Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Middle in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Middle was 2.6% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Middle in Africa Western and Central, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
Africa Western and Central recorded 2.6% for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in middle in 2023.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 105.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in middle in Africa Western and Central peaked at 2.9% in 1974 and was at its lowest, 0.5%, in 1988.
That places Africa Western and Central 11th out of 47 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 64 years of available data.
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Middle in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.4% | — |
| 1961 | 1.5% | +4.2% |
| 1962 | 1.6% | +7.8% |
| 1963 | 1.9% | +22.0% |
| 1964 | 2.2% | +17.2% |
| 1965 | 2.1% | -8.8% |
| 1966 | 1.8% | -12.4% |
| 1967 | 1.8% | -1.8% |
| 1968 | 2.8% | +58.7% |
| 1969 | 2.4% | -12.7% |
| 1970 | 1.9% | -21.0% |
| 1971 | 1.4% | -25.2% |
| 1972 | 1.4% | -0.4% |
| 1973 | 1.6% | +8.3% |
| 1974 | 2.9% | +87.6% |
| 1975 | 1.7% | -40.2% |
| 1976 | 1.2% | -31.2% |
| 1977 | 1.2% | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 1.1% | -9.4% |
| 1979 | 1.6% | +47.1% |
| 1980 | 2.5% | +52.2% |
| 1981 | 0.9% | -64.4% |
| 1982 | 1.2% | +37.7% |
| 1983 | 1.3% | +11.1% |
| 1984 | 1.1% | -19.5% |
| 1985 | 0.9% | -17.6% |
| 1986 | 0.9% | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 1.0% | +17.2% |
| 1988 | 0.5% | -49.5% |
| 1989 | 0.8% | +53.7% |
| 1990 | 0.7% | -13.0% |
| 1991 | 0.8% | +18.4% |
| 1992 | 0.8% | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 0.9% | +6.6% |
| 1994 | 0.8% | -15.7% |
| 1995 | 1.0% | +33.3% |
| 1996 | 0.7% | -34.4% |
| 1997 | 1.0% | +47.4% |
| 1998 | 0.6% | -34.8% |
| 1999 | 0.8% | +21.4% |
| 2000 | 1.0% | +33.6% |
| 2001 | 1.0% | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 1.5% | +43.6% |
| 2003 | 1.0% | -36.5% |
| 2004 | 1.1% | +12.3% |
| 2005 | 1.0% | -2.8% |
| 2006 | 1.0% | -2.7% |
| 2007 | 1.2% | +13.3% |
| 2008 | 1.3% | +8.8% |
| 2009 | 1.2% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 1.2% | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 1.1% | -6.9% |
| 2012 | 1.2% | +8.9% |
| 2013 | 1.2% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 1.4% | +11.4% |
| 2015 | 1.9% | +40.0% |
| 2016 | 1.9% | -3.7% |
| 2017 | 1.7% | -10.3% |
| 2018 | 1.8% | +7.0% |
| 2019 | 1.7% | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 1.9% | +11.8% |
| 2021 | 2.5% | +27.5% |
| 2022 | 2.5% | +3.6% |
| 2023 | 2.6% | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.9% | 1.4% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.6% | 1.1% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.1% | 0.5% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.8% | 0.6% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.1% | 1.0% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.5% | 1.1% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.4% | 1.9% | 2.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
More private sector data for Africa Western and Central
- Merchandise trade 43.1% (2025)
- Food imports 15.3% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 54.3% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 163.34 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 12.1% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 7.0% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 204.10 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 383.07 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2394 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 20.81 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in middle in Africa Western and Central?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in middle in Africa Western and Central was 2.6% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in middle recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 2.9% in 1974.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in middle recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5% in 1988.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in middle?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 11th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in middle rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 105.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central 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 Middle East & North Africa (% 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 Middle East and North Africa are the sum of merchandise imports by the reporting economy from low- and middle-income economies in the Middle East and North Africa 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.