Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South was 21.0% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South in Afghanistan, 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 south in Afghanistan stood at 21.0%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 55.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south in Afghanistan peaked at 47.1% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 6.6%, in 1996.
That places Afghanistan 5th out of 205 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 58 years of available data.
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 21.4% | — |
| 1965 | 15.3% | -28.8% |
| 1967 | 14.1% | -7.8% |
| 1968 | 28.1% | +100.1% |
| 1969 | 21.2% | -24.8% |
| 1970 | 25.2% | +19.1% |
| 1971 | 14.4% | -43.0% |
| 1973 | 24.6% | +71.0% |
| 1974 | 21.9% | -11.0% |
| 1975 | 19.6% | -10.5% |
| 1976 | 15.8% | -19.5% |
| 1977 | 12.7% | -19.7% |
| 1978 | 25.8% | +103.4% |
| 1979 | 21.0% | -18.5% |
| 1980 | 17.4% | -16.9% |
| 1981 | 16.5% | -5.3% |
| 1982 | 11.9% | -28.2% |
| 1983 | 10.2% | -14.4% |
| 1984 | 11.8% | +16.3% |
| 1985 | 9.3% | -20.9% |
| 1986 | 9.1% | -3.0% |
| 1987 | 8.6% | -4.6% |
| 1988 | 13.8% | +60.1% |
| 1989 | 12.4% | -10.6% |
| 1990 | 14.8% | +19.8% |
| 1991 | 7.1% | -52.2% |
| 1992 | 14.4% | +103.4% |
| 1993 | 10.8% | -25.1% |
| 1994 | 12.9% | +19.7% |
| 1995 | 10.4% | -19.7% |
| 1996 | 6.6% | -36.2% |
| 1997 | 9.7% | +46.5% |
| 1998 | 15.0% | +54.7% |
| 1999 | 24.8% | +65.6% |
| 2000 | 34.3% | +38.2% |
| 2001 | 33.9% | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 35.6% | +5.1% |
| 2003 | 35.7% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 36.2% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 35.8% | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 34.4% | -3.7% |
| 2007 | 30.8% | -10.6% |
| 2008 | 19.7% | -35.9% |
| 2009 | 12.4% | -37.0% |
| 2010 | 13.8% | +11.3% |
| 2011 | 15.4% | +11.4% |
| 2012 | 32.3% | +109.7% |
| 2013 | 47.1% | +45.9% |
| 2014 | 33.5% | -28.9% |
| 2015 | 19.2% | -42.7% |
| 2016 | 20.8% | +8.2% |
| 2017 | 20.2% | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 19.8% | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 21.9% | +10.5% |
| 2020 | 18.9% | -13.8% |
| 2021 | 21.1% | +12.0% |
| 2022 | 21.0% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 21.0% | +0.0% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 21.0% is above the median for low income countries, which is 7.4%, 2.8× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 21.0% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 4.2%, 5.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 20.0% | 14.1% | 28.1% | 5 |
| 1970s | 20.1% | 12.7% | 25.8% | 9 |
| 1980s | 12.1% | 8.6% | 17.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.7% | 6.6% | 24.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 30.9% | 12.4% | 36.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.4% | 13.8% | 47.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.5% | 18.9% | 21.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More private sector data for Afghanistan
- Merchandise trade 22.2% (2025)
- Food imports 26.9% (2019)
- Manufactures imports 41.1% (2019)
- Merchandise imports 3.61 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 63.9% (2019)
- Manufactures exports 4.8% (2019)
- Merchandise exports 926.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 21.12 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0517 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 0.7617 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south in Afghanistan?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south in Afghanistan was 21.0% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 47.1% in 2013.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.6% in 1996.
- How does Afghanistan rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south?
- Afghanistan ranks 5th out of 205 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 55.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan 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 South 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 South Asia are the sum of merchandise imports by the reporting economy from low- and middle-income economies in the South 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.