Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South in Rwanda
Rwanda: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South was 10.6% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South in Rwanda, 1966–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
Rwanda recorded 10.6% for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south in 2023.
The figure is up 25.3% on the previous year and down 10.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south in Rwanda peaked at 13.4% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0.5%, in 1995.
Rwanda ranks 20th of 205 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
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 Rwanda, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 1.5% | — |
| 1967 | 3.5% | +128.9% |
| 1968 | 3.4% | -2.1% |
| 1969 | 2.6% | -23.7% |
| 1970 | 1.4% | -48.6% |
| 1971 | 1.2% | -8.6% |
| 1973 | 0.8% | -37.7% |
| 1974 | 1.1% | +39.5% |
| 1975 | 0.7% | -37.1% |
| 1976 | 0.6% | -4.9% |
| 1977 | 0.6% | -5.1% |
| 1978 | 0.8% | +29.3% |
| 1979 | 0.7% | -6.7% |
| 1980 | 0.5% | -35.6% |
| 1981 | 0.9% | +93.3% |
| 1985 | 0.8% | -9.8% |
| 1986 | 2.4% | +187.2% |
| 1987 | 3.1% | +30.3% |
| 1988 | 2.9% | -5.6% |
| 1989 | 2.5% | -15.6% |
| 1990 | 4.3% | +76.0% |
| 1991 | 2.0% | -53.4% |
| 1992 | 3.6% | +78.5% |
| 1993 | 2.1% | -42.4% |
| 1994 | 1.3% | -35.9% |
| 1995 | 0.5% | -65.3% |
| 1996 | 1.7% | +270.3% |
| 1997 | 1.4% | -17.0% |
| 1998 | 2.5% | +78.7% |
| 1999 | 1.9% | -26.1% |
| 2000 | 7.3% | +289.4% |
| 2001 | 3.3% | -54.2% |
| 2002 | 4.2% | +24.7% |
| 2003 | 5.6% | +33.6% |
| 2004 | 5.0% | -9.8% |
| 2005 | 4.6% | -8.9% |
| 2006 | 3.7% | -19.2% |
| 2007 | 4.0% | +7.6% |
| 2008 | 3.6% | -8.3% |
| 2009 | 5.4% | +49.6% |
| 2010 | 7.2% | +31.9% |
| 2011 | 8.1% | +13.5% |
| 2012 | 10.1% | +24.2% |
| 2013 | 11.7% | +16.3% |
| 2014 | 13.4% | +13.6% |
| 2015 | 11.4% | -14.3% |
| 2016 | 9.1% | -20.3% |
| 2017 | 8.3% | -8.9% |
| 2018 | 10.9% | +31.3% |
| 2019 | 10.0% | -8.3% |
| 2020 | 8.5% | -14.9% |
| 2021 | 7.7% | -8.9% |
| 2022 | 8.4% | +8.9% |
| 2023 | 10.6% | +25.3% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 10.6% is above the median for low income countries, which is 7.4%, 1.4× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 10.6% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7.0%, 1.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South in Rwanda 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +289.4% | 1.9% | 7.3% |
| 1996 | +270.3% | 0.5% | 1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.8% | 1.5% | 3.5% | 4 |
| 1970s | 0.9% | 0.6% | 1.4% | 9 |
| 1980s | 1.9% | 0.5% | 3.1% | 7 |
| 1990s | 2.1% | 0.5% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.7% | 3.3% | 7.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.0% | 7.2% | 13.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.8% | 7.7% | 10.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
More private sector data for Rwanda
- Merchandise trade 45.9% (2025)
- Food imports 22.4% (2022)
- Manufactures imports 50.0% (2022)
- Merchandise imports 5.07 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 27.2% (2022)
- Manufactures exports 10.4% (2022)
- Merchandise exports 2.45 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 168.16 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1496 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate -23.46 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south in Rwanda?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south in Rwanda was 10.6% 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 Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 13.4% in 2014.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5% in 1995.
- How does Rwanda rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south?
- Rwanda ranks 20th out of 205 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Rwanda 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.