Merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual in Cuba
Cuba: Merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual was 2.5% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual in Cuba, 1981–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
In 2023, merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual in Cuba stood at 2.5%.
The figure is down 3.2% on the previous year and down 84.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual in Cuba peaked at 25.1% in 2005 and was at its lowest, -0.0%, in 1987.
That places Cuba 2nd 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, residual in Cuba, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 3.9% | — |
| 1982 | 1.4% | -65.0% |
| 1983 | 5.6% | +308.6% |
| 1984 | 9.9% | +75.7% |
| 1985 | 17.2% | +74.4% |
| 1986 | 16.5% | -4.2% |
| 1987 | -0.0% | -100.0% |
| 1988 | 18.6% | -6208355861719200.0% |
| 1989 | 22.2% | +19.5% |
| 1990 | 18.6% | -16.5% |
| 1991 | 21.1% | +13.9% |
| 1992 | 6.0% | -71.6% |
| 1993 | 8.9% | +47.6% |
| 1994 | 5.5% | -37.6% |
| 1995 | 4.8% | -12.6% |
| 1996 | 4.3% | -10.3% |
| 1997 | 1.0% | -77.0% |
| 1998 | 16.3% | +1533.1% |
| 1999 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 2000 | 18.7% | +12723960390645118.0% |
| 2001 | 20.1% | +7.6% |
| 2002 | 17.4% | -13.4% |
| 2003 | 15.0% | -13.7% |
| 2004 | 20.7% | +37.8% |
| 2005 | 25.1% | +21.5% |
| 2006 | 2.0% | -92.0% |
| 2007 | 14.4% | +616.9% |
| 2008 | 16.2% | +12.3% |
| 2009 | 15.1% | -6.8% |
| 2010 | 16.0% | +5.9% |
| 2011 | 16.7% | +4.4% |
| 2012 | 16.5% | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 16.0% | -3.1% |
| 2014 | 16.9% | +5.3% |
| 2015 | 15.4% | -8.7% |
| 2016 | 15.6% | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 17.6% | +13.0% |
| 2018 | 23.2% | +31.6% |
| 2019 | 18.0% | -22.4% |
| 2020 | 14.8% | -17.9% |
| 2021 | 14.9% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 2.6% | -82.7% |
| 2023 | 2.5% | -3.2% |
Cuba compared with similar countries
- Cuba's 2.5% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.0%, 2826.5× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Cuba's 2.5% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 0.0%, 98.8× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual in Cuba 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +12723960390645118.0% | 0.0% | 18.7% |
| 1988 | +6208355861719200.0% | -0.0% | 18.6% |
| 1998 | +1533.1% | 1.0% | 16.3% |
| 2007 | +616.9% | 2.0% | 14.4% |
| 1983 | +308.6% | 1.4% | 5.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 10.6% | -0.0% | 22.2% | 9 |
| 1990s | 8.7% | 0.0% | 21.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.5% | 2.0% | 25.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.2% | 15.4% | 23.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.7% | 2.5% | 14.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Cuba
More private sector data for Cuba
- Merchandise trade 8.3% (2020)
- Food imports 25.2% (2022)
- Manufactures imports 38.3% (2022)
- Merchandise imports 8.75 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 30.7% (2022)
- Manufactures exports 7.8% (2022)
- Merchandise exports 1.62 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 148.12 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0159 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2020)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 0.809 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual in Cuba?
- Merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual in Cuba was 2.5% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual recorded in Cuba?
- The highest recorded value was 25.1% in 2005.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual recorded in Cuba?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.0% in 1987.
- How does Cuba rank for merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual?
- Cuba ranks 2nd out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual rising or falling in Cuba?
- Over the last ten years it is down 84.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Cuba data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual (% of total merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy residuals 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, less the sum of imports by the reporting economy from high-, low-, and middle-income economies according to the World Bank classification of economies. Includes trade with unspecified partners or with economies not covered by World Bank classification. Data are as a percentage of total merchandise imports by the economy.