Merchandise imports in Arab World
Arab World: Merchandise imports was 1.48 trillion current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports in Arab World, 1960–2025
Source: World Trade Organization (WTO). Measured in current US$.
Analysis
In 2025, merchandise imports in Arab World stood at 1.48 trillion current US$. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 10.8% on the previous year and up 73.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports in Arab World peaked at 1.48 trillion current US$ in 2025 and was at its lowest, 4.48 billion current US$, in 1962.
Arab World ranks 24th of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise imports in Arab World, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4.89 billion current US$ | — |
| 1961 | 4.89 billion current US$ | -0.0% |
| 1962 | 4.48 billion current US$ | -8.5% |
| 1963 | 5.14 billion current US$ | +14.9% |
| 1964 | 5.55 billion current US$ | +7.9% |
| 1965 | 5.74 billion current US$ | +3.4% |
| 1966 | 6.39 billion current US$ | +11.4% |
| 1967 | 6.22 billion current US$ | -2.7% |
| 1968 | 6.50 billion current US$ | +4.6% |
| 1969 | 7.17 billion current US$ | +10.3% |
| 1970 | 7.73 billion current US$ | +7.7% |
| 1971 | 8.78 billion current US$ | +13.6% |
| 1972 | 10.77 billion current US$ | +22.6% |
| 1973 | 15.52 billion current US$ | +44.2% |
| 1974 | 27.96 billion current US$ | +80.1% |
| 1975 | 39.26 billion current US$ | +40.4% |
| 1976 | 44.94 billion current US$ | +14.5% |
| 1977 | 62.12 billion current US$ | +38.2% |
| 1978 | 73.35 billion current US$ | +18.1% |
| 1979 | 85.09 billion current US$ | +16.0% |
| 1980 | 111.44 billion current US$ | +31.0% |
| 1981 | 134.57 billion current US$ | +20.8% |
| 1982 | 138.68 billion current US$ | +3.1% |
| 1983 | 123.91 billion current US$ | -10.7% |
| 1984 | 114.90 billion current US$ | -7.3% |
| 1985 | 98.60 billion current US$ | -14.2% |
| 1986 | 90.35 billion current US$ | -8.4% |
| 1987 | 91.65 billion current US$ | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 109.86 billion current US$ | +19.9% |
| 1989 | 107.53 billion current US$ | -2.1% |
| 1990 | 102.63 billion current US$ | -4.6% |
| 1991 | 103.82 billion current US$ | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 120.89 billion current US$ | +16.4% |
| 1993 | 120.53 billion current US$ | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 121.49 billion current US$ | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 137.22 billion current US$ | +12.9% |
| 1996 | 150.13 billion current US$ | +9.4% |
| 1997 | 154.28 billion current US$ | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 160.87 billion current US$ | +4.3% |
| 1999 | 156.57 billion current US$ | -2.7% |
| 2000 | 165.31 billion current US$ | +5.6% |
| 2001 | 173.43 billion current US$ | +4.9% |
| 2002 | 182.03 billion current US$ | +5.0% |
| 2003 | 213.38 billion current US$ | +17.2% |
| 2004 | 282.62 billion current US$ | +32.4% |
| 2005 | 341.00 billion current US$ | +20.7% |
| 2006 | 391.84 billion current US$ | +14.9% |
| 2007 | 519.79 billion current US$ | +32.7% |
| 2008 | 686.64 billion current US$ | +32.1% |
| 2009 | 602.63 billion current US$ | -12.2% |
| 2010 | 673.07 billion current US$ | +11.7% |
| 2011 | 764.77 billion current US$ | +13.6% |
| 2012 | 867.47 billion current US$ | +13.4% |
| 2013 | 911.12 billion current US$ | +5.0% |
| 2014 | 917.87 billion current US$ | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 852.17 billion current US$ | -7.2% |
| 2016 | 780.93 billion current US$ | -8.4% |
| 2017 | 790.35 billion current US$ | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 817.08 billion current US$ | +3.4% |
| 2019 | 879.39 billion current US$ | +7.6% |
| 2020 | 761.57 billion current US$ | -13.4% |
| 2021 | 929.97 billion current US$ | +22.1% |
| 2022 | 1.13 trillion current US$ | +21.6% |
| 2023 | 1.19 trillion current US$ | +5.3% |
| 2024 | 1.33 trillion current US$ | +12.1% |
| 2025 | 1.48 trillion current US$ | +10.8% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports in Arab World 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | +80.1% | 15.52 billion current US$ | 27.96 billion current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.70 billion current US$ | 4.48 billion current US$ | 7.17 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 37.55 billion current US$ | 7.73 billion current US$ | 85.09 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 112.15 billion current US$ | 90.35 billion current US$ | 138.68 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 132.84 billion current US$ | 102.63 billion current US$ | 160.87 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 355.87 billion current US$ | 165.31 billion current US$ | 686.64 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 825.42 billion current US$ | 673.07 billion current US$ | 917.87 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.14 trillion current US$ | 761.57 billion current US$ | 1.48 trillion current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Arab World
- 21 Turkey 365.37 billion current US$ compare
- 22 Thailand 344.94 billion current US$ compare
- 23 Malaysia 340.44 billion current US$ compare
- 24 Australia 310.63 billion current US$ compare
- 25 Russia 302.71 billion current US$ compare
- 26 Brazil 293.70 billion current US$ compare
- 27 Saudi Arabia 254.06 billion current US$ compare
More private sector data for Arab World
- Merchandise trade 53.7% (2025)
- Food imports 11.7% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 60.2% (2023)
- Food exports 3.6% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 16.3% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 1.59 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 3,163 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.4193 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 6.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 2,937 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports in Arab World?
- Merchandise imports in Arab World was 1.48 trillion current US$ in 2025, according to World Trade Organization (WTO).
- What is the highest merchandise imports recorded in Arab World?
- The highest recorded value was 1.48 trillion current US$ in 2025.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports recorded in Arab World?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.48 billion current US$ in 1962.
- How does Arab World rank for merchandise imports?
- Arab World ranks 24th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is merchandise imports rising or falling in Arab World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 73.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Arab World data come from?
- The figures come from World Trade Organization (WTO), published as part of Merchandise imports (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Merchandise imports includes goods whose economic ownership is changed from a non-resident to a resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.