Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Hong Kong
Hong Kong: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 3.0% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Hong Kong, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
Hong Kong recorded 3.0% for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in 2023.
The figure is up 2.8% on the previous year and down 22.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Hong Kong peaked at 7.8% in 1963 and was at its lowest, 2.2%, in 1992.
That places Hong Kong 185th out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 64 years of available data.
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Hong Kong, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 6.2% | — |
| 1961 | 7.2% | +16.8% |
| 1962 | 6.6% | -8.2% |
| 1963 | 7.8% | +18.4% |
| 1964 | 7.0% | -10.9% |
| 1965 | 6.4% | -8.4% |
| 1966 | 6.1% | -4.4% |
| 1967 | 6.2% | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 7.7% | +24.9% |
| 1969 | 6.9% | -9.9% |
| 1970 | 6.5% | -6.9% |
| 1971 | 5.9% | -8.8% |
| 1972 | 5.9% | +0.4% |
| 1973 | 6.6% | +12.1% |
| 1974 | 4.9% | -26.0% |
| 1975 | 5.9% | +20.9% |
| 1976 | 5.9% | -0.9% |
| 1977 | 4.5% | -22.9% |
| 1978 | 4.7% | +2.9% |
| 1979 | 4.3% | -8.1% |
| 1980 | 3.6% | -16.0% |
| 1981 | 2.7% | -24.3% |
| 1982 | 2.5% | -8.0% |
| 1983 | 2.8% | +12.5% |
| 1984 | 2.5% | -12.7% |
| 1985 | 2.7% | +11.2% |
| 1986 | 2.7% | -3.1% |
| 1987 | 2.5% | -7.0% |
| 1988 | 3.0% | +23.4% |
| 1989 | 2.9% | -4.7% |
| 1990 | 2.4% | -16.0% |
| 1991 | 2.4% | -2.3% |
| 1992 | 2.2% | -8.1% |
| 1993 | 2.3% | +6.4% |
| 1994 | 2.4% | +3.5% |
| 1995 | 2.5% | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 2.6% | +4.3% |
| 1997 | 2.6% | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 2.5% | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 2.6% | +4.2% |
| 2000 | 2.6% | -2.7% |
| 2001 | 2.5% | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 2.6% | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 2.9% | +10.9% |
| 2004 | 2.8% | -2.4% |
| 2005 | 2.9% | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 2.8% | -4.6% |
| 2007 | 3.1% | +10.8% |
| 2008 | 3.3% | +9.4% |
| 2009 | 3.6% | +8.2% |
| 2010 | 3.7% | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 3.9% | +5.7% |
| 2012 | 3.7% | -3.5% |
| 2013 | 3.9% | +5.0% |
| 2014 | 4.1% | +5.5% |
| 2015 | 3.7% | -10.5% |
| 2016 | 4.0% | +8.3% |
| 2017 | 4.1% | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 3.5% | -13.4% |
| 2019 | 3.2% | -8.6% |
| 2020 | 2.8% | -12.8% |
| 2021 | 3.0% | +6.9% |
| 2022 | 3.0% | -1.7% |
| 2023 | 3.0% | +2.8% |
Hong Kong compared with similar countries
- Hong Kong's 3.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 11.2%, 27% of the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Hong Kong's 3.0% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.1%, 98% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.8% | 6.1% | 7.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.5% | 4.3% | 6.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.8% | 2.5% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.5% | 2.2% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.9% | 2.5% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.8% | 3.2% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.0% | 2.8% | 3.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Hong Kong
- 182 Bhutan 3.6% compare
- 183 San Marino 3.3% compare
- 184 Fiji 3.2% compare
- 186 North Korea 2.7% compare
- 187 Macao 2.6% compare
- 188 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 2.5% compare
More private sector data for Hong Kong
- Merchandise trade 371.0% (2025)
- Food imports 3.3% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 83.0% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 831.83 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 1.6% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 87.4% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 753.58 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 100,492 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 1.76 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 16.74 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Hong Kong?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Hong Kong was 3.0% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Hong Kong?
- The highest recorded value was 7.8% in 1963.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Hong Kong?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.2% in 1992.
- How does Hong Kong rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- Hong Kong ranks 185th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in Hong Kong?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Hong Kong 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.