Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East was 26.6% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East in Saudi Arabia, 1964–2023
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 Saudi Arabia stood at 26.6%.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and up 43.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east in Saudi Arabia peaked at 26.6% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.5%, in 1972.
Saudi Arabia ranks 48th of 206 countries 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 low- and middle-income economies in East in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 2.7% | — |
| 1965 | 1.6% | -40.3% |
| 1966 | 2.5% | +54.2% |
| 1967 | 2.1% | -15.0% |
| 1968 | 2.3% | +9.3% |
| 1969 | 1.9% | -21.2% |
| 1970 | 2.9% | +54.5% |
| 1971 | 2.5% | -11.8% |
| 1972 | 0.5% | -79.0% |
| 1973 | 0.9% | +62.6% |
| 1974 | 1.7% | +96.8% |
| 1975 | 0.9% | -46.5% |
| 1976 | 1.2% | +31.3% |
| 1977 | 2.2% | +86.5% |
| 1978 | 2.7% | +19.2% |
| 1979 | 2.5% | -7.2% |
| 1980 | 2.4% | -4.1% |
| 1981 | 1.9% | -19.6% |
| 1982 | 1.5% | -19.8% |
| 1983 | 1.7% | +10.0% |
| 1984 | 2.0% | +20.4% |
| 1985 | 2.4% | +20.6% |
| 1986 | 3.0% | +23.6% |
| 1987 | 3.9% | +30.0% |
| 1988 | 4.8% | +22.6% |
| 1989 | 4.8% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 4.7% | -1.7% |
| 1991 | 5.2% | +11.4% |
| 1992 | 5.2% | -1.8% |
| 1993 | 5.6% | +9.3% |
| 1994 | 5.6% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 7.0% | +25.8% |
| 1996 | 7.2% | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 6.7% | -7.0% |
| 1998 | 6.7% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 7.1% | +6.6% |
| 2000 | 7.8% | +9.3% |
| 2001 | 8.0% | +3.4% |
| 2002 | 8.9% | +10.5% |
| 2003 | 9.3% | +5.3% |
| 2004 | 10.1% | +8.8% |
| 2005 | 11.4% | +11.8% |
| 2006 | 12.6% | +11.4% |
| 2007 | 13.8% | +8.8% |
| 2008 | 15.3% | +11.4% |
| 2009 | 16.1% | +5.2% |
| 2010 | 16.7% | +3.9% |
| 2011 | 18.4% | +9.9% |
| 2012 | 18.6% | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 18.5% | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 19.9% | +7.8% |
| 2015 | 20.4% | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 20.1% | -1.7% |
| 2017 | 21.2% | +5.3% |
| 2018 | 21.8% | +3.1% |
| 2019 | 24.6% | +12.6% |
| 2020 | 25.3% | +3.1% |
| 2021 | 25.4% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 26.6% | +4.7% |
| 2023 | 26.6% | -0.2% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 26.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 10.5%, 2.5× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 26.6% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 19.6%, 1.4× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East in Saudi Arabia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | +96.8% | 0.9% | 1.7% |
| 1972 | -79.0% | 2.5% | 0.5% |
| 1977 | +86.5% | 1.2% | 2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.2% | 1.6% | 2.7% | 6 |
| 1970s | 1.8% | 0.5% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.8% | 1.5% | 4.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.1% | 4.7% | 7.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.3% | 7.8% | 16.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.0% | 16.7% | 24.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.0% | 25.3% | 26.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 45 Djibouti 27.7% compare
- 46 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 27.4% compare
- 47 South Africa 27.2% compare
- 49 Madagascar 26.5% compare
- 50 Peru 26.4% compare
- 51 United Arab Emirates 26.1% compare
More private sector data for Saudi Arabia
- Merchandise trade 44.2% (2025)
- Food imports 13.0% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 70.5% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 254.06 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 1.9% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 15.9% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 310.67 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 8,403 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2433 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 1.69 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east in Saudi Arabia?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east in Saudi Arabia was 26.6% 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 26.6% in 2022.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5% in 1972.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 48th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 43.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.