Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in in Zambia
Zambia: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in was 37.5% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in in Zambia, 1964–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 37.5% for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in in 2023.
The figure is down 17.5% on the previous year and down 39.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in in Zambia peaked at 69.6% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 9.8%, in 1978.
That places Zambia 10th out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 60 years of available data.
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 62.6% | — |
| 1965 | 55.8% | -10.9% |
| 1966 | 45.9% | -17.8% |
| 1967 | 38.0% | -17.2% |
| 1968 | 36.5% | -3.8% |
| 1969 | 36.7% | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 30.3% | -17.4% |
| 1971 | 27.2% | -10.5% |
| 1972 | 22.7% | -16.5% |
| 1973 | 20.8% | -8.2% |
| 1974 | 13.3% | -36.3% |
| 1975 | 9.9% | -25.6% |
| 1976 | 11.4% | +15.5% |
| 1977 | 10.7% | -6.5% |
| 1978 | 9.8% | -7.9% |
| 1979 | 15.4% | +56.9% |
| 1980 | 19.2% | +24.4% |
| 1981 | 21.4% | +11.4% |
| 1982 | 22.2% | +3.8% |
| 1983 | 22.2% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 29.6% | +33.4% |
| 1985 | 25.9% | -12.3% |
| 1986 | 23.0% | -11.3% |
| 1987 | 29.0% | +26.2% |
| 1988 | 24.5% | -15.5% |
| 1989 | 31.3% | +27.5% |
| 1990 | 30.2% | -3.4% |
| 1991 | 31.5% | +4.2% |
| 1992 | 36.6% | +16.2% |
| 1993 | 52.8% | +44.4% |
| 1994 | 50.3% | -4.7% |
| 1995 | 44.8% | -10.9% |
| 1996 | 51.2% | +14.4% |
| 1997 | 55.6% | +8.6% |
| 1998 | 52.6% | -5.5% |
| 1999 | 58.4% | +11.0% |
| 2000 | 69.6% | +19.2% |
| 2001 | 68.3% | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 67.7% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 67.7% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 57.2% | -15.5% |
| 2005 | 58.9% | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 59.7% | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 59.1% | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 60.9% | +3.1% |
| 2009 | 60.4% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 63.3% | +4.7% |
| 2011 | 59.6% | -5.8% |
| 2012 | 55.8% | -6.4% |
| 2013 | 62.4% | +11.9% |
| 2014 | 62.3% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 60.4% | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 58.2% | -3.7% |
| 2017 | 58.4% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 52.4% | -10.3% |
| 2019 | 44.7% | -14.8% |
| 2020 | 43.8% | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 44.2% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 45.4% | +2.8% |
| 2023 | 37.5% | -17.5% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 37.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.9%, 19.9× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 37.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 15.0%, 2.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 45.9% | 36.5% | 62.6% | 6 |
| 1970s | 17.2% | 9.8% | 30.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 24.8% | 19.2% | 31.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 46.4% | 30.2% | 58.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 63.0% | 57.2% | 69.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 57.7% | 44.7% | 63.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.7% | 37.5% | 45.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More private sector data for Zambia
- Merchandise trade 91.7% (2025)
- Food imports 7.8% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 64.4% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 13.17 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 8.7% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 14.1% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 13.31 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 607.56 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.461 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 18.07 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in in Zambia?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in in Zambia was 37.5% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 69.6% in 2000.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.8% in 1978.
- How does Zambia rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in?
- Zambia ranks 10th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 39.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 60 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.