Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Low income
Low income: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 39.7% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Low income, 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 Low income stood at 39.7%.
That represents a change of down 1.0% on the previous year and up 19.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Low income peaked at 42.8% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 7.0%, in 1985.
Low income ranks 7th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
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 income, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 12.0% | — |
| 1961 | 11.7% | -2.2% |
| 1962 | 12.6% | +7.5% |
| 1963 | 9.5% | -24.2% |
| 1964 | 9.4% | -1.3% |
| 1965 | 10.2% | +8.0% |
| 1966 | 10.1% | -0.9% |
| 1967 | 10.2% | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 8.7% | -14.2% |
| 1969 | 10.9% | +24.3% |
| 1970 | 8.7% | -19.7% |
| 1971 | 12.0% | +37.6% |
| 1972 | 10.6% | -11.9% |
| 1973 | 10.6% | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 12.6% | +19.5% |
| 1975 | 11.8% | -6.3% |
| 1976 | 10.1% | -14.4% |
| 1977 | 10.8% | +6.8% |
| 1978 | 9.4% | -12.9% |
| 1979 | 8.6% | -8.5% |
| 1980 | 8.3% | -3.8% |
| 1981 | 8.2% | -1.0% |
| 1982 | 10.0% | +22.1% |
| 1983 | 7.9% | -21.3% |
| 1984 | 7.6% | -3.8% |
| 1985 | 7.0% | -7.1% |
| 1986 | 9.4% | +33.5% |
| 1987 | 8.3% | -11.6% |
| 1988 | 11.1% | +33.9% |
| 1989 | 10.4% | -6.2% |
| 1990 | 11.5% | +10.5% |
| 1991 | 12.7% | +10.2% |
| 1992 | 12.1% | -4.8% |
| 1993 | 12.1% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 13.0% | +7.5% |
| 1995 | 14.8% | +14.4% |
| 1996 | 14.5% | -2.5% |
| 1997 | 15.0% | +4.1% |
| 1998 | 15.0% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 16.8% | +12.0% |
| 2000 | 25.5% | +51.6% |
| 2001 | 26.1% | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 27.7% | +6.3% |
| 2003 | 30.9% | +11.4% |
| 2004 | 31.6% | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 31.0% | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 28.3% | -8.7% |
| 2007 | 29.1% | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 32.1% | +10.4% |
| 2009 | 37.8% | +17.6% |
| 2010 | 36.0% | -4.6% |
| 2011 | 33.1% | -8.1% |
| 2012 | 31.9% | -3.6% |
| 2013 | 33.3% | +4.2% |
| 2014 | 37.9% | +13.9% |
| 2015 | 39.6% | +4.6% |
| 2016 | 39.6% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 38.8% | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 38.4% | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 39.0% | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 41.1% | +5.4% |
| 2021 | 42.8% | +4.1% |
| 2022 | 40.1% | -6.4% |
| 2023 | 39.7% | -1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 10.5% | 8.7% | 12.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.5% | 8.6% | 12.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.8% | 7.0% | 11.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.8% | 11.5% | 16.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 30.0% | 25.5% | 37.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.8% | 31.9% | 39.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.9% | 39.7% | 42.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Low income
- 4 Djibouti 60.0% compare
- 5 Ethiopia 59.7% compare
- 6 Russia 58.6% compare
- 7 United Arab Emirates 56.4% compare
- 8 Sierra Leone 54.8% compare
- 9 Eritrea 51.5% compare
- 10 Bangladesh 50.6% compare
More private sector data for Low income
- Merchandise trade 40.8% (2025)
- Food imports 17.6% (2019)
- Manufactures imports 59.0% (2019)
- Merchandise imports 152.49 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports 106.71 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 139.04 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.166 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 15.25 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 198.69 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2373 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Low income?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Low income was 39.7% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Low income?
- The highest recorded value was 42.8% in 2021.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Low income?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.0% in 1985.
- How does Low income rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- Low income ranks 7th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in Low income?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Low 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.