Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Zambia
Zambia: Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region was 19.5% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Zambia, 1964–2023
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 Zambia stood at 19.5%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 10.1% on the previous year and down 13.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Zambia peaked at 35.8% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 1965.
Zambia ranks 73rd of 206 countries on this measure, 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 Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 2.3% | — |
| 1965 | 0.3% | -86.8% |
| 1966 | 0.6% | +89.3% |
| 1967 | 3.1% | +429.3% |
| 1968 | 2.4% | -22.7% |
| 1969 | 4.6% | +93.5% |
| 1970 | 9.9% | +115.9% |
| 1971 | 14.7% | +48.0% |
| 1972 | 13.4% | -8.6% |
| 1973 | 12.5% | -7.1% |
| 1974 | 10.0% | -20.0% |
| 1975 | 6.8% | -31.3% |
| 1976 | 8.6% | +26.3% |
| 1977 | 6.3% | -27.3% |
| 1978 | 10.7% | +69.8% |
| 1979 | 12.9% | +20.7% |
| 1980 | 10.6% | -17.9% |
| 1981 | 16.9% | +60.3% |
| 1982 | 17.1% | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 17.1% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 24.8% | +45.7% |
| 1985 | 23.4% | -5.8% |
| 1986 | 27.8% | +18.7% |
| 1987 | 28.3% | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 15.4% | -45.8% |
| 1989 | 15.7% | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 21.5% | +37.1% |
| 1991 | 26.9% | +25.0% |
| 1992 | 21.3% | -20.6% |
| 1993 | 29.5% | +38.0% |
| 1994 | 35.8% | +21.4% |
| 1995 | 28.9% | -19.0% |
| 1996 | 34.5% | +19.1% |
| 1997 | 25.8% | -25.2% |
| 1998 | 13.9% | -46.2% |
| 1999 | 15.2% | +9.7% |
| 2000 | 1.9% | -87.7% |
| 2001 | 4.2% | +123.8% |
| 2002 | 4.0% | -3.6% |
| 2003 | 6.4% | +58.5% |
| 2004 | 3.6% | -44.4% |
| 2005 | 22.1% | +522.8% |
| 2006 | 26.2% | +18.2% |
| 2007 | 18.4% | -29.7% |
| 2008 | 16.7% | -9.5% |
| 2009 | 16.5% | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 21.7% | +31.5% |
| 2011 | 17.9% | -17.5% |
| 2012 | 20.2% | +12.6% |
| 2013 | 22.6% | +12.0% |
| 2014 | 10.1% | -55.4% |
| 2015 | 15.5% | +53.5% |
| 2016 | 19.7% | +27.4% |
| 2017 | 19.0% | -3.6% |
| 2018 | 17.2% | -9.7% |
| 2019 | 22.2% | +29.4% |
| 2020 | 19.4% | -12.8% |
| 2021 | 19.8% | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 21.7% | +9.8% |
| 2023 | 19.5% | -10.1% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 19.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 19.4%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 19.5% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 22.0%, 89% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Zambia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +522.8% | 3.6% | 22.1% |
| 1967 | +429.3% | 0.6% | 3.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.2% | 0.3% | 4.6% | 6 |
| 1970s | 10.6% | 6.3% | 14.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.7% | 10.6% | 28.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.3% | 13.9% | 35.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.0% | 1.9% | 26.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.6% | 10.1% | 22.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.1% | 19.4% | 21.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More private sector data for Zambia
- Merchandise trade 91.7% (2025)
- Food imports 7.8% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 64.4% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 13.17 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 8.7% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 14.1% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 13.31 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 607.56 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.461 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 18.07 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Zambia?
- Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Zambia was 19.5% 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 35.8% in 1994.
- What is the lowest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 1965.
- How does Zambia rank for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region?
- Zambia ranks 73rd out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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.