Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Switzerland
Switzerland: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 19.0% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Switzerland, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
Switzerland recorded 19.0% for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in 2023.
The figure is down 5.1% on the previous year and up 48.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Switzerland peaked at 21.4% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 4.3%, in 1990.
That places Switzerland 109th out of 206 countries 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 Switzerland, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 7.6% | — |
| 1961 | 7.0% | -8.2% |
| 1962 | 6.4% | -8.3% |
| 1963 | 6.1% | -4.7% |
| 1964 | 7.0% | +14.5% |
| 1965 | 6.9% | -2.0% |
| 1966 | 6.9% | +0.8% |
| 1967 | 7.8% | +13.5% |
| 1968 | 7.5% | -3.7% |
| 1969 | 7.1% | -6.6% |
| 1970 | 6.5% | -8.3% |
| 1971 | 5.9% | -8.3% |
| 1972 | 5.4% | -9.6% |
| 1973 | 5.9% | +10.3% |
| 1974 | 6.1% | +3.5% |
| 1975 | 5.7% | -6.8% |
| 1976 | 6.8% | +18.3% |
| 1977 | 6.8% | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 5.4% | -19.8% |
| 1979 | 12.2% | +124.7% |
| 1980 | 6.1% | -49.8% |
| 1981 | 5.6% | -8.4% |
| 1982 | 6.4% | +13.1% |
| 1983 | 6.7% | +5.5% |
| 1984 | 6.7% | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 6.3% | -5.9% |
| 1986 | 4.4% | -29.6% |
| 1987 | 4.3% | -1.4% |
| 1988 | 4.4% | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 4.3% | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 4.3% | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 4.6% | +7.5% |
| 1992 | 4.5% | -2.8% |
| 1993 | 5.0% | +12.0% |
| 1994 | 5.1% | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 5.2% | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 5.6% | +8.7% |
| 1997 | 5.6% | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 5.5% | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 5.4% | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 6.2% | +14.5% |
| 2001 | 5.9% | -4.4% |
| 2002 | 6.1% | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 6.1% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 6.4% | +5.5% |
| 2005 | 6.9% | +6.9% |
| 2006 | 7.4% | +7.2% |
| 2007 | 7.2% | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 7.8% | +7.5% |
| 2009 | 8.7% | +12.0% |
| 2010 | 8.8% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 8.6% | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 15.3% | +76.9% |
| 2013 | 12.8% | -16.3% |
| 2014 | 14.9% | +16.8% |
| 2015 | 15.4% | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 16.3% | +5.6% |
| 2017 | 16.1% | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 16.2% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 19.3% | +19.5% |
| 2020 | 21.4% | +10.8% |
| 2021 | 18.3% | -14.3% |
| 2022 | 20.0% | +9.3% |
| 2023 | 19.0% | -5.1% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 19.0% is above the median for high income countries, which is 11.2%, 1.7× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 19.0% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 15.8%, 1.2× the median. (53 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Switzerland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | +124.7% | 5.4% | 12.2% |
| 2012 | +76.9% | 8.6% | 15.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.0% | 6.1% | 7.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.7% | 5.4% | 12.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.5% | 4.3% | 6.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.1% | 4.3% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.9% | 5.9% | 8.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.4% | 8.6% | 19.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.7% | 18.3% | 21.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
- 106 Serbia 20.2% compare
- 107 Palestine 20.1% compare
- 108 Costa Rica 20.1% compare
- 110 Guatemala 18.8% compare
- 111 Seychelles 18.4% compare
- 112 Guinea-Bissau 18.2% compare
More private sector data for Switzerland
- Merchandise trade 101.7% (2025)
- Food imports 4.6% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 60.8% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 507.43 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 2.5% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 68.5% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 554.16 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 60,947 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.531 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 23.89 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Switzerland?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Switzerland was 19.0% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 21.4% in 2020.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.3% in 1990.
- How does Switzerland rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- Switzerland ranks 109th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 48.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Switzerland 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.