Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East in Benin
Benin: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East was 18.2% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East in Benin, 1961–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east in Benin is 18.2%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.2% on the previous year and down 6.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east in Benin peaked at 27.4% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 0.9%, in 1961.
That places Benin 103rd out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East in Benin, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.9% | — |
| 1963 | 1.6% | +90.1% |
| 1964 | 2.3% | +44.2% |
| 1965 | 2.8% | +19.0% |
| 1966 | 2.2% | -21.5% |
| 1967 | 2.5% | +15.0% |
| 1968 | 2.9% | +14.0% |
| 1969 | 3.5% | +21.6% |
| 1970 | 1.2% | -65.0% |
| 1971 | 1.7% | +39.1% |
| 1972 | 3.3% | +92.9% |
| 1973 | 8.2% | +151.3% |
| 1974 | 4.1% | -50.2% |
| 1975 | 4.9% | +20.5% |
| 1976 | 3.5% | -29.9% |
| 1977 | 2.2% | -36.3% |
| 1978 | 6.4% | +191.3% |
| 1979 | 5.9% | -7.4% |
| 1980 | 8.5% | +43.7% |
| 1981 | 6.5% | -24.4% |
| 1982 | 8.4% | +30.6% |
| 1983 | 7.4% | -12.6% |
| 1984 | 9.2% | +24.6% |
| 1985 | 6.9% | -24.6% |
| 1986 | 9.0% | +30.7% |
| 1987 | 22.9% | +153.8% |
| 1988 | 17.8% | -22.6% |
| 1989 | 11.3% | -36.4% |
| 1990 | 14.3% | +26.8% |
| 1991 | 20.5% | +43.1% |
| 1992 | 20.9% | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 21.1% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 18.5% | -12.0% |
| 1995 | 12.3% | -33.7% |
| 1996 | 15.1% | +22.6% |
| 1997 | 9.9% | -34.6% |
| 1998 | 8.9% | -9.7% |
| 1999 | 9.5% | +6.5% |
| 2000 | 9.4% | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 11.9% | +26.1% |
| 2002 | 10.6% | -11.3% |
| 2003 | 12.7% | +20.1% |
| 2004 | 17.5% | +37.9% |
| 2005 | 13.0% | -25.7% |
| 2006 | 15.5% | +19.2% |
| 2007 | 21.4% | +38.3% |
| 2008 | 22.5% | +4.8% |
| 2009 | 20.6% | -8.2% |
| 2010 | 25.2% | +22.3% |
| 2011 | 18.5% | -26.5% |
| 2012 | 15.8% | -14.5% |
| 2013 | 19.5% | +23.1% |
| 2014 | 22.3% | +14.1% |
| 2015 | 21.8% | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 25.1% | +15.3% |
| 2017 | 27.4% | +9.3% |
| 2018 | 23.5% | -14.4% |
| 2019 | 19.2% | -18.3% |
| 2020 | 16.6% | -13.5% |
| 2021 | 18.5% | +11.4% |
| 2022 | 19.0% | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 18.2% | -4.2% |
Benin compared with similar countries
- Benin's 18.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 22.4%, 81% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Benin's 18.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 19.6%, 93% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East in Benin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | +191.3% | 2.2% | 6.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.3% | 0.9% | 3.5% | 8 |
| 1970s | 4.1% | 1.2% | 8.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.8% | 6.5% | 22.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.1% | 8.9% | 21.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.5% | 9.4% | 22.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.8% | 15.8% | 27.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.1% | 16.6% | 19.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Benin
- 100 Syrian Arab Republic 18.8% compare
- 101 Ukraine 18.5% compare
- 102 Belize 18.4% compare
- 104 El Salvador 18.1% compare
- 105 Zambia 18.1% compare
- 106 Costa Rica 18.0% compare
More private sector data for Benin
- Merchandise trade 36.4% (2025)
- Food imports 33.3% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 50.1% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 4.95 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 39.7% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 7.4% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 3.99 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 269.2 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1623 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate -0.8946 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east in Benin?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east in Benin was 18.2% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 27.4% in 2017.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.9% in 1961.
- How does Benin rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east?
- Benin ranks 103rd out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Benin data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East Asia & Pacific (% of total merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East Asia and Pacific are the sum of merchandise imports by the reporting economy from low- and middle-income economies in the East Asia and Pacific region 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.