Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Democratic Republic of the: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 36.6% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Congo, Democratic Republic of the, 1963–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
Congo, Democratic Republic of the recorded 36.6% for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 29.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Congo, Democratic Republic of the peaked at 39.5% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 1979.
Congo, Democratic Republic of the ranks 42nd of 206 countries on this measure, 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 Congo, Democratic Republic of the, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 0.8% | — |
| 1964 | 0.7% | -9.4% |
| 1965 | 1.2% | +61.5% |
| 1966 | 3.3% | +175.3% |
| 1967 | 2.6% | -20.7% |
| 1968 | 2.8% | +6.9% |
| 1969 | 10.8% | +282.2% |
| 1970 | 3.7% | -66.1% |
| 1972 | 3.5% | -3.5% |
| 1973 | 4.1% | +15.6% |
| 1974 | 8.1% | +98.3% |
| 1975 | 7.9% | -2.0% |
| 1976 | 9.0% | +13.2% |
| 1977 | 4.3% | -52.2% |
| 1978 | 0.9% | -79.9% |
| 1979 | 0.3% | -59.7% |
| 1980 | 2.3% | +570.3% |
| 1981 | 1.2% | -49.6% |
| 1982 | 0.4% | -65.1% |
| 1983 | 0.4% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.4% | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.4% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.4% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.4% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.4% | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 4.8% | +1063.9% |
| 1990 | 17.6% | +269.6% |
| 1991 | 14.3% | -18.7% |
| 1992 | 7.0% | -51.3% |
| 1993 | 13.6% | +95.3% |
| 1994 | 13.1% | -3.9% |
| 1995 | 13.4% | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 12.3% | -8.3% |
| 1997 | 8.8% | -28.4% |
| 1998 | 10.5% | +19.6% |
| 1999 | 5.6% | -46.5% |
| 2000 | 19.7% | +249.6% |
| 2001 | 14.0% | -28.7% |
| 2002 | 15.9% | +13.1% |
| 2003 | 16.6% | +4.7% |
| 2004 | 18.9% | +13.4% |
| 2005 | 24.2% | +28.3% |
| 2006 | 25.2% | +4.3% |
| 2007 | 26.7% | +5.7% |
| 2008 | 27.9% | +4.5% |
| 2009 | 26.5% | -4.7% |
| 2010 | 27.3% | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 28.0% | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 28.4% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 28.3% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 28.2% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 27.3% | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 25.8% | -5.6% |
| 2017 | 21.9% | -15.0% |
| 2018 | 25.1% | +14.6% |
| 2019 | 26.7% | +6.3% |
| 2020 | 28.2% | +5.7% |
| 2021 | 39.5% | +40.1% |
| 2022 | 36.5% | -7.8% |
| 2023 | 36.6% | +0.4% |
Congo, Democratic Republic of the compared with similar countries
- Congo, Democratic Republic of the's 36.6% is below the median for low income countries, which is 36.9%, 99% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Congo, Democratic Republic of the's 36.6% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 33.0%, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Congo, Democratic Republic of the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | +1063.9% | 0.4% | 4.8% |
| 1980 | +570.3% | 0.3% | 2.3% |
| 1969 | +282.2% | 2.8% | 10.8% |
| 1990 | +269.6% | 4.8% | 17.6% |
| 2000 | +249.6% | 5.6% | 19.7% |
| 1966 | +175.3% | 1.2% | 3.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.2% | 0.7% | 10.8% | 7 |
| 1970s | 4.6% | 0.3% | 9.0% | 9 |
| 1980s | 1.1% | 0.4% | 4.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.6% | 5.6% | 17.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.6% | 14.0% | 27.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.7% | 21.9% | 28.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.2% | 28.2% | 39.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Congo, Democratic Republic of the
More private sector data for Congo, Democratic Republic of the
- Merchandise trade 66.1% (2025)
- Food imports 4.8% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 50.2% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 28.10 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 0.6% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 17.9% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 32.10 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 284.49 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.3526 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 7.36 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Congo, Democratic Republic of the?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Congo, Democratic Republic of the was 36.6% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Congo, Democratic Republic of the?
- The highest recorded value was 39.5% in 2021.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Congo, Democratic Republic of the?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 1979.
- How does Congo, Democratic Republic of the rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- Congo, Democratic Republic of the ranks 42nd out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in Congo, Democratic Republic of the?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Congo, Democratic Republic of the 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.