Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Low & middle income
Low & middle income: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 22.9% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Low & middle income, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
Low & middle income recorded 22.9% for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in 2023. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 7.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Low & middle income peaked at 22.9% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 5.4%, in 1961.
Low & middle income ranks 31st 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 Low & middle income, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 6.0% | — |
| 1961 | 5.4% | -8.9% |
| 1962 | 5.8% | +6.7% |
| 1963 | 5.6% | -2.7% |
| 1964 | 5.8% | +3.0% |
| 1965 | 5.9% | +0.7% |
| 1966 | 6.7% | +13.9% |
| 1967 | 5.7% | -14.4% |
| 1968 | 5.5% | -3.7% |
| 1969 | 6.0% | +9.1% |
| 1970 | 6.0% | -0.3% |
| 1971 | 6.2% | +4.0% |
| 1972 | 6.1% | -1.3% |
| 1973 | 6.8% | +10.3% |
| 1974 | 8.7% | +29.1% |
| 1975 | 8.0% | -8.6% |
| 1976 | 8.2% | +3.2% |
| 1977 | 8.3% | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 7.9% | -4.9% |
| 1979 | 8.7% | +10.6% |
| 1980 | 9.7% | +11.4% |
| 1981 | 8.6% | -11.8% |
| 1982 | 9.1% | +5.8% |
| 1983 | 9.8% | +8.0% |
| 1984 | 10.1% | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 10.3% | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 8.1% | -21.0% |
| 1987 | 8.8% | +8.2% |
| 1988 | 8.4% | -4.6% |
| 1989 | 8.7% | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 8.2% | -5.5% |
| 1991 | 6.6% | -19.6% |
| 1992 | 6.3% | -4.9% |
| 1993 | 6.2% | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 6.3% | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 6.9% | +9.8% |
| 1996 | 7.6% | +10.0% |
| 1997 | 7.7% | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 7.9% | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 8.3% | +5.6% |
| 2000 | 9.0% | +8.9% |
| 2001 | 9.9% | +9.4% |
| 2002 | 10.4% | +4.8% |
| 2003 | 11.9% | +15.0% |
| 2004 | 13.0% | +8.9% |
| 2005 | 13.9% | +7.3% |
| 2006 | 15.5% | +11.6% |
| 2007 | 17.0% | +9.8% |
| 2008 | 18.9% | +10.7% |
| 2009 | 19.4% | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 19.9% | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 20.7% | +4.1% |
| 2012 | 21.1% | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 21.3% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 21.9% | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 21.3% | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 20.9% | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 21.6% | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 21.9% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 22.0% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 21.7% | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 22.2% | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 22.8% | +2.5% |
| 2023 | 22.9% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.8% | 5.4% | 6.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 7.5% | 6.0% | 8.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.1% | 8.1% | 10.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.2% | 6.2% | 8.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.9% | 9.0% | 19.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.3% | 19.9% | 22.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.4% | 21.7% | 22.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Low & middle income
- 28 Syria 40.5% compare
- 29 Venezuela 40.2% compare
- 30 Saudi Arabia 39.1% compare
- 31 Paraguay 38.9% compare
- 32 Uzbekistan 38.8% compare
- 33 South Africa 38.6% compare
- 34 Guinea 38.4% compare
More private sector data for Low & middle income
- Merchandise trade 41.5% (2025)
- Food imports 8.8% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 58.0% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 8.33 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 10.2% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 72.6% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 8.84 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 1,301 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.213 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 6.48 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Low & middle income?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Low & middle income was 22.9% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Low & middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 22.9% in 2023.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Low & middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.4% in 1961.
- How does Low & middle income rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- Low & middle income ranks 31st out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in Low & middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Low & middle income 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.