Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Caribbean Small States
Caribbean Small States: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 12.6% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Caribbean Small States, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
Caribbean Small States recorded 12.6% for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in 2023.
That represents a change of down 4.8% on the previous year and down 20.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Caribbean Small States peaked at 32.6% in 1977 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 1962.
Caribbean Small States ranks 43rd of 47 groups 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 Caribbean Small States, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.2% | — |
| 1961 | 1.7% | +34.8% |
| 1962 | 0.4% | -77.4% |
| 1963 | 0.5% | +32.5% |
| 1964 | 0.7% | +42.3% |
| 1965 | 0.9% | +29.5% |
| 1966 | 0.8% | -11.6% |
| 1967 | 0.7% | -16.5% |
| 1968 | 0.6% | -12.8% |
| 1969 | 1.1% | +90.9% |
| 1970 | 5.0% | +343.4% |
| 1971 | 19.6% | +289.1% |
| 1972 | 19.5% | -0.3% |
| 1973 | 25.2% | +28.9% |
| 1974 | 31.8% | +26.2% |
| 1975 | 31.7% | -0.3% |
| 1976 | 27.2% | -14.2% |
| 1977 | 32.6% | +19.9% |
| 1978 | 32.0% | -1.9% |
| 1979 | 25.3% | -20.7% |
| 1980 | 4.6% | -81.8% |
| 1981 | 19.4% | +322.1% |
| 1982 | 12.2% | -37.2% |
| 1983 | 20.8% | +70.6% |
| 1984 | 27.3% | +31.3% |
| 1985 | 26.8% | -2.0% |
| 1986 | 24.6% | -8.2% |
| 1987 | 15.2% | -38.4% |
| 1988 | 9.7% | -36.1% |
| 1989 | 6.4% | -34.5% |
| 1990 | 2.6% | -59.5% |
| 1991 | 3.1% | +21.0% |
| 1992 | 4.8% | +52.5% |
| 1993 | 1.8% | -62.6% |
| 1994 | 1.9% | +5.2% |
| 1995 | 3.8% | +101.9% |
| 1996 | 2.6% | -30.8% |
| 1997 | 1.9% | -28.5% |
| 1998 | 2.5% | +31.9% |
| 1999 | 2.7% | +7.6% |
| 2000 | 3.7% | +41.1% |
| 2001 | 3.6% | -3.0% |
| 2002 | 7.9% | +118.4% |
| 2003 | 8.0% | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 7.2% | -9.2% |
| 2005 | 9.8% | +35.7% |
| 2006 | 12.0% | +22.3% |
| 2007 | 14.1% | +17.3% |
| 2008 | 13.3% | -5.6% |
| 2009 | 12.2% | -8.6% |
| 2010 | 14.7% | +20.5% |
| 2011 | 15.0% | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 13.9% | -7.2% |
| 2013 | 15.8% | +13.8% |
| 2014 | 18.3% | +15.3% |
| 2015 | 16.2% | -11.5% |
| 2016 | 13.3% | -18.0% |
| 2017 | 13.0% | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 12.7% | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 18.9% | +48.6% |
| 2020 | 12.7% | -32.8% |
| 2021 | 12.4% | -2.3% |
| 2022 | 13.2% | +6.7% |
| 2023 | 12.6% | -4.8% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Caribbean Small States changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | +343.4% | 1.1% | 5.0% |
| 1981 | +322.1% | 4.6% | 19.4% |
| 1971 | +289.1% | 5.0% | 19.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.9% | 0.4% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 25.0% | 5.0% | 32.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 16.7% | 4.6% | 27.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.7% | 1.8% | 4.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.2% | 3.6% | 14.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.2% | 12.7% | 18.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.7% | 12.4% | 13.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Caribbean Small States
- 40 Egypt 36.6% compare
- 41 Ghana 36.6% compare
- 42 Democratic Republic of Congo 36.6% compare
- 43 Kuwait 36.4% compare
- 44 Cote d'Ivoire 36.0% compare
- 45 Bahrain 35.9% compare
- 46 Equatorial Guinea 34.9% compare
More private sector data for Caribbean Small States
- Merchandise trade 70.0% (2025)
- Food imports 17.2% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 63.2% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 31.17 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 13.7% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 45.4% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 30.03 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 6,590 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.3156 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate -3.4 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Caribbean Small States?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Caribbean Small States was 12.6% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Caribbean Small States?
- The highest recorded value was 32.6% in 1977.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Caribbean Small States?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 1962.
- How does Caribbean Small States rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- Caribbean Small States ranks 43rd out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in Caribbean Small States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Caribbean Small States 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.