Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South in Somalia
Somalia: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South was 22.8% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South in Somalia, 1962–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
Somalia recorded 22.8% for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south in 2023.
The figure is down 11.6% on the previous year and up 34.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south in Somalia peaked at 27.5% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 1976.
Somalia ranks 3rd 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 Somalia, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 7.7% | — |
| 1963 | 8.3% | +7.7% |
| 1964 | 7.6% | -8.8% |
| 1965 | 4.7% | -38.3% |
| 1967 | 2.3% | -50.7% |
| 1968 | 4.6% | +97.6% |
| 1969 | 3.9% | -14.2% |
| 1970 | 2.7% | -31.5% |
| 1971 | 4.0% | +49.6% |
| 1972 | 3.9% | -3.5% |
| 1973 | 1.0% | -74.6% |
| 1974 | 0.6% | -35.5% |
| 1975 | 0.5% | -26.1% |
| 1976 | 0.3% | -35.3% |
| 1977 | 1.6% | +439.0% |
| 1978 | 4.0% | +142.1% |
| 1980 | 2.9% | -27.2% |
| 1981 | 1.2% | -56.7% |
| 1982 | 0.3% | -72.3% |
| 1983 | 0.7% | +109.4% |
| 1984 | 1.3% | +85.2% |
| 1985 | 1.5% | +10.0% |
| 1986 | 0.4% | -72.6% |
| 1987 | 1.4% | +244.4% |
| 1988 | 1.8% | +28.1% |
| 1989 | 1.1% | -37.3% |
| 1990 | 1.1% | -4.1% |
| 1991 | 1.2% | +10.3% |
| 1992 | 1.2% | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 1.1% | -7.2% |
| 1994 | 1.8% | +68.1% |
| 1995 | 10.2% | +460.7% |
| 1996 | 11.3% | +10.9% |
| 1997 | 13.0% | +14.4% |
| 1998 | 17.2% | +32.3% |
| 1999 | 7.9% | -54.1% |
| 2000 | 4.6% | -41.5% |
| 2001 | 7.1% | +54.2% |
| 2002 | 9.6% | +35.6% |
| 2003 | 17.1% | +77.0% |
| 2004 | 16.9% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 12.7% | -25.0% |
| 2006 | 16.0% | +26.5% |
| 2007 | 23.0% | +43.1% |
| 2008 | 15.8% | -31.2% |
| 2009 | 11.7% | -25.9% |
| 2010 | 13.2% | +12.9% |
| 2011 | 20.2% | +52.6% |
| 2012 | 17.0% | -15.6% |
| 2013 | 16.9% | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 22.9% | +35.1% |
| 2015 | 25.6% | +12.0% |
| 2016 | 27.5% | +7.4% |
| 2017 | 20.9% | -23.9% |
| 2018 | 19.6% | -6.0% |
| 2019 | 22.2% | +13.1% |
| 2020 | 18.7% | -16.0% |
| 2021 | 21.7% | +16.1% |
| 2022 | 25.8% | +18.9% |
| 2023 | 22.8% | -11.6% |
Somalia compared with similar countries
- Somalia's 22.8% is above the median for low income countries, which is 7.4%, 3.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Somalia's 22.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7.0%, 3.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in South in Somalia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +460.7% | 1.8% | 10.2% |
| 1977 | +439.0% | 0.3% | 1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.6% | 2.3% | 8.3% | 7 |
| 1970s | 2.1% | 0.3% | 4.0% | 9 |
| 1980s | 1.3% | 0.3% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.6% | 1.1% | 17.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.5% | 4.6% | 23.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.6% | 13.2% | 27.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.2% | 18.7% | 25.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
More private sector data for Somalia
- Merchandise trade 40.2% (2025)
- Food imports 22.4% (1982)
- Manufactures imports 54.7% (1982)
- Merchandise imports 3.93 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 93.7% (1982)
- Manufactures exports 1.3% (1982)
- Merchandise exports 1.30 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 66.14 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate -11.74 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south in Somalia?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south in Somalia was 22.8% 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 Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 27.5% in 2016.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 1976.
- How does Somalia rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south?
- Somalia ranks 3rd out of 205 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in south rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 34.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Somalia 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.