq was 60.0% 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 Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 68.1% in 2020.
- What is the lowest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6% in 1992.
- How does Iraq rank for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region?
- Iraq ranks 11th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is up 39.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iraq 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.