Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)
Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries): Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 28.3% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries), 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 Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) stood at 28.3%.
That represents a change of down 3.0% on the previous year and up 22.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 29.7% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.9%, in 1961.
Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 23rd of 47 groups 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 Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.1% | — |
| 1961 | 0.9% | -19.2% |
| 1962 | 1.1% | +27.8% |
| 1963 | 1.3% | +17.6% |
| 1964 | 1.5% | +14.7% |
| 1965 | 1.6% | +9.1% |
| 1966 | 1.8% | +13.9% |
| 1967 | 1.5% | -18.2% |
| 1968 | 1.6% | +7.1% |
| 1969 | 1.9% | +22.2% |
| 1970 | 2.1% | +8.0% |
| 1971 | 2.4% | +14.7% |
| 1972 | 2.9% | +19.4% |
| 1973 | 3.6% | +23.3% |
| 1974 | 6.8% | +91.9% |
| 1975 | 6.0% | -12.0% |
| 1976 | 7.3% | +22.2% |
| 1977 | 6.7% | -8.2% |
| 1978 | 6.7% | -1.1% |
| 1979 | 8.9% | +33.4% |
| 1980 | 8.9% | -0.0% |
| 1981 | 6.6% | -25.7% |
| 1982 | 7.2% | +8.8% |
| 1983 | 8.1% | +12.3% |
| 1984 | 8.6% | +7.2% |
| 1985 | 9.0% | +3.9% |
| 1986 | 5.3% | -40.8% |
| 1987 | 5.8% | +9.9% |
| 1988 | 4.6% | -21.8% |
| 1989 | 5.0% | +10.1% |
| 1990 | 4.9% | -2.2% |
| 1991 | 3.4% | -31.3% |
| 1992 | 2.7% | -18.7% |
| 1993 | 3.2% | +15.6% |
| 1994 | 3.4% | +6.0% |
| 1995 | 3.9% | +17.3% |
| 1996 | 4.7% | +18.6% |
| 1997 | 4.8% | +2.4% |
| 1998 | 4.7% | -2.1% |
| 1999 | 4.9% | +3.7% |
| 2000 | 6.0% | +22.9% |
| 2001 | 7.0% | +17.2% |
| 2002 | 7.7% | +10.1% |
| 2003 | 9.6% | +24.4% |
| 2004 | 11.9% | +23.4% |
| 2005 | 13.2% | +11.1% |
| 2006 | 15.1% | +14.5% |
| 2007 | 16.9% | +11.8% |
| 2008 | 18.1% | +7.1% |
| 2009 | 18.6% | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 20.9% | +12.3% |
| 2011 | 21.6% | +3.4% |
| 2012 | 21.8% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 23.2% | +6.3% |
| 2014 | 24.1% | +4.1% |
| 2015 | 25.4% | +5.2% |
| 2016 | 25.1% | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 25.5% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 26.2% | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 27.5% | +4.9% |
| 2020 | 29.2% | +6.1% |
| 2021 | 29.7% | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 29.2% | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 28.3% | -3.0% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | +91.9% | 3.6% | 6.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.4% | 0.9% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.3% | 2.1% | 8.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.9% | 4.6% | 9.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.1% | 2.7% | 4.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.4% | 6.0% | 18.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.1% | 20.9% | 27.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.1% | 28.3% | 29.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)
More private sector data for Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Merchandise trade 44.2% (2025)
- Food imports 9.0% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 73.2% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 1.57 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 19.7% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 56.4% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 1.55 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 2,373 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2193 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 6.04 % change on previous year (2025)
All data for Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) was 28.3% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 29.7% in 2021.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.9% in 1961.
- How does Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 23rd out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 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.