Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Benin
Benin: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 43.4% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Benin, 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 Benin stood at 43.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.2% on the previous year and up 17.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Benin peaked at 53.4% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 3.9%, in 1970.
That places Benin 22nd out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 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 Benin, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 6.4% | — |
| 1963 | 5.5% | -13.8% |
| 1964 | 6.3% | +15.1% |
| 1965 | 7.7% | +21.8% |
| 1966 | 5.5% | -28.9% |
| 1967 | 5.4% | -1.6% |
| 1968 | 7.3% | +35.0% |
| 1969 | 7.3% | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 3.9% | -46.5% |
| 1971 | 5.5% | +40.9% |
| 1972 | 5.8% | +4.5% |
| 1973 | 11.9% | +105.4% |
| 1974 | 8.7% | -26.5% |
| 1975 | 12.8% | +47.2% |
| 1976 | 12.6% | -2.0% |
| 1977 | 16.3% | +30.1% |
| 1978 | 17.7% | +8.2% |
| 1979 | 19.4% | +9.6% |
| 1980 | 18.6% | -3.9% |
| 1981 | 19.5% | +5.0% |
| 1982 | 15.4% | -21.1% |
| 1983 | 10.0% | -34.8% |
| 1984 | 14.5% | +44.6% |
| 1985 | 10.6% | -26.7% |
| 1986 | 12.7% | +19.0% |
| 1987 | 24.3% | +92.2% |
| 1988 | 23.5% | -3.2% |
| 1989 | 16.7% | -29.3% |
| 1990 | 20.9% | +25.3% |
| 1991 | 26.5% | +27.2% |
| 1992 | 28.3% | +6.8% |
| 1993 | 26.0% | -8.3% |
| 1994 | 25.3% | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 25.6% | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 19.6% | -23.4% |
| 1997 | 15.3% | -22.0% |
| 1998 | 15.6% | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 15.0% | -4.1% |
| 2000 | 15.1% | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 15.3% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 16.6% | +8.6% |
| 2003 | 17.1% | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 21.6% | +26.6% |
| 2005 | 16.6% | -23.4% |
| 2006 | 20.4% | +23.1% |
| 2007 | 26.0% | +27.6% |
| 2008 | 29.8% | +14.6% |
| 2009 | 26.3% | -11.7% |
| 2010 | 31.7% | +20.6% |
| 2011 | 24.7% | -22.2% |
| 2012 | 28.4% | +14.9% |
| 2013 | 36.9% | +30.2% |
| 2014 | 40.5% | +9.6% |
| 2015 | 38.7% | -4.5% |
| 2016 | 47.4% | +22.6% |
| 2017 | 53.4% | +12.6% |
| 2018 | 43.9% | -17.7% |
| 2019 | 44.8% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 38.2% | -14.7% |
| 2021 | 46.9% | +22.7% |
| 2022 | 43.9% | -6.3% |
| 2023 | 43.4% | -1.2% |
Benin compared with similar countries
- Benin's 43.4% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 29.9%, 1.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Benin's 43.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 33.0%, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.4% | 5.4% | 7.7% | 8 |
| 1970s | 11.5% | 3.9% | 19.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 16.6% | 10.0% | 24.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.8% | 15.0% | 28.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.5% | 15.1% | 29.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.0% | 24.7% | 53.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 43.1% | 38.2% | 46.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Benin
More private sector data for Benin
- Merchandise trade 36.4% (2025)
- Food imports 33.3% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 50.1% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 4.95 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 39.7% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 7.4% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 3.99 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 269.2 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1623 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate -0.8946 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Benin?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Benin was 43.4% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 53.4% in 2017.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.9% in 1970.
- How does Benin rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- Benin ranks 22nd out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Benin 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.