Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Vanuatu
Vanuatu: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 1.2% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Vanuatu, 1964–2023
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 Vanuatu stood at 1.2%.
That represents a change of up 4.0% on the previous year and up 57.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Vanuatu peaked at 4.0% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1982.
That places Vanuatu 196th out of 206 countries 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 Vanuatu, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 0.3% | — |
| 1965 | 0.4% | +31.2% |
| 1966 | 1.1% | +157.9% |
| 1967 | 0.6% | -42.0% |
| 1968 | 0.8% | +30.7% |
| 1972 | 0.5% | -35.8% |
| 1973 | 0.7% | +25.9% |
| 1974 | 1.0% | +40.4% |
| 1975 | 0.6% | -40.1% |
| 1981 | 0.0% | -93.4% |
| 1982 | 0.0% | -55.1% |
| 1983 | 0.1% | +576.4% |
| 1984 | 0.3% | +125.7% |
| 1985 | 0.3% | +33.4% |
| 1987 | 0.1% | -75.8% |
| 1988 | 0.0% | -48.9% |
| 1989 | 4.0% | +9300.1% |
| 1990 | 0.3% | -92.4% |
| 1991 | 1.9% | +521.9% |
| 1992 | 1.2% | -37.0% |
| 1993 | 0.6% | -48.9% |
| 1994 | 1.3% | +113.8% |
| 1995 | 1.4% | +4.3% |
| 1996 | 2.9% | +107.5% |
| 1997 | 0.2% | -94.2% |
| 1998 | 0.4% | +117.1% |
| 1999 | 0.2% | -37.3% |
| 2000 | 0.6% | +187.5% |
| 2001 | 1.4% | +122.4% |
| 2002 | 1.8% | +29.0% |
| 2003 | 1.8% | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 1.5% | -15.3% |
| 2005 | 1.3% | -14.6% |
| 2006 | 1.4% | +5.7% |
| 2007 | 1.2% | -15.4% |
| 2008 | 1.3% | +8.1% |
| 2009 | 2.0% | +55.6% |
| 2010 | 2.2% | +12.5% |
| 2011 | 2.1% | -8.3% |
| 2012 | 1.0% | -49.1% |
| 2013 | 0.8% | -27.7% |
| 2014 | 0.6% | -17.3% |
| 2015 | 0.7% | +18.3% |
| 2016 | 0.5% | -29.8% |
| 2017 | 0.8% | +46.1% |
| 2018 | 0.8% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 0.8% | +8.9% |
| 2020 | 0.8% | -3.5% |
| 2021 | 1.1% | +37.2% |
| 2022 | 1.1% | +3.8% |
| 2023 | 1.2% | +4.0% |
Vanuatu compared with similar countries
- Vanuatu's 1.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 29.9%, 4% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Vanuatu's 1.2% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.1%, 38% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Vanuatu 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | +9300.1% | 0.0% | 4.0% |
| 1983 | +576.4% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1991 | +521.9% | 0.3% | 1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.7% | 0.3% | 1.1% | 5 |
| 1970s | 0.7% | 0.5% | 1.0% | 4 |
| 1980s | 0.6% | 0.0% | 4.0% | 8 |
| 1990s | 1.0% | 0.2% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.4% | 0.6% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.0% | 0.5% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.1% | 0.8% | 1.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Vanuatu
More private sector data for Vanuatu
- Merchandise trade 43.8% (2025)
- Food imports 25.0% (2011)
- Manufactures imports 52.3% (2011)
- Merchandise imports 515.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 85.3% (2011)
- Manufactures exports 8.2% (2011)
- Merchandise exports 78.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 232.72 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0576 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 4 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Vanuatu?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Vanuatu was 1.2% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Vanuatu?
- The highest recorded value was 4.0% in 1989.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Vanuatu?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1982.
- How does Vanuatu rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- Vanuatu ranks 196th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in Vanuatu?
- Over the last ten years it is up 57.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Vanuatu 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.