Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Small states
Small states: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 12.3% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Small states, 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 Small states stood at 12.3%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.6% on the previous year and down 11.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Small states peaked at 24.8% in 1977 and was at its lowest, 2.5%, in 1964.
That places Small states 44th out of 47 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom 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 Small states, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4.1% | — |
| 1961 | 3.0% | -26.6% |
| 1962 | 3.0% | -0.5% |
| 1963 | 2.8% | -7.3% |
| 1964 | 2.5% | -10.0% |
| 1965 | 3.4% | +34.7% |
| 1966 | 3.1% | -8.6% |
| 1967 | 3.0% | -1.7% |
| 1968 | 2.6% | -13.3% |
| 1969 | 3.5% | +34.2% |
| 1970 | 5.6% | +58.6% |
| 1971 | 13.6% | +144.3% |
| 1972 | 13.9% | +2.1% |
| 1973 | 16.7% | +20.2% |
| 1974 | 23.9% | +43.3% |
| 1975 | 24.7% | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 22.0% | -10.8% |
| 1977 | 24.8% | +12.9% |
| 1978 | 23.6% | -4.8% |
| 1979 | 18.4% | -22.0% |
| 1980 | 5.8% | -68.6% |
| 1981 | 14.6% | +151.8% |
| 1982 | 10.6% | -27.0% |
| 1983 | 15.5% | +45.8% |
| 1984 | 19.4% | +24.7% |
| 1985 | 17.8% | -8.3% |
| 1986 | 15.8% | -10.8% |
| 1987 | 10.3% | -34.9% |
| 1988 | 7.4% | -27.9% |
| 1989 | 6.7% | -10.1% |
| 1990 | 4.9% | -27.3% |
| 1991 | 5.3% | +8.3% |
| 1992 | 5.7% | +8.6% |
| 1993 | 4.9% | -14.0% |
| 1994 | 5.4% | +10.4% |
| 1995 | 6.1% | +11.8% |
| 1996 | 5.7% | -6.4% |
| 1997 | 5.5% | -3.4% |
| 1998 | 6.2% | +12.5% |
| 1999 | 6.8% | +9.8% |
| 2000 | 7.2% | +5.7% |
| 2001 | 8.3% | +15.5% |
| 2002 | 10.0% | +20.9% |
| 2003 | 9.9% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 8.4% | -15.6% |
| 2005 | 8.7% | +3.7% |
| 2006 | 9.7% | +11.0% |
| 2007 | 10.5% | +9.2% |
| 2008 | 11.0% | +4.3% |
| 2009 | 12.0% | +9.4% |
| 2010 | 13.5% | +11.8% |
| 2011 | 12.8% | -4.9% |
| 2012 | 13.3% | +3.8% |
| 2013 | 13.9% | +4.9% |
| 2014 | 15.3% | +9.8% |
| 2015 | 15.2% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 13.6% | -10.6% |
| 2017 | 12.1% | -11.1% |
| 2018 | 12.8% | +5.9% |
| 2019 | 14.0% | +9.1% |
| 2020 | 12.5% | -10.4% |
| 2021 | 12.5% | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 12.8% | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 12.3% | -3.6% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Small states changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | +151.8% | 5.8% | 14.6% |
| 1971 | +144.3% | 5.6% | 13.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.1% | 2.5% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 18.7% | 5.6% | 24.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.4% | 5.8% | 19.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.6% | 4.9% | 6.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.6% | 7.2% | 12.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.7% | 12.1% | 15.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.5% | 12.3% | 12.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Small states
- 41 Ghana 36.6% compare
- 42 Democratic Republic of Congo 36.6% compare
- 43 Kuwait 36.4% compare
- 44 Cote d'Ivoire 36.0% compare
- 45 Bahrain 35.9% compare
- 46 Equatorial Guinea 34.9% compare
- 47 Sudan 33.9% compare
More private sector data for Small states
- Merchandise trade 70.4% (2025)
- Food imports 16.0% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 60.8% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 141.38 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 19.2% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 43.9% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 100.88 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 4,958 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2991 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 2.68 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Small states?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Small states was 12.3% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Small states?
- The highest recorded value was 24.8% in 1977.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Small states?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.5% in 1964.
- How does Small states rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- Small states ranks 44th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in Small states?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Small states 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.