Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 20.1% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Costa Rica, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Costa Rica is 20.1%, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 1.0% on the previous year and up 63.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Costa Rica peaked at 21.7% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1981.
Costa Rica ranks 108th of 206 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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 Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.5% | — |
| 1961 | 0.6% | +25.9% |
| 1962 | 0.4% | -36.8% |
| 1963 | 0.4% | +12.6% |
| 1964 | 0.3% | -28.7% |
| 1965 | 0.5% | +57.0% |
| 1966 | 0.6% | +22.7% |
| 1967 | 0.3% | -44.1% |
| 1968 | 0.3% | +3.4% |
| 1969 | 0.3% | -10.5% |
| 1970 | 0.3% | -5.2% |
| 1971 | 0.7% | +136.7% |
| 1972 | 0.1% | -88.1% |
| 1973 | 0.1% | +52.7% |
| 1974 | 0.4% | +202.5% |
| 1975 | 0.1% | -74.7% |
| 1976 | 0.2% | +60.6% |
| 1977 | 0.2% | +29.8% |
| 1978 | 0.1% | -45.3% |
| 1979 | 0.3% | +219.8% |
| 1980 | 0.2% | -42.0% |
| 1981 | 0.1% | -60.5% |
| 1982 | 0.1% | +36.3% |
| 1983 | 0.1% | -10.7% |
| 1984 | 0.2% | +76.2% |
| 1985 | 0.1% | -27.7% |
| 1986 | 0.3% | +112.7% |
| 1987 | 0.2% | -8.1% |
| 1988 | 0.4% | +74.5% |
| 1989 | 0.2% | -46.6% |
| 1990 | 0.2% | -10.8% |
| 1991 | 0.2% | +20.3% |
| 1992 | 0.3% | +7.3% |
| 1993 | 0.7% | +169.8% |
| 1994 | 1.2% | +76.7% |
| 1995 | 2.3% | +90.9% |
| 1996 | 1.4% | -40.7% |
| 1997 | 3.3% | +140.3% |
| 1998 | 4.2% | +28.2% |
| 1999 | 4.9% | +14.9% |
| 2000 | 5.6% | +15.1% |
| 2001 | 6.6% | +16.8% |
| 2002 | 3.6% | -44.9% |
| 2003 | 3.1% | -15.3% |
| 2004 | 4.8% | +57.7% |
| 2005 | 6.3% | +31.1% |
| 2006 | 6.9% | +9.1% |
| 2007 | 8.8% | +27.3% |
| 2008 | 8.8% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 9.9% | +12.3% |
| 2010 | 10.2% | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 11.2% | +9.9% |
| 2012 | 10.6% | -5.0% |
| 2013 | 12.3% | +15.7% |
| 2014 | 13.4% | +8.9% |
| 2015 | 16.6% | +24.3% |
| 2016 | 18.6% | +12.1% |
| 2017 | 17.9% | -3.7% |
| 2018 | 18.1% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 18.1% | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 20.1% | +11.4% |
| 2021 | 21.7% | +8.0% |
| 2022 | 20.3% | -6.7% |
| 2023 | 20.1% | -1.0% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 20.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 11.2%, 1.8× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 20.1% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 20.2%, 100% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Costa Rica 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | +219.8% | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| 1974 | +202.5% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.9% | 0.2% | 4.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.4% | 3.1% | 9.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.7% | 10.2% | 18.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.6% | 20.1% | 21.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 105 El Salvador 20.2% compare
- 106 Serbia 20.2% compare
- 107 Palestine 20.1% compare
- 109 Switzerland 19.0% compare
- 110 Guatemala 18.8% compare
- 111 Seychelles 18.4% compare
More private sector data for Costa Rica
- Merchandise trade 52.4% (2025)
- Food imports 13.2% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 73.9% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 27.48 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 32.3% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 64.9% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 26.43 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 5,129 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2568 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 21.87 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Costa Rica?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Costa Rica was 20.1% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 21.7% in 2021.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1981.
- How does Costa Rica rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- Costa Rica ranks 108th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 63.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica 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.