Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Lower middle income
Lower middle income: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 35.2% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Lower middle income, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
Lower middle income recorded 35.2% for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.6% on the previous year and up 11.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Lower middle income peaked at 37.6% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 6.9%, in 1964.
That places Lower middle income 17th out of 47 groups with data for 2023, putting it 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 Lower middle income, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 8.3% | — |
| 1961 | 7.6% | -8.0% |
| 1962 | 7.8% | +1.8% |
| 1963 | 7.3% | -6.4% |
| 1964 | 6.9% | -5.0% |
| 1965 | 7.2% | +4.4% |
| 1966 | 8.7% | +20.9% |
| 1967 | 7.6% | -13.2% |
| 1968 | 7.4% | -2.1% |
| 1969 | 8.1% | +9.1% |
| 1970 | 8.3% | +2.5% |
| 1971 | 8.6% | +4.0% |
| 1972 | 8.7% | +1.3% |
| 1973 | 9.6% | +9.8% |
| 1974 | 11.0% | +14.4% |
| 1975 | 8.4% | -23.3% |
| 1976 | 7.9% | -6.0% |
| 1977 | 8.5% | +8.0% |
| 1978 | 8.2% | -3.9% |
| 1979 | 9.2% | +11.6% |
| 1980 | 11.2% | +22.2% |
| 1981 | 9.2% | -17.5% |
| 1982 | 8.8% | -5.1% |
| 1983 | 9.3% | +6.0% |
| 1984 | 10.6% | +13.8% |
| 1985 | 10.9% | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 9.4% | -13.7% |
| 1987 | 9.4% | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 9.6% | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 9.8% | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 10.8% | +10.1% |
| 1991 | 10.4% | -3.6% |
| 1992 | 11.4% | +10.1% |
| 1993 | 10.6% | -7.3% |
| 1994 | 12.7% | +20.1% |
| 1995 | 13.2% | +4.0% |
| 1996 | 13.6% | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 13.9% | +2.5% |
| 1998 | 15.1% | +9.0% |
| 1999 | 16.8% | +10.9% |
| 2000 | 15.5% | -7.6% |
| 2001 | 16.4% | +5.6% |
| 2002 | 18.4% | +12.4% |
| 2003 | 20.9% | +13.6% |
| 2004 | 20.8% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 22.0% | +5.5% |
| 2006 | 25.7% | +16.8% |
| 2007 | 27.3% | +6.3% |
| 2008 | 28.4% | +4.1% |
| 2009 | 29.6% | +4.0% |
| 2010 | 30.1% | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 31.0% | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 31.2% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 31.5% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 33.3% | +5.7% |
| 2015 | 34.7% | +4.3% |
| 2016 | 35.5% | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 36.8% | +3.6% |
| 2018 | 36.5% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 35.9% | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 37.1% | +3.4% |
| 2021 | 37.6% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 36.8% | -2.0% |
| 2023 | 35.2% | -4.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.7% | 6.9% | 8.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 8.8% | 7.9% | 11.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.8% | 8.8% | 11.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.8% | 10.4% | 16.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.5% | 15.5% | 29.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.7% | 30.1% | 36.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 36.7% | 35.2% | 37.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Lower middle income
- 14 Libya 48.4% compare
- 15 United States 47.4% compare
- 16 Niger 46.4% compare
- 17 Madagascar 45.7% compare
- 18 Liberia 45.5% compare
- 19 Kyrgyzstan 45.5% compare
- 20 Togo 45.1% compare
More private sector data for Lower middle income
- Merchandise trade 35.7% (2025)
- Food imports 9.8% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 51.4% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 1.56 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 14.8% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 50.0% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 1.06 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 358.3 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1444 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 5.93 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Lower middle income?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Lower middle income was 35.2% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Lower middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 37.6% in 2021.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Lower middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.9% in 1964.
- How does Lower middle income rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- Lower middle income ranks 17th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in Lower middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lower 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.