Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 39.1% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Saudi Arabia, 1964–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 39.1% for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 26.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Saudi Arabia peaked at 39.1% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 4.7%, in 1976.
That places Saudi Arabia 30th out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 13.7% | — |
| 1965 | 11.9% | -13.7% |
| 1966 | 11.9% | +0.5% |
| 1967 | 12.6% | +5.9% |
| 1968 | 15.8% | +25.2% |
| 1969 | 12.6% | -20.3% |
| 1970 | 13.1% | +4.0% |
| 1971 | 11.9% | -9.5% |
| 1972 | 9.3% | -21.9% |
| 1973 | 7.1% | -22.9% |
| 1974 | 7.9% | +11.3% |
| 1975 | 5.8% | -26.9% |
| 1976 | 4.7% | -18.9% |
| 1977 | 5.5% | +16.1% |
| 1978 | 6.1% | +12.3% |
| 1979 | 6.2% | +1.6% |
| 1980 | 6.5% | +4.1% |
| 1981 | 5.8% | -11.3% |
| 1982 | 5.6% | -3.5% |
| 1983 | 5.9% | +5.9% |
| 1984 | 6.9% | +16.7% |
| 1985 | 8.3% | +20.7% |
| 1986 | 9.3% | +11.6% |
| 1987 | 9.9% | +6.6% |
| 1988 | 11.0% | +11.2% |
| 1989 | 10.5% | -4.0% |
| 1990 | 10.3% | -2.6% |
| 1991 | 10.8% | +4.7% |
| 1992 | 10.5% | -2.4% |
| 1993 | 13.8% | +31.9% |
| 1994 | 13.0% | -5.9% |
| 1995 | 15.3% | +17.6% |
| 1996 | 16.2% | +5.7% |
| 1997 | 15.5% | -4.6% |
| 1998 | 16.7% | +7.9% |
| 1999 | 16.6% | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 17.4% | +5.2% |
| 2001 | 17.1% | -1.9% |
| 2002 | 18.4% | +7.8% |
| 2003 | 19.3% | +4.8% |
| 2004 | 20.8% | +7.7% |
| 2005 | 22.2% | +6.7% |
| 2006 | 24.1% | +8.6% |
| 2007 | 24.5% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 27.9% | +13.9% |
| 2009 | 27.4% | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 29.7% | +8.3% |
| 2011 | 30.9% | +3.9% |
| 2012 | 30.8% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 30.9% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 32.1% | +3.8% |
| 2015 | 32.0% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 32.7% | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 33.9% | +3.5% |
| 2018 | 34.0% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 37.1% | +9.1% |
| 2020 | 38.1% | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 36.7% | -3.8% |
| 2022 | 39.1% | +6.7% |
| 2023 | 39.1% | -0.0% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 39.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 11.2%, 3.5× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 39.1% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 38.3%, 1.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13.1% | 11.9% | 15.8% | 6 |
| 1970s | 7.8% | 4.7% | 13.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.0% | 5.6% | 11.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.9% | 10.3% | 16.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.9% | 17.1% | 27.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.4% | 29.7% | 37.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.3% | 36.7% | 39.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More private sector data for Saudi Arabia
- Merchandise trade 44.2% (2025)
- Food imports 13.0% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 70.5% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 254.06 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 1.9% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 15.9% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 310.67 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 8,403 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2433 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 1.69 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Saudi Arabia?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Saudi Arabia was 39.1% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 39.1% in 2022.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.7% in 1976.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 30th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.