Merchandise imports from economies in the Arab World in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Merchandise imports from economies in the Arab World was 12.4% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from economies in the Arab World in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 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 Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) is 12.4%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.2% on the previous year and up 39.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from economies in the arab world in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 12.4% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.8%, in 1966.
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 12th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top 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 Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2.2% | — |
| 1961 | 2.3% | +3.7% |
| 1962 | 2.4% | +3.8% |
| 1963 | 2.1% | -11.1% |
| 1964 | 2.5% | +16.8% |
| 1965 | 2.1% | -18.1% |
| 1966 | 1.8% | -11.8% |
| 1967 | 1.8% | +1.6% |
| 1968 | 2.3% | +23.4% |
| 1969 | 2.5% | +9.4% |
| 1970 | 2.3% | -9.0% |
| 1971 | 2.1% | -6.1% |
| 1972 | 1.9% | -8.1% |
| 1973 | 2.0% | +2.3% |
| 1974 | 4.6% | +133.1% |
| 1975 | 4.4% | -5.5% |
| 1976 | 3.7% | -16.9% |
| 1977 | 2.9% | -20.2% |
| 1978 | 2.2% | -24.4% |
| 1979 | 4.1% | +88.2% |
| 1980 | 10.5% | +152.7% |
| 1981 | 5.3% | -49.6% |
| 1982 | 6.8% | +29.6% |
| 1983 | 5.3% | -22.4% |
| 1984 | 5.4% | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 4.9% | -9.6% |
| 1986 | 4.7% | -3.0% |
| 1987 | 4.2% | -11.5% |
| 1988 | 3.7% | -10.7% |
| 1989 | 3.8% | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 4.0% | +5.7% |
| 1991 | 4.5% | +12.5% |
| 1992 | 4.5% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 4.7% | +5.2% |
| 1994 | 4.2% | -11.2% |
| 1995 | 4.4% | +4.8% |
| 1996 | 4.9% | +10.6% |
| 1997 | 4.4% | -8.7% |
| 1998 | 4.9% | +9.6% |
| 1999 | 4.9% | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 8.0% | +63.2% |
| 2001 | 7.4% | -8.5% |
| 2002 | 6.3% | -14.2% |
| 2003 | 7.4% | +16.9% |
| 2004 | 7.2% | -2.7% |
| 2005 | 6.7% | -7.2% |
| 2006 | 9.3% | +40.0% |
| 2007 | 7.7% | -17.4% |
| 2008 | 8.9% | +15.9% |
| 2009 | 7.9% | -11.3% |
| 2010 | 8.1% | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 8.8% | +9.4% |
| 2012 | 9.4% | +6.3% |
| 2013 | 8.9% | -5.1% |
| 2014 | 9.3% | +3.9% |
| 2015 | 9.1% | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 8.3% | -8.9% |
| 2017 | 9.7% | +17.2% |
| 2018 | 10.0% | +3.3% |
| 2019 | 10.0% | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 8.5% | -15.0% |
| 2021 | 9.8% | +15.4% |
| 2022 | 12.2% | +24.1% |
| 2023 | 12.4% | +2.2% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from economies in the Arab World in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | +152.7% | 4.1% | 10.5% |
| 1974 | +133.1% | 2.0% | 4.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.2% | 1.8% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.0% | 1.9% | 4.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.5% | 3.7% | 10.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.5% | 4.0% | 4.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.7% | 6.3% | 9.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.2% | 8.1% | 10.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.7% | 8.5% | 12.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
More private sector data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Merchandise trade 44.5% (2025)
- Food imports 12.1% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 56.8% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 501.15 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 14.7% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 19.4% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 486.80 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 368.33 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2201 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 11.24 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from economies in the arab world in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Merchandise imports from economies in the arab world in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) was 12.4% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from economies in the arab world recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 12.4% in 2023.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from economies in the arab world recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.8% in 1966.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for merchandise imports from economies in the arab world?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 12th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from economies in the arab world rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 39.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 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.