Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in South Asia
South Asia: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 38.3% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in South Asia, 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 South Asia is 38.3%, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 5.5% on the previous year and up 2.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in South Asia peaked at 43.4% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 10.9%, in 1965.
South Asia ranks 8th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in South Asia, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 13.7% | — |
| 1961 | 11.4% | -17.0% |
| 1962 | 13.3% | +16.9% |
| 1963 | 11.6% | -12.6% |
| 1964 | 12.2% | +5.2% |
| 1965 | 10.9% | -10.6% |
| 1966 | 15.4% | +41.2% |
| 1967 | 12.1% | -21.7% |
| 1968 | 14.7% | +21.6% |
| 1969 | 18.3% | +25.0% |
| 1970 | 20.2% | +10.4% |
| 1971 | 18.8% | -7.0% |
| 1972 | 18.9% | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 17.6% | -6.5% |
| 1974 | 24.5% | +39.1% |
| 1975 | 18.2% | -25.7% |
| 1976 | 20.1% | +10.5% |
| 1977 | 27.9% | +38.9% |
| 1978 | 24.7% | -11.4% |
| 1979 | 22.8% | -8.0% |
| 1980 | 27.1% | +19.0% |
| 1981 | 24.3% | -10.3% |
| 1982 | 20.5% | -15.7% |
| 1983 | 20.2% | -1.1% |
| 1984 | 20.3% | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 19.8% | -2.1% |
| 1986 | 15.7% | -21.1% |
| 1987 | 17.0% | +8.3% |
| 1988 | 16.9% | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 15.8% | -6.9% |
| 1990 | 17.1% | +8.7% |
| 1991 | 17.9% | +4.5% |
| 1992 | 19.6% | +9.5% |
| 1993 | 17.3% | -11.5% |
| 1994 | 19.5% | +12.5% |
| 1995 | 18.5% | -5.0% |
| 1996 | 19.6% | +5.5% |
| 1997 | 19.6% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 21.4% | +8.8% |
| 1999 | 26.0% | +21.9% |
| 2000 | 22.9% | -12.0% |
| 2001 | 22.9% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 24.9% | +8.4% |
| 2003 | 24.7% | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 25.0% | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 26.0% | +4.2% |
| 2006 | 32.9% | +26.6% |
| 2007 | 34.3% | +4.0% |
| 2008 | 34.5% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 36.4% | +5.5% |
| 2010 | 35.6% | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 36.6% | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 36.8% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 37.4% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 40.3% | +7.8% |
| 2015 | 41.4% | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 42.9% | +3.6% |
| 2017 | 43.4% | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 42.4% | -2.4% |
| 2019 | 40.6% | -4.2% |
| 2020 | 41.5% | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 41.2% | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 40.5% | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 38.3% | -5.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13.3% | 10.9% | 18.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 21.4% | 17.6% | 27.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.7% | 15.7% | 27.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 19.7% | 17.1% | 26.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.5% | 22.9% | 36.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.7% | 35.6% | 43.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.4% | 38.3% | 41.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
- 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
- 11 Chad 50.1% compare
More private sector data for South Asia
- Merchandise trade 30.0% (2025)
- Food imports 5.6% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 47.1% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 864.53 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 11.8% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 67.0% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 510.58 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 301.72 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1115 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 1.04 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in South Asia?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in South Asia was 38.3% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 43.4% in 2017.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.9% in 1965.
- How does South Asia rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- South Asia ranks 8th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Asia 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.