Merchandise imports (current US$), per square kilometre in Kenya
Kenya: Merchandise imports (current US$), per square kilometre was 31,995 current US$ per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
31,995 current US$ per square kilometre
Change on year
down 12.2%
World rank
160th
of 205 countries
All-time high
36,438 current US$ per square kilometre
in 2022
All-time low
339.11 current US$ per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Merchandise imports (current US$), per square kilometre in Kenya, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in current US$ per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise imports (current us$), per square kilometre in Kenya is 31,995 current US$ per square kilometre, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 12.2% on the previous year and up 11.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports (current us$), per square kilometre in Kenya peaked at 36,438 current US$ per square kilometre in 2022 and was at its lowest, 339.11 current US$ per square kilometre, in 1961.
Kenya ranks 160th of 205 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise imports (current US$), per square kilometre in Kenya, year by year
| Year | current US$ per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 339.11 current US$ per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 342.62 current US$ per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1963 | 407.63 current US$ per square kilometre | +19.0% |
| 1964 | 432.23 current US$ per square kilometre | +6.0% |
| 1965 | 495.48 current US$ per square kilometre | +14.6% |
| 1966 | 607.93 current US$ per square kilometre | +22.7% |
| 1967 | 592.12 current US$ per square kilometre | -2.6% |
| 1968 | 625.5 current US$ per square kilometre | +5.6% |
| 1969 | 634.29 current US$ per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1970 | 776.61 current US$ per square kilometre | +22.4% |
| 1971 | 983.94 current US$ per square kilometre | +26.7% |
| 1972 | 940.01 current US$ per square kilometre | -4.5% |
| 1973 | 1,088 current US$ per square kilometre | +15.7% |
| 1974 | 1,803 current US$ per square kilometre | +65.8% |
| 1975 | 1,660 current US$ per square kilometre | -7.9% |
| 1976 | 1,703 current US$ per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1977 | 2,265 current US$ per square kilometre | +33.0% |
| 1978 | 3,006 current US$ per square kilometre | +32.7% |
| 1979 | 2,875 current US$ per square kilometre | -4.4% |
| 1980 | 3,734 current US$ per square kilometre | +29.9% |
| 1981 | 3,407 current US$ per square kilometre | -8.8% |
| 1982 | 2,889 current US$ per square kilometre | -15.2% |
| 1983 | 2,344 current US$ per square kilometre | -18.9% |
| 1984 | 2,581 current US$ per square kilometre | +10.1% |
| 1985 | 2,523 current US$ per square kilometre | -2.2% |
| 1986 | 2,834 current US$ per square kilometre | +12.3% |
| 1987 | 3,054 current US$ per square kilometre | +7.7% |
| 1988 | 3,493 current US$ per square kilometre | +14.4% |
| 1989 | 3,820 current US$ per square kilometre | +9.4% |
| 1990 | 3,906 current US$ per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 3,400 current US$ per square kilometre | -13.0% |
| 1992 | 3,235 current US$ per square kilometre | -4.9% |
| 1993 | 3,117 current US$ per square kilometre | -3.6% |
| 1994 | 3,674 current US$ per square kilometre | +17.9% |
| 1995 | 5,255 current US$ per square kilometre | +43.0% |
| 1996 | 5,182 current US$ per square kilometre | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 5,761 current US$ per square kilometre | +11.2% |
| 1998 | 5,617 current US$ per square kilometre | -2.5% |
| 1999 | 4,976 current US$ per square kilometre | -11.4% |
| 2000 | 5,456 current US$ per square kilometre | +9.6% |
| 2001 | 5,608 current US$ per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 5,702 current US$ per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 6,545 current US$ per square kilometre | +14.8% |
| 2004 | 8,000 current US$ per square kilometre | +22.2% |
| 2005 | 10,272 current US$ per square kilometre | +28.4% |
| 2006 | 12,709 current US$ per square kilometre | +23.7% |
| 2007 | 15,794 current US$ per square kilometre | +24.3% |
| 2008 | 19,552 current US$ per square kilometre | +23.8% |
| 2009 | 17,925 current US$ per square kilometre | -8.3% |
| 2010 | 21,248 current US$ per square kilometre | +18.5% |
| 2011 | 25,972 current US$ per square kilometre | +22.2% |
| 2012 | 28,622 current US$ per square kilometre | +10.2% |
| 2013 | 28,742 current US$ per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 32,322 current US$ per square kilometre | +12.5% |
| 2015 | 28,179 current US$ per square kilometre | -12.8% |
| 2016 | 24,617 current US$ per square kilometre | -12.6% |
| 2017 | 29,020 current US$ per square kilometre | +17.9% |
| 2018 | 30,120 current US$ per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 2019 | 30,496 current US$ per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 26,572 current US$ per square kilometre | -12.9% |
| 2021 | 33,672 current US$ per square kilometre | +26.7% |
| 2022 | 36,438 current US$ per square kilometre | +8.2% |
| 2023 | 31,995 current US$ per square kilometre | -12.2% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 31,995 current US$ per square kilometre is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 59,585 current US$ per square kilometre, 54% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 31,995 current US$ per square kilometre is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 21,553 current US$ per square kilometre, 1.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 497.44 current US$ per square kilometre | 339.11 current US$ per square kilometre | 634.29 current US$ per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 1,710 current US$ per square kilometre | 776.61 current US$ per square kilometre | 3,006 current US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 3,068 current US$ per square kilometre | 2,344 current US$ per square kilometre | 3,820 current US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 4,412 current US$ per square kilometre | 3,117 current US$ per square kilometre | 5,761 current US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 10,756 current US$ per square kilometre | 5,456 current US$ per square kilometre | 19,552 current US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 27,934 current US$ per square kilometre | 21,248 current US$ per square kilometre | 32,322 current US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 32,169 current US$ per square kilometre | 26,572 current US$ per square kilometre | 36,438 current US$ per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 157 Malawi 33,316 current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 158 Laos 33,141 current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 159 Syria 32,680 current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 161 Guyana 31,429 current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 162 Brazil 30,235 current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 163 Argentina 26,976 current US$ per square kilometre compare
More private sector data for Kenya
- Merchandise trade 22.2% (2025)
- Food imports 16.3% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 56.6% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 21.61 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 49.2% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 30.7% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 8.60 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 149.5 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0633 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 4.42 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports (current us$), per square kilometre in Kenya?
- Merchandise imports (current us$), per square kilometre in Kenya was 31,995 current US$ per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest merchandise imports (current us$), per square kilometre recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 36,438 current US$ per square kilometre in 2022.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports (current us$), per square kilometre recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 339.11 current US$ per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Kenya rank for merchandise imports (current us$), per square kilometre?
- Kenya ranks 160th out of 205 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports (current us$), per square kilometre rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Merchandise imports (current US$), per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Merchandise imports (current US$) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Merchandise imports (current US$) ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Merchandise imports World Trade Organization (WTO)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Merchandise imports (current US$) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.