Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 43.6% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 43.6%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
The figure is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 36.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 43.6% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 6.3%, in 1978.
That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 3rd out of 47 groups 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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 8.2% | — |
| 1961 | 8.1% | -0.8% |
| 1962 | 8.2% | +1.5% |
| 1963 | 8.1% | -1.0% |
| 1964 | 8.3% | +1.4% |
| 1965 | 8.4% | +2.1% |
| 1966 | 9.4% | +11.2% |
| 1967 | 9.0% | -4.4% |
| 1968 | 8.2% | -8.6% |
| 1969 | 8.3% | +1.7% |
| 1970 | 9.2% | +10.6% |
| 1971 | 9.0% | -2.1% |
| 1972 | 9.6% | +6.5% |
| 1973 | 8.9% | -7.2% |
| 1974 | 9.5% | +6.3% |
| 1975 | 8.3% | -12.7% |
| 1976 | 7.3% | -11.6% |
| 1977 | 7.0% | -4.8% |
| 1978 | 6.3% | -8.8% |
| 1979 | 6.7% | +5.1% |
| 1980 | 6.7% | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 7.0% | +4.9% |
| 1982 | 7.5% | +6.3% |
| 1983 | 8.2% | +10.2% |
| 1984 | 9.2% | +12.1% |
| 1985 | 10.2% | +10.6% |
| 1986 | 10.2% | -0.2% |
| 1987 | 11.3% | +11.7% |
| 1988 | 11.4% | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 11.7% | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 11.1% | -4.6% |
| 1991 | 11.4% | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 11.4% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 12.9% | +13.6% |
| 1994 | 13.7% | +6.3% |
| 1995 | 15.4% | +11.8% |
| 1996 | 15.9% | +3.2% |
| 1997 | 15.5% | -2.3% |
| 1998 | 16.0% | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 15.9% | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 17.3% | +8.7% |
| 2001 | 18.6% | +7.3% |
| 2002 | 19.4% | +4.7% |
| 2003 | 21.9% | +12.6% |
| 2004 | 23.3% | +6.7% |
| 2005 | 24.2% | +3.9% |
| 2006 | 24.3% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 25.8% | +6.3% |
| 2008 | 28.3% | +9.6% |
| 2009 | 29.3% | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 31.1% | +6.0% |
| 2011 | 31.6% | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 33.6% | +6.3% |
| 2013 | 32.1% | -4.6% |
| 2014 | 33.2% | +3.4% |
| 2015 | 34.1% | +3.0% |
| 2016 | 34.3% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 38.0% | +10.7% |
| 2018 | 36.9% | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 39.1% | +5.9% |
| 2020 | 41.3% | +5.8% |
| 2021 | 42.4% | +2.5% |
| 2022 | 42.8% | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 43.6% | +2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 8.4% | 8.1% | 9.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 8.2% | 6.3% | 9.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.3% | 6.7% | 11.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.9% | 11.1% | 16.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.2% | 17.3% | 29.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.4% | 31.1% | 39.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.5% | 41.3% | 43.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
More private sector data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Merchandise trade 47.2% (2025)
- Food imports 11.7% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 60.4% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 1.70 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 4.1% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 23.8% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 1.79 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 2,163 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.3487 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 5.5 % change on previous year (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 43.6% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 43.6% in 2023.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.3% in 1978.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 3rd out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 36.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 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.