Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East was 23.3% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
In 2023, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan stood at 23.3%. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.2% on the previous year and up 52.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 23.3% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.3%, in 1960.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 21st of 47 groups on this measure, 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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.3% | — |
| 1961 | 1.5% | +12.3% |
| 1962 | 1.5% | +2.0% |
| 1963 | 1.7% | +12.8% |
| 1964 | 1.8% | +8.1% |
| 1965 | 2.0% | +10.1% |
| 1966 | 3.3% | +62.9% |
| 1967 | 2.9% | -11.4% |
| 1968 | 2.5% | -14.8% |
| 1969 | 2.4% | -2.7% |
| 1970 | 2.6% | +5.3% |
| 1971 | 2.8% | +11.3% |
| 1972 | 2.6% | -9.7% |
| 1973 | 2.3% | -8.6% |
| 1974 | 2.8% | +17.8% |
| 1975 | 2.1% | -24.0% |
| 1976 | 1.8% | -12.7% |
| 1977 | 2.0% | +11.2% |
| 1978 | 2.0% | -2.9% |
| 1979 | 2.1% | +3.8% |
| 1980 | 2.1% | +3.9% |
| 1981 | 2.1% | -3.3% |
| 1982 | 1.8% | -12.3% |
| 1983 | 1.9% | +3.1% |
| 1984 | 2.1% | +9.9% |
| 1985 | 2.3% | +10.1% |
| 1986 | 2.6% | +13.0% |
| 1987 | 3.2% | +24.9% |
| 1988 | 3.6% | +11.2% |
| 1989 | 4.0% | +12.0% |
| 1990 | 4.2% | +6.0% |
| 1991 | 4.5% | +7.0% |
| 1992 | 5.1% | +12.6% |
| 1993 | 5.6% | +10.8% |
| 1994 | 5.8% | +3.7% |
| 1995 | 6.7% | +14.4% |
| 1996 | 6.5% | -1.9% |
| 1997 | 6.5% | -1.2% |
| 1998 | 6.8% | +5.2% |
| 1999 | 6.8% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 7.7% | +11.9% |
| 2001 | 7.9% | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 8.6% | +8.8% |
| 2003 | 9.3% | +8.6% |
| 2004 | 9.8% | +5.4% |
| 2005 | 10.7% | +9.1% |
| 2006 | 11.5% | +7.6% |
| 2007 | 12.5% | +8.8% |
| 2008 | 13.4% | +7.2% |
| 2009 | 13.6% | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 14.2% | +4.5% |
| 2011 | 15.0% | +5.6% |
| 2012 | 16.0% | +6.7% |
| 2013 | 15.3% | -4.3% |
| 2014 | 17.1% | +11.5% |
| 2015 | 18.5% | +8.0% |
| 2016 | 18.2% | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 21.1% | +15.7% |
| 2018 | 19.7% | -6.6% |
| 2019 | 20.7% | +5.1% |
| 2020 | 22.3% | +7.7% |
| 2021 | 22.8% | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 23.1% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 23.3% | +1.2% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | +62.9% | 2.0% | 3.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.1% | 1.3% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.3% | 1.8% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.6% | 1.8% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.9% | 4.2% | 6.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.5% | 7.7% | 13.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.6% | 14.2% | 21.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.9% | 22.3% | 23.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
More private sector data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Merchandise trade 47.2% (2025)
- Food imports 11.7% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 60.4% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 1.70 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 4.1% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 23.8% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 1.79 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 2,163 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.3487 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 5.5 % change on previous year (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 23.3% 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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 23.3% in 2023.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.3% in 1960.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 21st out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 52.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 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.