Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Australia
Australia: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 6.0% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Australia, 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 Australia stood at 6.0%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 9.0% on the previous year and down 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Australia peaked at 8.8% in 1961 and was at its lowest, 2.2%, in 1992.
Australia ranks 168th of 206 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Australia, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 7.3% | — |
| 1961 | 8.8% | +21.4% |
| 1962 | 7.5% | -14.6% |
| 1963 | 7.0% | -7.8% |
| 1964 | 6.4% | -7.3% |
| 1965 | 5.8% | -9.6% |
| 1966 | 5.6% | -4.1% |
| 1967 | 5.0% | -9.8% |
| 1968 | 4.6% | -8.8% |
| 1969 | 4.1% | -11.9% |
| 1970 | 3.8% | -7.2% |
| 1971 | 3.9% | +5.0% |
| 1972 | 3.9% | -0.2% |
| 1973 | 4.0% | +0.3% |
| 1974 | 4.7% | +19.8% |
| 1975 | 4.8% | +1.6% |
| 1976 | 4.0% | -16.9% |
| 1977 | 4.6% | +15.9% |
| 1978 | 4.3% | -8.1% |
| 1979 | 4.1% | -4.0% |
| 1980 | 4.2% | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 2.7% | -36.0% |
| 1982 | 2.8% | +4.9% |
| 1983 | 2.7% | -2.0% |
| 1984 | 2.8% | +3.6% |
| 1985 | 2.7% | -5.3% |
| 1986 | 2.5% | -6.1% |
| 1987 | 3.3% | +32.0% |
| 1988 | 2.8% | -17.2% |
| 1989 | 2.8% | +0.1% |
| 1990 | 2.5% | -7.8% |
| 1991 | 2.4% | -5.1% |
| 1992 | 2.2% | -9.0% |
| 1993 | 2.6% | +17.3% |
| 1994 | 2.7% | +5.9% |
| 1995 | 2.8% | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 2.9% | +3.9% |
| 1997 | 3.1% | +5.2% |
| 1998 | 2.9% | -6.2% |
| 1999 | 3.1% | +8.3% |
| 2000 | 3.3% | +7.1% |
| 2001 | 3.3% | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 3.3% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 3.5% | +5.4% |
| 2004 | 3.4% | -1.8% |
| 2005 | 3.8% | +9.9% |
| 2006 | 4.0% | +4.7% |
| 2007 | 3.6% | -9.5% |
| 2008 | 3.9% | +8.6% |
| 2009 | 3.8% | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 4.7% | +23.1% |
| 2011 | 5.6% | +19.8% |
| 2012 | 6.2% | +10.4% |
| 2013 | 6.0% | -3.0% |
| 2014 | 5.7% | -4.9% |
| 2015 | 5.7% | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 5.9% | +3.6% |
| 2017 | 6.1% | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 6.1% | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 5.9% | -4.5% |
| 2020 | 6.0% | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 6.9% | +14.2% |
| 2022 | 6.6% | -3.9% |
| 2023 | 6.0% | -9.0% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 6.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 11.2%, 54% of the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Australia's 6.0% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.1%, 1.9× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.2% | 4.1% | 8.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.2% | 3.8% | 4.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.9% | 2.5% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.7% | 2.2% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.6% | 3.3% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.8% | 4.7% | 6.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.4% | 6.0% | 6.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More private sector data for Australia
- Merchandise trade 36.0% (2025)
- Food imports 6.5% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 74.3% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 310.63 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 13.7% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 9.8% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 337.58 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 12,225 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1877 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate -0.9521 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Australia?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Australia was 6.0% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 8.8% in 1961.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.2% in 1992.
- How does Australia rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- Australia ranks 168th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Australia 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.