Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Barbados
Barbados: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 5.7% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Barbados, 1961–2023
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 Barbados stood at 5.7%.
That represents a change of down 17.6% on the previous year and down 16.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Barbados peaked at 11.7% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 0.5%, in 1968.
Barbados ranks 170th of 206 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
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 Barbados, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 10.1% | — |
| 1962 | 0.9% | -91.3% |
| 1963 | 1.0% | +11.9% |
| 1964 | 0.7% | -32.6% |
| 1965 | 0.6% | -5.5% |
| 1966 | 0.5% | -14.2% |
| 1967 | 0.6% | +20.4% |
| 1968 | 0.5% | -22.9% |
| 1970 | 0.6% | +29.7% |
| 1971 | 0.9% | +37.2% |
| 1972 | 1.1% | +24.5% |
| 1973 | 1.1% | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 0.7% | -39.6% |
| 1975 | 1.1% | +60.5% |
| 1976 | 1.0% | -6.0% |
| 1977 | 0.8% | -22.6% |
| 1978 | 0.7% | -11.8% |
| 1979 | 0.6% | -16.4% |
| 1980 | 0.7% | +16.9% |
| 1981 | 0.6% | -12.5% |
| 1982 | 0.9% | +50.4% |
| 1983 | 1.4% | +57.6% |
| 1984 | 1.1% | -24.0% |
| 1985 | 2.2% | +109.1% |
| 1986 | 1.2% | -46.6% |
| 1987 | 1.1% | -9.6% |
| 1988 | 1.2% | +8.3% |
| 1989 | 1.0% | -15.7% |
| 1990 | 1.2% | +16.9% |
| 1991 | 1.6% | +42.1% |
| 1992 | 1.8% | +7.6% |
| 1993 | 1.7% | -4.7% |
| 1994 | 1.8% | +7.8% |
| 1995 | 2.0% | +8.9% |
| 1996 | 1.6% | -21.2% |
| 1997 | 2.5% | +61.6% |
| 1998 | 2.3% | -8.5% |
| 1999 | 2.2% | -1.9% |
| 2000 | 3.7% | +62.6% |
| 2001 | 3.4% | -5.8% |
| 2002 | 3.9% | +13.8% |
| 2003 | 4.0% | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 4.2% | +3.8% |
| 2005 | 4.5% | +7.7% |
| 2006 | 5.1% | +12.6% |
| 2007 | 6.5% | +27.3% |
| 2008 | 6.6% | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 6.9% | +4.7% |
| 2010 | 8.4% | +20.3% |
| 2011 | 6.5% | -22.6% |
| 2012 | 6.4% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 6.8% | +6.0% |
| 2014 | 8.9% | +30.0% |
| 2015 | 9.4% | +5.7% |
| 2016 | 11.7% | +24.7% |
| 2017 | 10.1% | -13.6% |
| 2018 | 10.2% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 11.6% | +13.2% |
| 2020 | 5.6% | -51.8% |
| 2021 | 6.3% | +12.0% |
| 2022 | 6.9% | +10.7% |
| 2023 | 5.7% | -17.6% |
Barbados compared with similar countries
- Barbados's 5.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 11.2%, 51% of the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Barbados's 5.7% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 20.2%, 28% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.9% | 0.5% | 10.1% | 8 |
| 1970s | 0.9% | 0.6% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.1% | 0.6% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.9% | 1.2% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.9% | 3.4% | 6.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.0% | 6.4% | 11.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.1% | 5.6% | 6.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Barbados
More private sector data for Barbados
- Merchandise trade 33.1% (2025)
- Food imports 22.7% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 52.6% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 2.23 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 43.5% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 39.9% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 428.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 1,514 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0534 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate -7.16 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Barbados?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Barbados was 5.7% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Barbados?
- The highest recorded value was 11.7% in 2016.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Barbados?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5% in 1968.
- How does Barbados rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- Barbados ranks 170th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in Barbados?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Barbados 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.
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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.