Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Uganda
Uganda: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 38.1% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Uganda, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
Uganda recorded 38.1% for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in 2023.
That represents a change of down 10.2% on the previous year and down 20.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Uganda peaked at 48.0% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 3.3%, in 1976.
Uganda ranks 37th of 206 countries on this measure, 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 Uganda, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 6.1% | — |
| 1961 | 7.5% | +22.2% |
| 1962 | 7.1% | -4.9% |
| 1963 | 10.6% | +48.9% |
| 1964 | 11.2% | +6.2% |
| 1965 | 10.6% | -5.6% |
| 1966 | 12.8% | +20.9% |
| 1967 | 8.6% | -32.7% |
| 1968 | 6.8% | -21.5% |
| 1969 | 7.7% | +13.7% |
| 1970 | 7.1% | -8.0% |
| 1971 | 7.0% | -1.1% |
| 1972 | 6.8% | -3.5% |
| 1973 | 5.6% | -17.6% |
| 1974 | 7.9% | +41.5% |
| 1975 | 8.3% | +5.2% |
| 1976 | 3.3% | -60.5% |
| 1977 | 5.8% | +78.1% |
| 1978 | 10.8% | +85.1% |
| 1979 | 14.2% | +31.9% |
| 1980 | 14.2% | -0.4% |
| 1981 | 8.5% | -40.0% |
| 1982 | 10.1% | +18.6% |
| 1983 | 14.4% | +42.4% |
| 1984 | 5.0% | -65.5% |
| 1985 | 6.8% | +37.6% |
| 1986 | 17.0% | +148.4% |
| 1987 | 15.5% | -8.5% |
| 1988 | 19.9% | +28.4% |
| 1989 | 11.3% | -43.5% |
| 1990 | 5.5% | -50.8% |
| 1991 | 14.7% | +164.3% |
| 1992 | 10.8% | -26.4% |
| 1993 | 10.7% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 10.0% | -7.0% |
| 1995 | 10.0% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 8.4% | -15.7% |
| 1997 | 9.2% | +8.8% |
| 1998 | 10.2% | +11.6% |
| 1999 | 9.7% | -5.0% |
| 2000 | 15.3% | +57.4% |
| 2001 | 16.8% | +9.5% |
| 2002 | 13.6% | -18.8% |
| 2003 | 19.9% | +45.8% |
| 2004 | 22.1% | +11.4% |
| 2005 | 19.7% | -11.0% |
| 2006 | 20.4% | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 24.4% | +19.9% |
| 2008 | 27.9% | +14.2% |
| 2009 | 30.7% | +10.2% |
| 2010 | 34.3% | +11.6% |
| 2011 | 36.8% | +7.5% |
| 2012 | 44.3% | +20.4% |
| 2013 | 48.0% | +8.2% |
| 2014 | 47.6% | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 46.0% | -3.3% |
| 2016 | 45.9% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 43.4% | -5.6% |
| 2018 | 40.5% | -6.7% |
| 2019 | 39.4% | -2.5% |
| 2020 | 39.3% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 41.0% | +4.2% |
| 2022 | 42.4% | +3.4% |
| 2023 | 38.1% | -10.2% |
Uganda compared with similar countries
- Uganda's 38.1% is above the median for low income countries, which is 36.9%, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Uganda's 38.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 33.0%, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Uganda 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +164.3% | 5.5% | 14.7% |
| 1986 | +148.4% | 6.8% | 17.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 8.9% | 6.1% | 12.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 7.7% | 3.3% | 14.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.3% | 5.0% | 19.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.9% | 5.5% | 14.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.1% | 13.6% | 30.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.6% | 34.3% | 48.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.2% | 38.1% | 42.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
More private sector data for Uganda
- Merchandise trade 49.9% (2025)
- Food imports 10.7% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 47.3% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 18.40 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 39.3% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 14.3% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 12.50 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 243.26 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2017 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 55.49 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Uganda?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Uganda was 38.1% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 48.0% in 2013.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.3% in 1976.
- How does Uganda rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- Uganda ranks 37th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Uganda 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.