Merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual in North America
North America: Merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual was 0.1% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual in North America, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
North America recorded 0.1% for merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual in 2023.
That represents a change of up 724.2% on the previous year and down 91.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual in North America peaked at 5.9% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2020.
That places North America 2nd out of 47 groups 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 North America, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 5.9% | — |
| 1961 | 5.7% | -2.5% |
| 1962 | 5.6% | -1.9% |
| 1963 | 5.3% | -6.4% |
| 1964 | 4.9% | -6.4% |
| 1965 | 4.5% | -9.0% |
| 1966 | 3.6% | -19.7% |
| 1967 | 3.5% | -2.7% |
| 1968 | 3.0% | -14.2% |
| 1969 | 2.7% | -9.2% |
| 1970 | 2.8% | +3.8% |
| 1971 | 2.8% | -2.3% |
| 1972 | 2.4% | -13.6% |
| 1973 | 2.6% | +7.7% |
| 1974 | 4.7% | +82.4% |
| 1975 | 3.7% | -20.6% |
| 1976 | 3.1% | -17.8% |
| 1977 | 2.9% | -6.8% |
| 1978 | 2.2% | -23.5% |
| 1979 | 2.5% | +15.5% |
| 1980 | 2.4% | -4.4% |
| 1981 | 2.4% | -2.6% |
| 1982 | 2.1% | -9.8% |
| 1983 | 1.8% | -13.7% |
| 1984 | 1.9% | +3.3% |
| 1985 | 1.8% | -7.4% |
| 1986 | 1.2% | -28.9% |
| 1987 | 1.2% | -1.0% |
| 1988 | 1.1% | -14.5% |
| 1989 | 1.3% | +20.7% |
| 1990 | 1.7% | +29.8% |
| 1991 | 1.5% | -11.1% |
| 1992 | 1.3% | -9.9% |
| 1993 | 1.2% | -7.8% |
| 1994 | 1.1% | -8.6% |
| 1995 | 1.2% | +4.3% |
| 1996 | 1.4% | +23.5% |
| 1997 | 1.4% | -5.0% |
| 1998 | 0.9% | -32.5% |
| 1999 | 1.0% | +6.4% |
| 2000 | 1.3% | +34.4% |
| 2001 | 1.2% | -8.4% |
| 2002 | 1.2% | -4.0% |
| 2003 | 1.2% | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 1.5% | +26.6% |
| 2005 | 1.8% | +18.5% |
| 2006 | 1.7% | -3.3% |
| 2007 | 1.8% | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 2.1% | +18.2% |
| 2009 | 1.5% | -26.7% |
| 2010 | 1.4% | -5.7% |
| 2011 | 1.6% | +14.2% |
| 2012 | 1.4% | -14.2% |
| 2013 | 1.2% | -16.7% |
| 2014 | 1.1% | -9.1% |
| 2015 | 0.6% | -45.2% |
| 2016 | 0.4% | -28.4% |
| 2017 | 0.4% | +5.7% |
| 2018 | 0.4% | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 0.1% | -84.8% |
| 2020 | 0.0% | -87.5% |
| 2021 | 0.0% | +27.3% |
| 2022 | 0.0% | +13.7% |
| 2023 | 0.1% | +724.2% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual in North America 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | +724.2% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1974 | +82.4% | 2.6% | 4.7% |
| 2020 | -87.5% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.5% | 2.7% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.0% | 2.2% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.7% | 1.1% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.3% | 0.9% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.5% | 1.2% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.9% | 0.1% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near North America
More private sector data for North America
- Merchandise trade 20.6% (2025)
- Food imports 7.3% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 77.9% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 4.09 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 10.3% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 52.8% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 2.74 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 7,145 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0828 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 4.2 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual in North America?
- Merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual in North America was 0.1% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 5.9% in 1960.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2020.
- How does North America rank for merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual?
- North America ranks 2nd out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 91.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North America 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.
Download this data
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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.