Merchandise imports from high-income economies in Zambia
Zambia: Merchandise imports from high-income economies was 37.6% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Merchandise imports from high-income economies in Zambia, 1964–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 37.6% for merchandise imports from high-income economies in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 31.4% on the previous year and up 43.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from high-income economies in Zambia peaked at 86.0% in 1978 and was at its lowest, 22.7%, in 2014.
That places Zambia 172nd out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 60 years of available data.
Merchandise imports from high-income economies in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 35.3% | — |
| 1965 | 42.6% | +20.5% |
| 1966 | 50.9% | +19.6% |
| 1967 | 60.2% | +18.2% |
| 1968 | 59.3% | -1.5% |
| 1969 | 58.9% | -0.7% |
| 1970 | 64.8% | +10.1% |
| 1971 | 66.6% | +2.7% |
| 1972 | 69.4% | +4.3% |
| 1973 | 69.0% | -0.6% |
| 1974 | 77.8% | +12.8% |
| 1975 | 84.8% | +9.0% |
| 1976 | 83.8% | -1.1% |
| 1977 | 85.4% | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 86.0% | +0.6% |
| 1979 | 81.7% | -5.0% |
| 1980 | 77.7% | -4.9% |
| 1981 | 74.7% | -3.9% |
| 1982 | 73.8% | -1.1% |
| 1983 | 73.8% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 67.4% | -8.7% |
| 1985 | 72.0% | +6.8% |
| 1986 | 74.4% | +3.4% |
| 1987 | 69.1% | -7.2% |
| 1988 | 68.4% | -1.0% |
| 1989 | 65.8% | -3.7% |
| 1990 | 61.4% | -6.8% |
| 1991 | 60.0% | -2.2% |
| 1992 | 50.4% | -16.0% |
| 1993 | 44.9% | -10.8% |
| 1994 | 43.8% | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 51.3% | +17.1% |
| 1996 | 43.4% | -15.5% |
| 1997 | 38.6% | -11.0% |
| 1998 | 43.4% | +12.5% |
| 1999 | 37.0% | -14.8% |
| 2000 | 26.6% | -28.1% |
| 2001 | 24.0% | -10.0% |
| 2002 | 24.5% | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 26.2% | +6.8% |
| 2004 | 37.2% | +42.0% |
| 2005 | 33.3% | -10.4% |
| 2006 | 33.5% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 29.3% | -12.6% |
| 2008 | 29.6% | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 29.8% | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 27.2% | -8.6% |
| 2011 | 25.5% | -6.4% |
| 2012 | 28.3% | +10.9% |
| 2013 | 26.2% | -7.4% |
| 2014 | 22.7% | -13.1% |
| 2015 | 24.0% | +5.4% |
| 2016 | 27.1% | +13.0% |
| 2017 | 24.4% | -9.8% |
| 2018 | 27.7% | +13.6% |
| 2019 | 33.7% | +21.5% |
| 2020 | 30.4% | -9.8% |
| 2021 | 32.7% | +7.8% |
| 2022 | 28.6% | -12.7% |
| 2023 | 37.6% | +31.4% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 37.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 43.4%, 86% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 37.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 42.2%, 89% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 51.2% | 35.3% | 60.2% | 6 |
| 1970s | 76.9% | 64.8% | 86.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 71.7% | 65.8% | 77.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 47.4% | 37.0% | 61.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.4% | 24.0% | 37.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.7% | 22.7% | 33.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 32.3% | 28.6% | 37.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 169 Central African Republic 38.4% compare
- 170 Kyrgyzstan 38.3% compare
- 171 Syria 37.8% compare
- 173 Djibouti 37.5% compare
- 174 Guinea-Bissau 37.3% compare
- 175 Nicaragua 37.3% compare
More private sector data for Zambia
- Merchandise trade 91.7% (2025)
- Food imports 7.8% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 64.4% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 13.17 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 8.7% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 14.1% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 13.31 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 607.56 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.461 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 18.07 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from high-income economies in Zambia?
- Merchandise imports from high-income economies in Zambia was 37.6% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from high-income economies recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 86.0% in 1978.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from high-income economies recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.7% in 2014.
- How does Zambia rank for merchandise imports from high-income economies?
- Zambia ranks 172nd out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from high-income economies rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 43.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia 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.