Merchandise imports by the reporting economy in Congo
Congo: Merchandise imports by the reporting economy was 5.96 billion current US$ in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
5.96 billion current US$
Change on year
up 64.1%
World rank
131st
of 206 countries
All-time high
10.92 billion current US$
in 2016
All-time low
5.70 million current US$
in 1960
Years of data
64
1960–2023
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy in Congo, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in current US$.
Analysis
Congo recorded 5.96 billion current US$ for merchandise imports by the reporting economy in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 64.1% on the previous year and down 28.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports by the reporting economy in Congo peaked at 10.92 billion current US$ in 2016 and was at its lowest, 5.70 million current US$, in 1960.
That places Congo 131st out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy in Congo, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 5.70 million current US$ | — |
| 1961 | 71.00 million current US$ | +1145.6% |
| 1962 | 60.50 million current US$ | -14.8% |
| 1963 | 58.30 million current US$ | -3.6% |
| 1964 | 59.50 million current US$ | +2.1% |
| 1965 | 60.20 million current US$ | +1.2% |
| 1966 | 63.90 million current US$ | +6.1% |
| 1967 | 76.40 million current US$ | +19.6% |
| 1968 | 70.16 million current US$ | -8.2% |
| 1969 | 66.15 million current US$ | -5.7% |
| 1970 | 54.42 million current US$ | -17.7% |
| 1971 | 74.60 million current US$ | +37.1% |
| 1972 | 101.12 million current US$ | +35.5% |
| 1973 | 115.66 million current US$ | +14.4% |
| 1974 | 118.11 million current US$ | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 161.99 million current US$ | +37.2% |
| 1976 | 166.16 million current US$ | +2.6% |
| 1977 | 176.97 million current US$ | +6.5% |
| 1978 | 243.93 million current US$ | +37.8% |
| 1979 | 297.43 million current US$ | +21.9% |
| 1980 | 401.54 million current US$ | +35.0% |
| 1981 | 395.70 million current US$ | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 653.93 million current US$ | +65.3% |
| 1983 | 606.05 million current US$ | -7.3% |
| 1984 | 573.55 million current US$ | -5.4% |
| 1985 | 549.32 million current US$ | -4.2% |
| 1986 | 543.95 million current US$ | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 475.30 million current US$ | -12.6% |
| 1988 | 478.99 million current US$ | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 449.31 million current US$ | -6.2% |
| 1990 | 491.29 million current US$ | +9.3% |
| 1991 | 466.48 million current US$ | -5.0% |
| 1992 | 553.84 million current US$ | +18.7% |
| 1993 | 467.34 million current US$ | -15.6% |
| 1994 | 304.19 million current US$ | -34.9% |
| 1995 | 361.79 million current US$ | +18.9% |
| 1996 | 1.46 billion current US$ | +304.9% |
| 1997 | 832.62 million current US$ | -43.2% |
| 1998 | 1.02 billion current US$ | +21.9% |
| 1999 | 652.77 million current US$ | -35.7% |
| 2000 | 620.45 million current US$ | -5.0% |
| 2001 | 694.50 million current US$ | +11.9% |
| 2002 | 787.00 million current US$ | +13.3% |
| 2003 | 1.02 billion current US$ | +30.1% |
| 2004 | 2.22 billion current US$ | +116.9% |
| 2005 | 2.66 billion current US$ | +19.6% |
| 2006 | 2.97 billion current US$ | +11.6% |
| 2007 | 3.93 billion current US$ | +32.5% |
| 2008 | 3.54 billion current US$ | -10.0% |
| 2009 | 4.22 billion current US$ | +19.3% |
| 2010 | 4.15 billion current US$ | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 7.00 billion current US$ | +68.5% |
| 2012 | 7.35 billion current US$ | +5.0% |
| 2013 | 8.37 billion current US$ | +13.9% |
| 2014 | 9.94 billion current US$ | +18.8% |
| 2015 | 10.39 billion current US$ | +4.5% |
| 2016 | 10.92 billion current US$ | +5.2% |
| 2017 | 4.09 billion current US$ | -62.5% |
| 2018 | 3.41 billion current US$ | -16.7% |
| 2019 | 2.24 billion current US$ | -34.3% |
| 2020 | 1.91 billion current US$ | -14.9% |
| 2021 | 2.35 billion current US$ | +23.2% |
| 2022 | 3.63 billion current US$ | +54.5% |
| 2023 | 5.96 billion current US$ | +64.1% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 5.96 billion current US$ is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 8.62 billion current US$, 69% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Congo's 5.96 billion current US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.61 billion current US$, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports by the reporting economy in Congo changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | +1145.6% | 5.70 million current US$ | 71.00 million current US$ |
| 1996 | +304.9% | 361.79 million current US$ | 1.46 billion current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 59.18 million current US$ | 5.70 million current US$ | 76.40 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 151.04 million current US$ | 54.42 million current US$ | 297.43 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 512.76 million current US$ | 395.70 million current US$ | 653.93 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 661.04 million current US$ | 304.19 million current US$ | 1.46 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.27 billion current US$ | 620.45 million current US$ | 4.22 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.79 billion current US$ | 2.24 billion current US$ | 10.92 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.46 billion current US$ | 1.91 billion current US$ | 5.96 billion current US$ | 4 |
Countries ranked near Congo
- 128 Kosovo 6.45 billion current US$ compare
- 128 Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) 6.45 billion current US$ compare
- 130 Papua New Guinea 6.32 billion current US$ compare
- 132 Botswana 5.89 billion current US$ compare
- 133 Burkina Faso 5.88 billion current US$ compare
- 134 Brunei 5.69 billion current US$ compare
More private sector data for Congo
- Merchandise trade 94.4% (2025)
- Food imports 21.2% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 71.4% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 7.90 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 0.2% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 10.3% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 7.50 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 1,157 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.4599 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate -4.57 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports by the reporting economy in Congo?
- Merchandise imports by the reporting economy in Congo was 5.96 billion current US$ in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports by the reporting economy recorded in Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 10.92 billion current US$ in 2016.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports by the reporting economy recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.70 million current US$ in 1960.
- How does Congo rank for merchandise imports by the reporting economy?
- Congo ranks 131st out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports by the reporting economy rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Congo data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy are the total merchandise imports by the reporting economy from the rest of the world, as reported in the IMF's Direction of trade database. Data are in current U.S. dollars.