Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Liberia
Liberia: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 45.5% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Liberia, 1967–2023
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 Liberia stood at 45.5%.
That represents a change of down 2.1% on the previous year and down 10.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Liberia peaked at 56.5% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 1.2%, in 1967.
That places Liberia 18th out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 Liberia, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 1.2% | — |
| 1968 | 1.8% | +49.0% |
| 1969 | 2.6% | +42.8% |
| 1970 | 3.0% | +15.8% |
| 1971 | 4.6% | +50.6% |
| 1972 | 4.9% | +6.6% |
| 1973 | 6.6% | +36.1% |
| 1974 | 3.4% | -48.9% |
| 1975 | 2.9% | -14.1% |
| 1976 | 3.4% | +15.6% |
| 1977 | 4.5% | +34.7% |
| 1978 | 5.1% | +12.4% |
| 1979 | 5.0% | -3.1% |
| 1980 | 5.0% | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 3.6% | -27.7% |
| 1982 | 5.1% | +41.6% |
| 1983 | 6.8% | +34.1% |
| 1984 | 8.1% | +17.8% |
| 1985 | 8.1% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 4.6% | -43.1% |
| 1987 | 2.0% | -55.8% |
| 1988 | 11.0% | +444.6% |
| 1989 | 6.1% | -45.0% |
| 1990 | 2.1% | -64.7% |
| 1991 | 2.0% | -7.6% |
| 1992 | 4.7% | +136.6% |
| 1993 | 2.7% | -41.8% |
| 1994 | 4.4% | +62.8% |
| 1995 | 3.1% | -30.5% |
| 1996 | 5.9% | +91.8% |
| 1997 | 4.2% | -28.6% |
| 1998 | 1.7% | -58.8% |
| 1999 | 1.6% | -5.0% |
| 2000 | 51.5% | +3023.5% |
| 2001 | 51.3% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 51.1% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 50.9% | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 51.1% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 51.1% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 51.0% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 51.3% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 51.5% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 51.3% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 51.8% | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 51.8% | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 51.3% | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 50.6% | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 49.2% | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 46.8% | -4.9% |
| 2016 | 42.9% | -8.3% |
| 2017 | 42.2% | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 54.0% | +28.1% |
| 2019 | 56.5% | +4.6% |
| 2020 | 54.1% | -4.2% |
| 2021 | 55.7% | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 46.5% | -16.5% |
| 2023 | 45.5% | -2.1% |
Liberia compared with similar countries
- Liberia's 45.5% is above the median for low income countries, which is 36.9%, 1.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Liberia's 45.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 33.0%, 1.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Liberia 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 | +3023.5% | 1.6% | 51.5% |
| 1988 | +444.6% | 2.0% | 11.0% |
| 1992 | +136.6% | 2.0% | 4.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.9% | 1.2% | 2.6% | 3 |
| 1970s | 4.3% | 2.9% | 6.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.0% | 2.0% | 11.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.2% | 1.6% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 51.2% | 50.9% | 51.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.7% | 42.2% | 56.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.5% | 45.5% | 55.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Liberia
- 15 United States 47.4% compare
- 16 Niger 46.4% compare
- 17 Madagascar 45.7% compare
- 19 Kyrgyzstan 45.5% compare
- 20 Togo 45.1% compare
- 21 Pakistan 44.9% compare
More private sector data for Liberia
- Merchandise trade 87.0% (2025)
- Food imports 23.1% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 42.8% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 2.49 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 24.5% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 9.9% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 2.07 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 360.83 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.3942 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 57.86 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Liberia?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Liberia was 45.5% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Liberia?
- The highest recorded value was 56.5% in 2019.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Liberia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.2% in 1967.
- How does Liberia rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- Liberia ranks 18th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in Liberia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Liberia 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.