Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 59.7% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Ethiopia, 1960–2023
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 Ethiopia stood at 59.7%.
The figure is down 11.8% on the previous year and up 14.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Ethiopia peaked at 67.7% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 2.3%, in 1984.
Ethiopia ranks 5th of 206 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
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 Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 9.5% | — |
| 1961 | 9.8% | +3.0% |
| 1962 | 12.3% | +24.9% |
| 1963 | 10.7% | -12.8% |
| 1964 | 11.2% | +4.7% |
| 1965 | 9.9% | -11.7% |
| 1966 | 9.2% | -6.7% |
| 1967 | 11.1% | +20.0% |
| 1968 | 8.3% | -25.3% |
| 1969 | 11.1% | +34.8% |
| 1970 | 12.1% | +8.5% |
| 1971 | 12.2% | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 12.1% | -0.9% |
| 1973 | 14.4% | +18.9% |
| 1974 | 14.4% | +0.4% |
| 1975 | 14.2% | -1.8% |
| 1976 | 6.3% | -55.3% |
| 1977 | 7.2% | +13.7% |
| 1978 | 6.7% | -6.7% |
| 1979 | 4.8% | -28.8% |
| 1980 | 5.4% | +13.5% |
| 1981 | 3.9% | -28.1% |
| 1982 | 3.4% | -13.2% |
| 1983 | 3.1% | -9.2% |
| 1984 | 2.3% | -25.7% |
| 1985 | 2.4% | +4.0% |
| 1986 | 2.4% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 6.3% | +163.9% |
| 1988 | 4.9% | -22.3% |
| 1989 | 9.0% | +83.8% |
| 1990 | 9.4% | +5.2% |
| 1991 | 12.4% | +32.1% |
| 1992 | 10.6% | -15.1% |
| 1993 | 10.0% | -5.8% |
| 1994 | 12.1% | +21.9% |
| 1995 | 11.9% | -1.6% |
| 1996 | 16.0% | +34.3% |
| 1997 | 17.0% | +6.0% |
| 1998 | 16.7% | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 14.4% | -13.6% |
| 2000 | 42.9% | +197.7% |
| 2001 | 30.5% | -28.9% |
| 2002 | 30.2% | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 31.1% | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 31.0% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 31.4% | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 34.7% | +10.5% |
| 2007 | 44.6% | +28.4% |
| 2008 | 41.9% | -6.0% |
| 2009 | 49.2% | +17.4% |
| 2010 | 44.6% | -9.4% |
| 2011 | 44.7% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 44.2% | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 52.1% | +17.9% |
| 2014 | 51.2% | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 54.7% | +6.9% |
| 2016 | 50.5% | -7.8% |
| 2017 | 55.1% | +9.1% |
| 2018 | 53.2% | -3.3% |
| 2019 | 51.3% | -3.6% |
| 2020 | 59.1% | +15.1% |
| 2021 | 64.0% | +8.4% |
| 2022 | 67.7% | +5.7% |
| 2023 | 59.7% | -11.8% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 59.7% is above the median for low income countries, which is 36.9%, 1.6× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 59.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 33.0%, 1.8× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Ethiopia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +197.7% | 14.4% | 42.9% |
| 1987 | +163.9% | 2.4% | 6.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 10.3% | 8.3% | 12.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.4% | 4.8% | 14.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.3% | 2.3% | 9.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.1% | 9.4% | 17.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 36.8% | 30.2% | 49.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 50.1% | 44.2% | 55.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 62.6% | 59.1% | 67.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
- 2 Iraq 68.2% compare
- 3 Afghanistan 65.6% compare
- 4 Djibouti 60.0% compare
- 6 Russia 58.6% compare
- 7 United Arab Emirates 56.4% compare
- 8 Sierra Leone 54.8% compare
More private sector data for Ethiopia
- Merchandise trade 24.2% (2025)
- Food imports 13.8% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 69.2% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 23.01 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 80.4% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 9.2% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 7.58 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 55.99 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.06 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 38.61 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Ethiopia?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Ethiopia was 59.7% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 67.7% in 2022.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.3% in 1984.
- How does Ethiopia rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- Ethiopia ranks 5th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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.