Merchandise imports by the reporting economy in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Merchandise imports by the reporting economy was 391.80 billion current US$ in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
391.80 billion current US$
Change on year
up 18.4%
World rank
17th
of 206 countries
All-time high
391.80 billion current US$
in 2023
All-time low
252.70 million current US$
in 1970
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy in United Arab Emirates, 1970–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise imports by the reporting economy in United Arab Emirates is 391.80 billion current US$, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
That represents a change of up 18.4% on the previous year and up 113.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports by the reporting economy in United Arab Emirates peaked at 391.80 billion current US$ in 2023 and was at its lowest, 252.70 million current US$, in 1970.
That places United Arab Emirates 17th out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 252.70 million current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 291.00 million current US$ | +15.2% |
| 1972 | 469.50 million current US$ | +61.3% |
| 1973 | 789.80 million current US$ | +68.2% |
| 1974 | 1.64 billion current US$ | +107.6% |
| 1975 | 2.55 billion current US$ | +55.5% |
| 1976 | 3.34 billion current US$ | +31.2% |
| 1977 | 5.08 billion current US$ | +51.8% |
| 1978 | 5.15 billion current US$ | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 6.80 billion current US$ | +32.1% |
| 1980 | 8.00 billion current US$ | +17.6% |
| 1981 | 8.74 billion current US$ | +9.2% |
| 1982 | 8.67 billion current US$ | -0.7% |
| 1983 | 8.14 billion current US$ | -6.2% |
| 1984 | 6.87 billion current US$ | -15.6% |
| 1985 | 6.33 billion current US$ | -7.8% |
| 1986 | 6.29 billion current US$ | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 6.75 billion current US$ | +7.2% |
| 1988 | 7.98 billion current US$ | +18.3% |
| 1989 | 9.30 billion current US$ | +16.6% |
| 1990 | 10.82 billion current US$ | +16.3% |
| 1991 | 12.91 billion current US$ | +19.3% |
| 1992 | 16.67 billion current US$ | +29.2% |
| 1993 | 18.31 billion current US$ | +9.8% |
| 1994 | 20.44 billion current US$ | +11.6% |
| 1995 | 20.42 billion current US$ | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 22.10 billion current US$ | +8.2% |
| 1997 | 22.70 billion current US$ | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 24.37 billion current US$ | +7.3% |
| 1999 | 35.28 billion current US$ | +44.8% |
| 2000 | 25.30 billion current US$ | -28.3% |
| 2001 | 29.53 billion current US$ | +16.7% |
| 2002 | 30.25 billion current US$ | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 38.34 billion current US$ | +26.7% |
| 2004 | 54.98 billion current US$ | +43.4% |
| 2005 | 66.87 billion current US$ | +21.6% |
| 2006 | 78.72 billion current US$ | +17.7% |
| 2007 | 104.40 billion current US$ | +32.6% |
| 2008 | 152.51 billion current US$ | +46.1% |
| 2009 | 120.25 billion current US$ | -21.2% |
| 2010 | 130.22 billion current US$ | +8.3% |
| 2011 | 160.58 billion current US$ | +23.3% |
| 2012 | 244.75 billion current US$ | +52.4% |
| 2013 | 183.89 billion current US$ | -24.9% |
| 2014 | 186.66 billion current US$ | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 180.95 billion current US$ | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 185.85 billion current US$ | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 257.68 billion current US$ | +38.6% |
| 2018 | 244.56 billion current US$ | -5.1% |
| 2019 | 249.02 billion current US$ | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 213.74 billion current US$ | -14.2% |
| 2021 | 269.96 billion current US$ | +26.3% |
| 2022 | 331.03 billion current US$ | +22.6% |
| 2023 | 391.80 billion current US$ | +18.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.64 billion current US$ | 252.70 million current US$ | 6.80 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.71 billion current US$ | 6.29 billion current US$ | 9.30 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.40 billion current US$ | 10.82 billion current US$ | 35.28 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 70.12 billion current US$ | 25.30 billion current US$ | 152.51 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 202.42 billion current US$ | 130.22 billion current US$ | 257.68 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 301.63 billion current US$ | 213.74 billion current US$ | 391.80 billion current US$ | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
More private sector data for United Arab Emirates
- Merchandise trade 208.2% (2024)
- Food imports 5.0% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 54.9% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 618.88 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 2.9% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 8.8% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 706.67 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 61,380 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 1.1 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 16.69 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports by the reporting economy in United Arab Emirates?
- Merchandise imports by the reporting economy in United Arab Emirates was 391.80 billion current US$ in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports by the reporting economy recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 391.80 billion current US$ in 2023.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports by the reporting economy recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 252.70 million current US$ in 1970.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for merchandise imports by the reporting economy?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 17th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports by the reporting economy rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 113.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.