Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 35.7% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Least developed countries, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
Least developed countries recorded 35.7% for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in 2023. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.7% on the previous year and up 25.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Least developed countries peaked at 35.7% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 8.2%, in 1968.
Least developed countries ranks 15th 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 Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 11.4% | — |
| 1961 | 11.0% | -3.1% |
| 1962 | 10.4% | -6.2% |
| 1963 | 8.5% | -17.8% |
| 1964 | 8.7% | +1.8% |
| 1965 | 8.7% | +0.7% |
| 1966 | 8.5% | -2.5% |
| 1967 | 8.5% | +0.1% |
| 1968 | 8.2% | -3.7% |
| 1969 | 9.5% | +15.5% |
| 1970 | 8.4% | -11.5% |
| 1971 | 11.2% | +33.8% |
| 1972 | 10.2% | -9.1% |
| 1973 | 10.9% | +6.7% |
| 1974 | 12.0% | +10.3% |
| 1975 | 10.5% | -12.8% |
| 1976 | 11.0% | +5.2% |
| 1977 | 12.7% | +15.6% |
| 1978 | 10.5% | -17.8% |
| 1979 | 10.5% | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 10.7% | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 10.4% | -2.8% |
| 1982 | 11.1% | +6.7% |
| 1983 | 9.3% | -16.2% |
| 1984 | 11.2% | +20.3% |
| 1985 | 10.3% | -7.7% |
| 1986 | 9.8% | -4.5% |
| 1987 | 10.4% | +5.2% |
| 1988 | 11.2% | +7.9% |
| 1989 | 11.0% | -1.4% |
| 1990 | 10.2% | -7.0% |
| 1991 | 10.9% | +6.8% |
| 1992 | 12.1% | +10.4% |
| 1993 | 11.9% | -1.2% |
| 1994 | 12.7% | +6.7% |
| 1995 | 12.6% | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 13.5% | +6.9% |
| 1997 | 13.9% | +3.0% |
| 1998 | 13.3% | -4.3% |
| 1999 | 14.4% | +8.1% |
| 2000 | 18.9% | +31.5% |
| 2001 | 19.4% | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 21.0% | +7.9% |
| 2003 | 21.5% | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 21.4% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 24.2% | +12.7% |
| 2006 | 23.5% | -2.9% |
| 2007 | 25.7% | +9.4% |
| 2008 | 25.7% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 29.0% | +12.7% |
| 2010 | 28.6% | -1.4% |
| 2011 | 28.2% | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 28.0% | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 28.5% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 31.1% | +9.1% |
| 2015 | 31.6% | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 33.2% | +5.3% |
| 2017 | 31.9% | -4.0% |
| 2018 | 32.6% | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 32.5% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 34.0% | +4.5% |
| 2021 | 35.0% | +3.1% |
| 2022 | 35.1% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 35.7% | +1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 9.3% | 8.2% | 11.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.8% | 8.4% | 12.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.5% | 9.3% | 11.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.6% | 10.2% | 14.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.0% | 18.9% | 29.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.6% | 28.0% | 33.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.9% | 34.0% | 35.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
- 12 Tanzania, United Republic of 49.4% compare
- 13 Iran, Islamic Republic of 48.5% compare
- 14 Libya 48.4% compare
- 15 United States of America 47.4% compare
- 16 Niger 46.4% compare
- 17 Madagascar 45.7% compare
- 18 Liberia 45.5% compare
More private sector data for Least developed countries
- Merchandise trade 41.4% (2025)
- Food imports 15.6% (2019)
- Manufactures imports 62.6% (2019)
- Merchandise imports 376.94 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 15.1% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 20.1% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 311.48 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 256.54 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1884 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 10.88 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Least developed countries?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Least developed countries was 35.7% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 35.7% in 2023.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.2% in 1968.
- How does Least developed countries rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- Least developed countries ranks 15th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Least developed 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.