Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Arab World
Arab World: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 44.9% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Arab World, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
In 2023, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Arab World stood at 44.9%. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.2% on the previous year and up 38.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Arab World peaked at 44.9% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 6.6%, in 1980.
Arab World ranks 1st of 47 groups 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 outside in Arab World, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 9.7% | — |
| 1961 | 9.7% | -0.2% |
| 1962 | 12.5% | +29.3% |
| 1963 | 10.3% | -18.0% |
| 1964 | 10.6% | +3.2% |
| 1965 | 12.5% | +17.9% |
| 1966 | 11.3% | -9.2% |
| 1967 | 11.5% | +1.5% |
| 1968 | 11.0% | -4.4% |
| 1969 | 10.9% | -1.0% |
| 1970 | 11.4% | +4.4% |
| 1971 | 11.6% | +2.2% |
| 1972 | 11.1% | -4.4% |
| 1973 | 10.2% | -7.8% |
| 1974 | 11.0% | +7.5% |
| 1975 | 8.8% | -20.0% |
| 1976 | 7.7% | -12.5% |
| 1977 | 7.5% | -2.0% |
| 1978 | 6.9% | -8.5% |
| 1979 | 6.7% | -3.5% |
| 1980 | 6.6% | -0.1% |
| 1981 | 6.7% | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 6.9% | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 7.2% | +5.4% |
| 1984 | 8.4% | +16.3% |
| 1985 | 9.3% | +10.1% |
| 1986 | 9.9% | +6.5% |
| 1987 | 10.9% | +10.0% |
| 1988 | 11.5% | +6.4% |
| 1989 | 11.4% | -1.4% |
| 1990 | 11.4% | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 12.4% | +7.9% |
| 1992 | 12.5% | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 13.6% | +8.5% |
| 1994 | 14.6% | +7.5% |
| 1995 | 16.1% | +10.4% |
| 1996 | 16.6% | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 16.7% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 17.1% | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 16.9% | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 18.5% | +9.1% |
| 2001 | 19.6% | +6.1% |
| 2002 | 20.7% | +5.3% |
| 2003 | 22.9% | +10.9% |
| 2004 | 25.2% | +10.0% |
| 2005 | 26.0% | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 25.5% | -1.9% |
| 2007 | 26.6% | +4.3% |
| 2008 | 29.4% | +10.3% |
| 2009 | 30.5% | +3.8% |
| 2010 | 32.4% | +6.4% |
| 2011 | 32.6% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 34.8% | +6.9% |
| 2013 | 32.4% | -6.9% |
| 2014 | 33.2% | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 33.9% | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 34.0% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 38.5% | +13.2% |
| 2018 | 37.8% | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 39.8% | +5.4% |
| 2020 | 42.1% | +5.7% |
| 2021 | 43.3% | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 43.9% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 44.9% | +2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 11.0% | 9.7% | 12.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 9.3% | 6.7% | 11.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.9% | 6.6% | 11.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.8% | 11.4% | 17.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.5% | 18.5% | 30.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.9% | 32.4% | 39.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 43.5% | 42.1% | 44.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Arab World
More private sector data for Arab World
- Merchandise trade 53.7% (2025)
- Food imports 11.7% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 60.2% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 1.48 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 3.6% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 16.3% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 1.59 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 3,163 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.4193 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 6.39 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Arab World?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Arab World was 44.9% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Arab World?
- The highest recorded value was 44.9% in 2023.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Arab World?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.6% in 1980.
- How does Arab World rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- Arab World ranks 1st out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in Arab World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Arab World data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside region (% 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 outside region are the sum of merchandise imports by the reporting economy from other low- and middle-income economies in other World Bank regions 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.