Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South was 6.1% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South in Saudi Arabia, 1964–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south in Saudi Arabia is 6.1%, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 2.6% on the previous year and up 53.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south in Saudi Arabia peaked at 6.3% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 1.4%, in 1982.
That places Saudi Arabia 45th out of 205 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 60 years of available data.
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 4.4% | — |
| 1965 | 4.1% | -6.2% |
| 1966 | 3.5% | -13.5% |
| 1967 | 4.4% | +24.6% |
| 1968 | 4.9% | +10.4% |
| 1969 | 5.5% | +12.8% |
| 1970 | 5.4% | -2.1% |
| 1971 | 4.1% | -22.7% |
| 1972 | 4.0% | -4.3% |
| 1973 | 3.0% | -25.2% |
| 1974 | 3.6% | +21.3% |
| 1975 | 2.5% | -30.4% |
| 1976 | 2.1% | -16.5% |
| 1977 | 2.0% | -5.6% |
| 1978 | 1.9% | -2.3% |
| 1979 | 1.9% | -4.0% |
| 1980 | 1.7% | -7.6% |
| 1981 | 1.5% | -12.7% |
| 1982 | 1.4% | -8.6% |
| 1983 | 1.4% | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 1.5% | +8.3% |
| 1985 | 1.9% | +25.4% |
| 1986 | 2.1% | +12.3% |
| 1987 | 2.0% | -2.7% |
| 1988 | 1.8% | -9.9% |
| 1989 | 1.8% | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 1.8% | -3.3% |
| 1991 | 1.8% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 1.9% | +8.0% |
| 1993 | 2.7% | +39.1% |
| 1994 | 2.4% | -9.8% |
| 1995 | 2.6% | +7.4% |
| 1996 | 3.2% | +22.6% |
| 1997 | 3.0% | -5.9% |
| 1998 | 3.3% | +9.9% |
| 1999 | 3.2% | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 3.4% | +5.6% |
| 2001 | 3.0% | -13.0% |
| 2002 | 3.3% | +10.7% |
| 2003 | 3.5% | +7.2% |
| 2004 | 3.7% | +4.9% |
| 2005 | 3.6% | -3.9% |
| 2006 | 4.1% | +15.4% |
| 2007 | 3.7% | -10.4% |
| 2008 | 4.6% | +24.0% |
| 2009 | 4.1% | -10.2% |
| 2010 | 4.2% | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 3.8% | -10.8% |
| 2012 | 3.8% | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 4.0% | +4.7% |
| 2014 | 4.2% | +4.8% |
| 2015 | 4.0% | -3.7% |
| 2016 | 4.4% | +9.6% |
| 2017 | 4.8% | +8.1% |
| 2018 | 5.0% | +3.6% |
| 2019 | 5.3% | +7.4% |
| 2020 | 5.6% | +5.3% |
| 2021 | 6.1% | +7.8% |
| 2022 | 6.3% | +3.9% |
| 2023 | 6.1% | -2.6% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 6.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.3%, 4.8× the median. (73 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 6.1% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 4.2%, 1.5× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.5% | 3.5% | 5.5% | 6 |
| 1970s | 3.0% | 1.9% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.7% | 1.4% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.6% | 1.8% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.7% | 3.0% | 4.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.4% | 3.8% | 5.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.0% | 5.6% | 6.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 42 Ghana 6.7% compare
- 43 Kuwait 6.7% compare
- 44 East Timor 6.3% compare
- 46 Cote d'Ivoire 5.9% compare
- 47 Burkina Faso 5.9% compare
- 48 Zambia 5.7% compare
More private sector data for Saudi Arabia
- Merchandise trade 44.2% (2025)
- Food imports 13.0% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 70.5% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 254.06 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 1.9% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 15.9% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 310.67 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 8,403 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2433 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 1.69 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south in Saudi Arabia?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south in Saudi Arabia was 6.1% 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 6.3% in 2022.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.4% in 1982.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 45th out of 205 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 53.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.