Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South was 7.0% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South in Africa Western and Central, 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 south in Africa Western and Central stood at 7.0%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.2% on the previous year and up 23.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south in Africa Western and Central peaked at 7.7% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.7%, in 1972.
Africa Western and Central ranks 12th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
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 South in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.3% | — |
| 1961 | 1.9% | +42.0% |
| 1962 | 1.8% | -4.3% |
| 1963 | 1.3% | -27.1% |
| 1964 | 1.4% | +6.9% |
| 1965 | 1.6% | +18.5% |
| 1966 | 1.8% | +9.7% |
| 1967 | 1.5% | -19.4% |
| 1968 | 0.9% | -39.2% |
| 1969 | 1.0% | +14.0% |
| 1970 | 1.0% | -0.4% |
| 1971 | 1.0% | +4.5% |
| 1972 | 0.7% | -29.5% |
| 1973 | 1.5% | +101.6% |
| 1974 | 1.2% | -20.6% |
| 1975 | 0.8% | -33.5% |
| 1976 | 0.8% | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 0.9% | +13.5% |
| 1978 | 0.8% | -8.9% |
| 1979 | 0.9% | +15.4% |
| 1980 | 1.6% | +71.9% |
| 1981 | 1.2% | -25.6% |
| 1982 | 0.9% | -27.0% |
| 1983 | 1.1% | +23.6% |
| 1984 | 1.2% | +13.5% |
| 1985 | 0.9% | -27.5% |
| 1986 | 1.0% | +6.6% |
| 1987 | 1.2% | +28.9% |
| 1988 | 1.5% | +22.5% |
| 1989 | 1.3% | -16.0% |
| 1990 | 1.2% | -8.4% |
| 1991 | 1.2% | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 1.4% | +21.5% |
| 1993 | 1.2% | -18.4% |
| 1994 | 1.3% | +12.3% |
| 1995 | 2.2% | +67.7% |
| 1996 | 2.2% | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 2.1% | -5.1% |
| 1998 | 2.4% | +12.8% |
| 1999 | 2.7% | +13.7% |
| 2000 | 2.2% | -16.8% |
| 2001 | 2.6% | +17.4% |
| 2002 | 3.0% | +15.6% |
| 2003 | 4.9% | +61.2% |
| 2004 | 4.7% | -3.5% |
| 2005 | 5.1% | +8.0% |
| 2006 | 5.6% | +10.0% |
| 2007 | 5.5% | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 5.5% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 5.2% | -4.5% |
| 2010 | 5.3% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 5.6% | +6.9% |
| 2012 | 5.6% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 5.6% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 5.9% | +4.5% |
| 2015 | 5.6% | -4.5% |
| 2016 | 5.9% | +4.3% |
| 2017 | 6.2% | +5.8% |
| 2018 | 6.3% | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 6.2% | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 6.6% | +6.0% |
| 2021 | 7.7% | +16.8% |
| 2022 | 6.6% | -14.0% |
| 2023 | 7.0% | +5.2% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South in Africa Western and Central 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | +101.6% | 0.7% | 1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.4% | 0.9% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.0% | 0.7% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.2% | 0.9% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.8% | 1.2% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.4% | 2.2% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.8% | 5.3% | 6.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.0% | 6.6% | 7.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
- 9 Djibouti 16.4% compare
- 10 Bangladesh 15.4% compare
- 11 Tanzania 13.7% compare
- 12 Comoros 13.6% compare
- 13 Sierra Leone 12.5% compare
- 14 Madagascar 12.1% compare
- 15 Niger 12.0% compare
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 south in Africa Western and Central?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south in Africa Western and Central was 7.0% 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 Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 7.7% in 2021.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7% in 1972.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 12th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 South Asia (% 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 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.