Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in in South Asia
South Asia: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in was 4.5% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in in South Asia, 1960–2023
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 in South Asia is 4.5%, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 20.2% on the previous year and down 28.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in in South Asia peaked at 8.1% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 1.0%, in 1982.
That places South Asia 16th out of 47 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in in South Asia, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3.0% | — |
| 1961 | 2.8% | -7.0% |
| 1962 | 3.1% | +11.2% |
| 1963 | 2.2% | -30.1% |
| 1964 | 2.8% | +28.8% |
| 1965 | 1.9% | -32.4% |
| 1966 | 1.5% | -20.3% |
| 1967 | 2.1% | +37.0% |
| 1968 | 3.8% | +85.5% |
| 1969 | 5.9% | +53.9% |
| 1970 | 6.6% | +13.3% |
| 1971 | 5.8% | -12.6% |
| 1972 | 6.5% | +12.6% |
| 1973 | 4.0% | -38.7% |
| 1974 | 2.6% | -35.2% |
| 1975 | 1.3% | -48.6% |
| 1976 | 2.9% | +118.9% |
| 1977 | 4.0% | +36.2% |
| 1978 | 2.0% | -49.0% |
| 1979 | 1.9% | -7.8% |
| 1980 | 1.5% | -19.4% |
| 1981 | 1.5% | -2.7% |
| 1982 | 1.0% | -31.1% |
| 1983 | 1.8% | +73.6% |
| 1984 | 1.6% | -5.9% |
| 1985 | 1.5% | -6.7% |
| 1986 | 1.7% | +7.7% |
| 1987 | 1.9% | +15.6% |
| 1988 | 2.0% | +7.1% |
| 1989 | 2.0% | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 2.0% | -2.2% |
| 1991 | 2.6% | +27.4% |
| 1992 | 3.8% | +49.4% |
| 1993 | 4.2% | +9.0% |
| 1994 | 2.9% | -30.0% |
| 1995 | 2.9% | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 4.7% | +60.5% |
| 1997 | 4.1% | -12.2% |
| 1998 | 5.2% | +24.7% |
| 1999 | 8.1% | +56.4% |
| 2000 | 5.0% | -38.1% |
| 2001 | 4.0% | -19.1% |
| 2002 | 4.9% | +21.5% |
| 2003 | 4.1% | -17.1% |
| 2004 | 3.5% | -14.3% |
| 2005 | 3.3% | -6.4% |
| 2006 | 5.0% | +54.0% |
| 2007 | 5.5% | +9.1% |
| 2008 | 5.9% | +7.9% |
| 2009 | 6.0% | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 6.8% | +12.5% |
| 2011 | 6.4% | -4.8% |
| 2012 | 6.5% | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 6.3% | -3.5% |
| 2014 | 7.1% | +13.3% |
| 2015 | 7.1% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 5.8% | -17.5% |
| 2017 | 6.6% | +13.2% |
| 2018 | 6.5% | -2.5% |
| 2019 | 6.2% | -3.7% |
| 2020 | 5.7% | -7.7% |
| 2021 | 6.0% | +4.2% |
| 2022 | 5.6% | -5.9% |
| 2023 | 4.5% | -20.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.9% | 1.5% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.8% | 1.3% | 6.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.7% | 1.0% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.0% | 2.0% | 8.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.7% | 3.3% | 6.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.5% | 5.8% | 7.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.5% | 4.5% | 6.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
- 13 Burundi 33.5% compare
- 14 Malawi 33.0% compare
- 15 Central African Republic 31.6% compare
- 16 Burkina Faso 27.7% compare
- 17 Uganda 26.9% compare
- 18 Mozambique 26.5% compare
- 19 Rwanda 24.2% compare
More private sector data for South Asia
- Merchandise trade 30.0% (2025)
- Food imports 5.6% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 47.1% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 864.53 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 11.8% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 67.0% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 510.58 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 301.72 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1115 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 1.04 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in in South Asia?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in in South Asia was 4.5% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 8.1% in 1999.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.0% in 1982.
- How does South Asia rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in?
- South Asia ranks 16th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Asia 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 Sub-Saharan Africa (% 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 Sub-Saharan Africa are the sum of merchandise imports by the reporting economy from low- and middle-income economies in the Sub-Saharan Africa 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.