Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Ghana
Ghana: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within was 7.0% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Ghana, 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 within in Ghana is 7.0%, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 6.2% on the previous year and down 29.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Ghana peaked at 41.1% in 1984 and was at its lowest, 2.6%, in 1967.
Ghana ranks 138th of 203 countries on this measure, 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 within in Ghana, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 5.6% | — |
| 1961 | 5.9% | +6.2% |
| 1962 | 6.0% | +1.5% |
| 1963 | 6.0% | -0.4% |
| 1964 | 8.1% | +35.8% |
| 1965 | 3.9% | -51.8% |
| 1966 | 4.1% | +5.1% |
| 1967 | 2.6% | -36.7% |
| 1968 | 2.8% | +9.3% |
| 1969 | 4.2% | +46.2% |
| 1970 | 3.3% | -19.4% |
| 1971 | 4.3% | +28.4% |
| 1972 | 6.2% | +44.6% |
| 1973 | 7.5% | +21.1% |
| 1974 | 11.3% | +50.6% |
| 1975 | 9.7% | -14.3% |
| 1976 | 13.1% | +34.8% |
| 1977 | 14.4% | +10.1% |
| 1978 | 13.0% | -9.6% |
| 1979 | 15.5% | +19.2% |
| 1980 | 23.3% | +50.2% |
| 1981 | 32.1% | +37.6% |
| 1982 | 29.5% | -8.1% |
| 1983 | 14.7% | -50.1% |
| 1984 | 41.1% | +178.9% |
| 1985 | 28.1% | -31.7% |
| 1986 | 5.6% | -79.9% |
| 1987 | 14.4% | +156.5% |
| 1988 | 14.8% | +2.2% |
| 1989 | 14.8% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 23.1% | +56.4% |
| 1991 | 8.7% | -62.1% |
| 1992 | 17.1% | +95.5% |
| 1993 | 21.1% | +23.5% |
| 1994 | 22.7% | +7.7% |
| 1995 | 22.5% | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 20.8% | -7.9% |
| 1997 | 22.8% | +10.1% |
| 1998 | 26.2% | +14.5% |
| 1999 | 24.1% | -7.9% |
| 2000 | 22.5% | -6.5% |
| 2001 | 22.9% | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 22.5% | -2.0% |
| 2003 | 25.0% | +11.1% |
| 2004 | 8.9% | -64.3% |
| 2005 | 20.1% | +126.2% |
| 2006 | 19.5% | -3.0% |
| 2007 | 17.6% | -10.0% |
| 2008 | 19.8% | +12.7% |
| 2009 | 10.4% | -47.7% |
| 2010 | 7.7% | -25.9% |
| 2011 | 13.3% | +72.9% |
| 2012 | 10.7% | -19.4% |
| 2013 | 9.9% | -7.6% |
| 2014 | 10.7% | +7.8% |
| 2015 | 9.6% | -10.1% |
| 2016 | 8.2% | -14.6% |
| 2017 | 7.6% | -7.5% |
| 2018 | 8.8% | +15.7% |
| 2019 | 8.9% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 8.7% | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 6.6% | -24.3% |
| 2022 | 7.5% | +13.1% |
| 2023 | 7.0% | -6.2% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 7.0% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 19.5%, 36% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 7.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 15.0%, 47% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Ghana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | +178.9% | 14.7% | 41.1% |
| 1987 | +156.5% | 5.6% | 14.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.9% | 2.6% | 8.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 9.9% | 3.3% | 15.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 21.8% | 5.6% | 41.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.9% | 8.7% | 26.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.9% | 8.9% | 25.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.5% | 7.6% | 13.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.5% | 6.6% | 8.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More private sector data for Ghana
- Merchandise trade 42.5% (2025)
- Food imports 13.7% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 51.5% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 17.45 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 18.1% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 6.0% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 31.11 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 887.14 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2724 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 62.31 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Ghana?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Ghana was 7.0% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 41.1% in 1984.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.6% in 1967.
- How does Ghana rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within?
- Ghana ranks 138th out of 203 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within 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 within region are the sum of merchandise imports by the reporting economy from other low- and middle-income economies in the same World Bank region according to the World Bank classification of economies. Data are 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. No figures are shown for high-income economies, because they are a separate category in the World Bank classification of economies.