Merchandise imports from economies in the Arab World in North Korea
North Korea: Merchandise imports from economies in the Arab World was 0.0% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from economies in the Arab World in North Korea, 1981–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise imports from economies in the arab world in North Korea is 0.0%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 42 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 74.0% on the previous year and down 99.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from economies in the arab world in North Korea peaked at 28.1% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2023.
That places North Korea 204th out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise imports from economies in the Arab World in North Korea, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 1.9% | — |
| 1982 | 1.5% | -19.1% |
| 1983 | 1.1% | -27.0% |
| 1984 | 0.3% | -72.9% |
| 1985 | 0.1% | -71.1% |
| 1986 | 1.9% | +2069.0% |
| 1987 | 0.9% | -54.3% |
| 1988 | 0.6% | -33.4% |
| 1989 | 1.6% | +170.3% |
| 1990 | 1.9% | +22.7% |
| 1991 | 1.5% | -24.6% |
| 1992 | 1.6% | +11.0% |
| 1993 | 0.2% | -86.4% |
| 1994 | 1.0% | +363.2% |
| 1995 | 0.2% | -81.9% |
| 1996 | 3.5% | +1804.6% |
| 1997 | 0.6% | -83.0% |
| 1998 | 2.1% | +260.7% |
| 1999 | 1.6% | -26.5% |
| 2000 | 3.8% | +140.5% |
| 2001 | 3.0% | -20.9% |
| 2002 | 5.6% | +86.0% |
| 2003 | 0.0% | -99.9% |
| 2004 | 1.6% | +19704.4% |
| 2005 | 21.0% | +1195.0% |
| 2006 | 28.1% | +33.7% |
| 2007 | 0.0% | -99.9% |
| 2008 | 0.7% | +4115.3% |
| 2009 | 4.1% | +484.9% |
| 2010 | 7.3% | +80.0% |
| 2011 | 0.8% | -88.7% |
| 2012 | 0.1% | -93.4% |
| 2013 | 0.1% | +114.2% |
| 2014 | 0.1% | -33.7% |
| 2015 | 0.0% | -64.8% |
| 2016 | 0.0% | +44.8% |
| 2017 | 0.0% | -26.7% |
| 2018 | 0.0% | -29.5% |
| 2019 | 0.0% | -69.0% |
| 2020 | 0.0% | +380.2% |
| 2021 | 0.0% | -93.4% |
| 2023 | 0.0% | -74.0% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 0.0% is below the median for low income countries, which is 10.9%, 0% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 0.0% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.3%, 0% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from economies in the Arab World in North Korea 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | +19704.4% | 0.0% | 1.6% |
| 2008 | +4115.3% | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| 1986 | +2069.0% | 0.1% | 1.9% |
| 1996 | +1804.6% | 0.2% | 3.5% |
| 2005 | +1195.0% | 1.6% | 21.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.1% | 0.1% | 1.9% | 9 |
| 1990s | 1.4% | 0.2% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.8% | 0.0% | 28.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.9% | 0.0% | 7.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 3 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 201 Marshall Islands 0.0% compare
- 202 Nauru 0.0% compare
- 203 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 0.0% compare
- 205 Solomon Islands 0.0% compare
- 206 American Samoa 0.0% compare
More private sector data for North Korea
- Merchandise imports 2.87 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports 611.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 23 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 69.72 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 107.97 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), annual growth rate 22.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports from high-income economies 0.2% (2023)
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside 2.7% (2023)
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East 97.1% (2023)
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Europe & 0.0% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from economies in the arab world in North Korea?
- Merchandise imports from economies in the arab world in North Korea was 0.0% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from economies in the arab world recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 28.1% in 2006.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from economies in the arab world recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2023.
- How does North Korea rank for merchandise imports from economies in the arab world?
- North Korea ranks 204th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from economies in the arab world rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 99.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise imports from economies in the Arab World (% of total merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 42 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Merchandise imports from economies in the Arab World are the sum of merchandise imports by the reporting economy from economies in the Arab World. Data are expressed as a percentage of total merchandise imports by the economy. Data are computed only if at least half of the economies in the partner country group had non-missing data.