Merchandise imports from high-income economies in Iraq
Iraq: Merchandise imports from high-income economies was 26.9% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Merchandise imports from high-income economies in Iraq, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise imports from high-income economies in Iraq is 26.9%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 12.4% on the previous year and down 28.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from high-income economies in Iraq peaked at 91.1% in 1981 and was at its lowest, 15.0%, in 1996.
That places Iraq 191st out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 62 years of available data.
Merchandise imports from high-income economies in Iraq, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 80.3% | — |
| 1961 | 80.5% | +0.2% |
| 1962 | 77.6% | -3.5% |
| 1963 | 72.4% | -6.7% |
| 1964 | 72.4% | -0.0% |
| 1965 | 76.2% | +5.3% |
| 1966 | 75.4% | -1.1% |
| 1967 | 77.6% | +2.9% |
| 1968 | 68.3% | -11.9% |
| 1969 | 70.1% | +2.5% |
| 1970 | 69.8% | -0.4% |
| 1971 | 73.2% | +4.9% |
| 1972 | 69.2% | -5.5% |
| 1973 | 67.3% | -2.8% |
| 1974 | 70.6% | +5.0% |
| 1975 | 83.2% | +17.7% |
| 1976 | 87.7% | +5.4% |
| 1977 | 86.0% | -1.9% |
| 1978 | 88.0% | +2.3% |
| 1981 | 91.1% | +3.5% |
| 1982 | 90.8% | -0.3% |
| 1983 | 87.5% | -3.7% |
| 1984 | 78.2% | -10.7% |
| 1985 | 75.9% | -3.0% |
| 1986 | 81.2% | +7.0% |
| 1987 | 71.9% | -11.5% |
| 1988 | 77.1% | +7.3% |
| 1989 | 81.9% | +6.2% |
| 1990 | 82.8% | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 27.2% | -67.2% |
| 1992 | 36.9% | +35.9% |
| 1993 | 31.0% | -16.0% |
| 1994 | 23.0% | -26.0% |
| 1995 | 27.1% | +18.2% |
| 1996 | 15.0% | -44.6% |
| 1997 | 46.1% | +207.2% |
| 1998 | 57.4% | +24.3% |
| 1999 | 54.2% | -5.6% |
| 2000 | 57.3% | +5.9% |
| 2001 | 55.8% | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 56.4% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 47.0% | -16.7% |
| 2004 | 40.0% | -14.9% |
| 2005 | 47.3% | +18.3% |
| 2006 | 44.7% | -5.6% |
| 2007 | 38.6% | -13.7% |
| 2008 | 26.5% | -31.3% |
| 2009 | 27.5% | +3.8% |
| 2010 | 27.8% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 39.3% | +41.4% |
| 2012 | 38.1% | -3.0% |
| 2013 | 37.5% | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 38.6% | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 36.7% | -4.8% |
| 2016 | 33.7% | -8.3% |
| 2017 | 31.9% | -5.3% |
| 2018 | 33.1% | +3.8% |
| 2019 | 30.1% | -9.0% |
| 2020 | 24.8% | -17.6% |
| 2021 | 26.0% | +4.9% |
| 2022 | 23.9% | -8.1% |
| 2023 | 26.9% | +12.4% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 26.9% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 56.4%, 48% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 26.9% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 57.0%, 47% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from high-income economies in Iraq 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | +207.2% | 15.0% | 46.1% |
| 1991 | -67.2% | 82.8% | 27.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 75.1% | 68.3% | 80.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 77.2% | 67.3% | 88.0% | 9 |
| 1980s | 81.7% | 71.9% | 91.1% | 9 |
| 1990s | 40.1% | 15.0% | 82.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 44.1% | 26.5% | 57.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.7% | 27.8% | 39.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.4% | 23.9% | 26.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More private sector data for Iraq
- Merchandise trade 70.0% (2025)
- Food imports 7.2% (2014)
- Manufactures imports 66.3% (2014)
- Merchandise imports 85.19 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 0.0% (2016)
- Manufactures exports 0.0% (2016)
- Merchandise exports 92.91 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 1,976 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.3653 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate -8 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from high-income economies in Iraq?
- Merchandise imports from high-income economies in Iraq was 26.9% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from high-income economies recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 91.1% in 1981.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from high-income economies recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.0% in 1996.
- How does Iraq rank for merchandise imports from high-income economies?
- Iraq ranks 191st out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from high-income economies rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise imports from high-income economies (% of total merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Merchandise imports from high-income economies are the sum of merchandise imports by the reporting economy from high-income economies according to the World Bank classification of economies. 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.