Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Middle in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Middle was 1.8% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Middle in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 1.8% for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in middle in 2023.
The figure is down 7.7% on the previous year and up 57.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in middle in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 5.0% in 1974 and was at its lowest, 0.9%, in 1987.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 22nd of 47 groups on this measure, 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 Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3.5% | — |
| 1961 | 3.2% | -10.2% |
| 1962 | 3.9% | +24.9% |
| 1963 | 3.0% | -23.4% |
| 1964 | 2.7% | -10.8% |
| 1965 | 2.7% | -1.4% |
| 1966 | 2.8% | +4.4% |
| 1967 | 2.9% | +3.9% |
| 1968 | 3.5% | +20.9% |
| 1969 | 4.1% | +18.8% |
| 1970 | 3.0% | -26.8% |
| 1971 | 2.9% | -3.4% |
| 1972 | 3.2% | +8.5% |
| 1973 | 3.2% | +1.5% |
| 1974 | 5.0% | +56.1% |
| 1975 | 3.8% | -24.1% |
| 1976 | 3.3% | -14.0% |
| 1977 | 2.6% | -20.7% |
| 1978 | 1.8% | -30.8% |
| 1979 | 2.1% | +15.2% |
| 1980 | 2.7% | +29.4% |
| 1981 | 1.1% | -60.0% |
| 1982 | 1.7% | +61.4% |
| 1983 | 1.8% | +2.7% |
| 1984 | 2.0% | +10.3% |
| 1985 | 1.5% | -23.5% |
| 1986 | 1.4% | -5.9% |
| 1987 | 0.9% | -38.8% |
| 1988 | 0.9% | +5.5% |
| 1989 | 1.1% | +20.7% |
| 1990 | 1.7% | +56.0% |
| 1991 | 1.9% | +11.5% |
| 1992 | 1.8% | -4.8% |
| 1993 | 1.8% | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 1.8% | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 1.8% | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 1.7% | -3.1% |
| 1997 | 1.7% | -5.0% |
| 1998 | 2.3% | +36.4% |
| 1999 | 1.8% | -21.5% |
| 2000 | 2.8% | +56.3% |
| 2001 | 2.5% | -9.5% |
| 2002 | 2.4% | -3.3% |
| 2003 | 2.2% | -9.9% |
| 2004 | 2.7% | +23.3% |
| 2005 | 2.4% | -10.4% |
| 2006 | 2.4% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 2.4% | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 2.7% | +11.1% |
| 2009 | 2.4% | -9.4% |
| 2010 | 2.4% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 2.1% | -11.5% |
| 2012 | 1.4% | -32.4% |
| 2013 | 1.2% | -19.1% |
| 2014 | 1.2% | +4.7% |
| 2015 | 1.5% | +19.7% |
| 2016 | 1.5% | +5.3% |
| 2017 | 1.5% | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 1.5% | -4.5% |
| 2019 | 1.5% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 1.7% | +18.3% |
| 2021 | 1.8% | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 2.0% | +11.0% |
| 2023 | 1.8% | -7.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.2% | 2.7% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.1% | 1.8% | 5.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.5% | 0.9% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.8% | 1.7% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.5% | 2.2% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.6% | 1.2% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.8% | 1.7% | 2.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More private sector data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Merchandise trade 44.5% (2025)
- Food imports 12.1% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 56.8% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 501.15 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 14.7% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 19.4% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 486.80 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 368.33 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2201 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 11.24 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in middle in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in middle in Sub-Saharan Africa was 1.8% 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 Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 5.0% in 1974.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in middle recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.9% in 1987.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in middle?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 22nd out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in middle rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 57.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa 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.