Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Rwanda
Rwanda: Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region was 12.7% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Rwanda, 1976–2023
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 Rwanda stood at 12.7%.
The figure is up 87.6% on the previous year and down 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Rwanda peaked at 59.5% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 0.5%, in 2001.
That places Rwanda 97th 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 Rwanda, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 3.1% | — |
| 1977 | 3.6% | +15.9% |
| 1978 | 4.3% | +18.9% |
| 1981 | 1.9% | -55.2% |
| 1982 | 9.9% | +419.7% |
| 1983 | 11.5% | +15.6% |
| 1984 | 6.0% | -47.6% |
| 1985 | 1.3% | -78.8% |
| 1986 | 1.3% | +3.7% |
| 1987 | 1.9% | +41.6% |
| 1988 | 5.4% | +188.7% |
| 1989 | 11.6% | +114.6% |
| 1990 | 11.2% | -3.6% |
| 1991 | 12.2% | +9.5% |
| 1992 | 8.0% | -34.8% |
| 1993 | 20.4% | +155.6% |
| 1994 | 19.2% | -6.0% |
| 1995 | 5.8% | -69.8% |
| 1996 | 59.5% | +927.2% |
| 1997 | 13.5% | -77.4% |
| 1998 | 10.5% | -22.0% |
| 1999 | 22.1% | +110.7% |
| 2000 | 0.5% | -97.6% |
| 2001 | 0.5% | -6.0% |
| 2002 | 3.9% | +683.6% |
| 2003 | 2.9% | -25.3% |
| 2004 | 1.3% | -56.8% |
| 2005 | 2.6% | +104.3% |
| 2006 | 3.6% | +36.9% |
| 2007 | 1.2% | -65.8% |
| 2008 | 5.4% | +340.5% |
| 2009 | 4.3% | -20.4% |
| 2010 | 7.7% | +80.4% |
| 2011 | 7.0% | -9.0% |
| 2012 | 5.4% | -23.3% |
| 2013 | 12.9% | +139.9% |
| 2014 | 6.6% | -49.0% |
| 2015 | 4.8% | -26.6% |
| 2016 | 3.5% | -27.0% |
| 2017 | 1.4% | -61.4% |
| 2018 | 7.8% | +475.0% |
| 2019 | 7.5% | -3.7% |
| 2020 | 8.6% | +14.0% |
| 2021 | 8.8% | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 6.8% | -23.4% |
| 2023 | 12.7% | +87.6% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 12.7% is below the median for low income countries, which is 19.8%, 64% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 12.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 22.0%, 58% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Rwanda 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +927.2% | 5.8% | 59.5% |
| 2002 | +683.6% | 0.5% | 3.9% |
| 2018 | +475.0% | 1.4% | 7.8% |
| 1982 | +419.7% | 1.9% | 9.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.7% | 3.1% | 4.3% | 3 |
| 1980s | 5.6% | 1.3% | 11.6% | 9 |
| 1990s | 18.2% | 5.8% | 59.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.6% | 0.5% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.5% | 1.4% | 12.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.2% | 6.8% | 12.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
More private sector data for Rwanda
- Merchandise trade 45.9% (2025)
- Food imports 22.4% (2022)
- Manufactures imports 50.0% (2022)
- Merchandise imports 5.07 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 27.2% (2022)
- Manufactures exports 10.4% (2022)
- Merchandise exports 2.45 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 168.16 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1496 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate -23.46 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Rwanda?
- Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Rwanda was 12.7% 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 Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 59.5% in 1996.
- What is the lowest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5% in 2001.
- How does Rwanda rank for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region?
- Rwanda ranks 97th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Rwanda 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.