Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Europe & in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Europe & was 2.3% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Europe & in Least developed countries, 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 europe & in Least developed countries stood at 2.3%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.6% on the previous year and up 3.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in europe & in Least developed countries peaked at 3.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1969.
That places Least developed countries 28th out of 47 groups 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 Europe & in Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.0% | — |
| 1961 | 0.1% | +862.2% |
| 1962 | 0.0% | -95.5% |
| 1963 | 0.2% | +2282.6% |
| 1964 | 0.0% | -83.3% |
| 1966 | 0.0% | -85.4% |
| 1967 | 0.0% | -5.8% |
| 1968 | 0.0% | +513.5% |
| 1969 | 0.0% | -96.3% |
| 1970 | 0.0% | +740.2% |
| 1971 | 0.0% | +207.2% |
| 1972 | 0.0% | -76.1% |
| 1973 | 0.0% | -28.1% |
| 1974 | 0.0% | +159.3% |
| 1975 | 0.0% | +69.7% |
| 1976 | 0.0% | +43.2% |
| 1977 | 0.2% | +843.6% |
| 1978 | 0.0% | -85.9% |
| 1979 | 0.0% | +30.7% |
| 1980 | 0.1% | +95.3% |
| 1981 | 0.0% | -46.6% |
| 1982 | 0.0% | -0.3% |
| 1983 | 0.1% | +43.9% |
| 1984 | 0.0% | -38.4% |
| 1985 | 0.1% | +123.5% |
| 1986 | 0.1% | +66.3% |
| 1987 | 0.3% | +111.8% |
| 1988 | 0.3% | -7.4% |
| 1989 | 0.3% | +30.8% |
| 1990 | 0.2% | -55.4% |
| 1991 | 0.3% | +66.8% |
| 1992 | 0.4% | +38.9% |
| 1993 | 0.5% | +52.4% |
| 1994 | 0.6% | +16.0% |
| 1995 | 0.5% | -14.3% |
| 1996 | 0.8% | +49.0% |
| 1997 | 0.8% | -2.8% |
| 1998 | 0.9% | +12.1% |
| 1999 | 1.2% | +35.5% |
| 2000 | 1.1% | -2.3% |
| 2001 | 1.1% | -2.5% |
| 2002 | 1.7% | +55.6% |
| 2003 | 1.9% | +6.7% |
| 2004 | 1.8% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 2.2% | +20.2% |
| 2006 | 2.4% | +10.3% |
| 2007 | 2.5% | +2.9% |
| 2008 | 2.4% | -2.7% |
| 2009 | 3.2% | +31.3% |
| 2010 | 3.1% | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 2.9% | -5.6% |
| 2012 | 2.2% | -26.1% |
| 2013 | 2.2% | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 2.2% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 2.8% | +22.9% |
| 2016 | 3.0% | +8.2% |
| 2017 | 3.0% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 3.0% | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 3.2% | +3.9% |
| 2020 | 3.6% | +12.5% |
| 2021 | 3.2% | -9.1% |
| 2022 | 2.3% | -27.4% |
| 2023 | 2.3% | -1.6% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Europe & in Least developed countries 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | +2282.6% | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| 1961 | +862.2% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1977 | +843.6% | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| 1970 | +740.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1968 | +513.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 9 |
| 1970s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6% | 0.2% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.0% | 1.1% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.8% | 2.2% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.9% | 2.3% | 3.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
More private sector data for Least developed countries
- Merchandise trade 41.4% (2025)
- Food imports 15.6% (2019)
- Manufactures imports 62.6% (2019)
- Merchandise imports 376.94 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 15.1% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 20.1% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 311.48 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 256.54 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1884 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 10.88 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in europe & in Least developed countries?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in europe & in Least developed countries was 2.3% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in europe & recorded in Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 3.6% in 2020.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in europe & recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1969.
- How does Least developed countries rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in europe &?
- Least developed countries ranks 28th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in europe & rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Least developed countries 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 Europe & Central Asia (% of total merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Europe and Central Asia are the sum of merchandise imports by the reporting economy from low- and middle-income economies in the Europe and Central Asia 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.