Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Middle in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Middle was 2.2% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Middle in Least developed countries, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
Least developed countries recorded 2.2% for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in middle in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 15.8% on the previous year and up 11.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in middle in Least developed countries peaked at 5.3% in 1977 and was at its lowest, 1.1%, in 1988.
That places Least developed countries 15th out of 47 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
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 Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3.9% | — |
| 1961 | 3.6% | -7.5% |
| 1962 | 4.2% | +17.2% |
| 1963 | 2.7% | -35.2% |
| 1964 | 2.9% | +7.0% |
| 1965 | 2.3% | -21.5% |
| 1966 | 2.5% | +10.7% |
| 1967 | 2.6% | +1.9% |
| 1968 | 3.0% | +14.4% |
| 1969 | 4.4% | +48.6% |
| 1970 | 3.2% | -27.2% |
| 1971 | 3.6% | +11.1% |
| 1972 | 3.6% | +2.1% |
| 1973 | 3.6% | -0.7% |
| 1974 | 4.9% | +34.5% |
| 1975 | 4.2% | -12.7% |
| 1976 | 4.8% | +14.2% |
| 1977 | 5.3% | +8.5% |
| 1978 | 2.8% | -46.6% |
| 1979 | 2.9% | +4.6% |
| 1980 | 3.0% | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 1.7% | -43.6% |
| 1982 | 2.0% | +16.5% |
| 1983 | 1.6% | -17.6% |
| 1984 | 2.4% | +47.2% |
| 1985 | 1.5% | -35.6% |
| 1986 | 1.3% | -14.0% |
| 1987 | 1.1% | -15.6% |
| 1988 | 1.1% | -1.3% |
| 1989 | 1.3% | +21.0% |
| 1990 | 2.2% | +69.1% |
| 1991 | 2.5% | +12.3% |
| 1992 | 2.3% | -8.2% |
| 1993 | 2.3% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 2.1% | -10.5% |
| 1995 | 2.0% | -4.1% |
| 1996 | 2.0% | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 2.0% | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 1.2% | -39.2% |
| 1999 | 1.4% | +14.0% |
| 2000 | 2.4% | +72.8% |
| 2001 | 2.0% | -17.5% |
| 2002 | 2.3% | +17.4% |
| 2003 | 2.3% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 2.4% | +4.2% |
| 2005 | 2.7% | +9.2% |
| 2006 | 2.6% | -3.3% |
| 2007 | 2.3% | -12.3% |
| 2008 | 1.8% | -20.2% |
| 2009 | 2.0% | +13.4% |
| 2010 | 2.3% | +12.7% |
| 2011 | 2.2% | -5.7% |
| 2012 | 1.9% | -10.7% |
| 2013 | 2.0% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 2.1% | +4.7% |
| 2015 | 2.5% | +22.6% |
| 2016 | 2.3% | -9.5% |
| 2017 | 2.1% | -7.4% |
| 2018 | 2.0% | -5.2% |
| 2019 | 2.1% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 2.2% | +7.8% |
| 2021 | 2.1% | -2.7% |
| 2022 | 2.6% | +21.1% |
| 2023 | 2.2% | -15.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.2% | 2.3% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.9% | 2.8% | 5.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.7% | 1.1% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.0% | 1.2% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.3% | 1.8% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.1% | 1.9% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.3% | 2.1% | 2.6% | 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 middle in Least developed countries?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in middle in Least developed countries was 2.2% 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 Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 5.3% in 1977.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in middle recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.1% in 1988.
- How does Least developed countries rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in middle?
- Least developed countries ranks 15th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in middle rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 Middle East & North Africa (% 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 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.