Merchandise imports from economies in the Arab World in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD): Merchandise imports from economies in the Arab World was 16.8% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Merchandise imports from economies in the Arab World in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD), 1960–2023
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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) is 16.8%, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 14.2% on the previous year and down 7.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from economies in the arab world in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) peaked at 21.1% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 4.2%, in 1977.
That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 4th out of 47 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Merchandise imports from economies in the Arab World in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD), year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 5.8% | — |
| 1961 | 6.0% | +3.4% |
| 1962 | 4.4% | -26.0% |
| 1963 | 7.1% | +61.2% |
| 1964 | 6.7% | -6.3% |
| 1965 | 7.0% | +4.4% |
| 1966 | 6.1% | -12.9% |
| 1967 | 5.5% | -10.2% |
| 1968 | 5.5% | +0.9% |
| 1969 | 5.5% | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 6.8% | +23.0% |
| 1971 | 7.3% | +7.8% |
| 1972 | 7.8% | +5.8% |
| 1973 | 5.8% | -25.7% |
| 1974 | 6.0% | +3.9% |
| 1975 | 5.0% | -15.7% |
| 1976 | 4.7% | -6.1% |
| 1977 | 4.2% | -10.4% |
| 1978 | 5.1% | +20.2% |
| 1979 | 8.0% | +56.0% |
| 1980 | 10.8% | +36.2% |
| 1981 | 10.5% | -3.5% |
| 1982 | 8.2% | -21.2% |
| 1983 | 7.0% | -15.3% |
| 1984 | 8.3% | +19.3% |
| 1985 | 8.8% | +5.2% |
| 1986 | 7.6% | -13.8% |
| 1987 | 8.7% | +14.8% |
| 1988 | 7.8% | -10.5% |
| 1989 | 10.1% | +29.6% |
| 1990 | 9.9% | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 8.8% | -11.9% |
| 1992 | 9.2% | +4.9% |
| 1993 | 9.5% | +3.3% |
| 1994 | 10.5% | +10.7% |
| 1995 | 9.6% | -8.4% |
| 1996 | 10.1% | +4.5% |
| 1997 | 10.6% | +5.7% |
| 1998 | 9.2% | -13.5% |
| 1999 | 10.5% | +13.6% |
| 2000 | 13.8% | +32.4% |
| 2001 | 13.7% | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 13.9% | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 15.1% | +8.1% |
| 2004 | 17.6% | +16.8% |
| 2005 | 18.2% | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 20.0% | +9.9% |
| 2007 | 19.9% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 21.1% | +5.8% |
| 2009 | 19.4% | -7.9% |
| 2010 | 20.9% | +7.7% |
| 2011 | 17.9% | -14.3% |
| 2012 | 20.0% | +11.7% |
| 2013 | 18.2% | -9.0% |
| 2014 | 16.9% | -7.2% |
| 2015 | 14.4% | -15.0% |
| 2016 | 14.2% | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 15.2% | +7.0% |
| 2018 | 16.3% | +6.7% |
| 2019 | 15.5% | -4.5% |
| 2020 | 15.2% | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 17.8% | +16.6% |
| 2022 | 19.6% | +10.3% |
| 2023 | 16.8% | -14.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.0% | 4.4% | 7.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.1% | 4.2% | 8.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.8% | 7.0% | 10.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.8% | 8.8% | 10.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.3% | 13.7% | 21.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.0% | 14.2% | 20.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.3% | 15.2% | 19.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
More private sector data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
- Merchandise trade 49.0% (2025)
- Food imports 18.5% (2019)
- Manufactures imports 57.9% (2019)
- Merchandise imports 572.64 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 10.2% (2017)
- Manufactures exports 36.9% (2017)
- Merchandise exports 464.75 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 620.91 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2197 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 1.11 % change on previous year (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from economies in the arab world in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- Merchandise imports from economies in the arab world in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) was 16.8% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from economies in the arab world recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- The highest recorded value was 21.1% in 2008.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from economies in the arab world recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.2% in 1977.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) rank for merchandise imports from economies in the arab world?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) ranks 4th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from economies in the arab world rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 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
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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.