Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Iraq
Iraq: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within was 4.9% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Iraq, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
In 2023, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Iraq stood at 4.9%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 13.5% on the previous year and down 29.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Iraq peaked at 46.0% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 1.1%, in 1983.
That places Iraq 145th out of 203 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 within in Iraq, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4.2% | — |
| 1961 | 3.8% | -10.7% |
| 1962 | 4.6% | +21.4% |
| 1963 | 6.5% | +41.9% |
| 1964 | 6.4% | -2.3% |
| 1965 | 5.9% | -8.1% |
| 1966 | 5.4% | -8.0% |
| 1967 | 5.5% | +2.4% |
| 1968 | 9.0% | +63.1% |
| 1969 | 8.9% | -1.4% |
| 1970 | 8.3% | -6.7% |
| 1971 | 6.2% | -25.4% |
| 1972 | 6.7% | +7.9% |
| 1973 | 4.5% | -32.2% |
| 1974 | 3.8% | -15.1% |
| 1975 | 2.5% | -34.5% |
| 1976 | 1.4% | -42.6% |
| 1977 | 1.7% | +15.2% |
| 1978 | 2.2% | +32.6% |
| 1981 | 1.2% | -46.8% |
| 1982 | 1.2% | -1.7% |
| 1983 | 1.1% | -8.8% |
| 1984 | 2.6% | +151.4% |
| 1985 | 2.8% | +6.4% |
| 1986 | 2.5% | -10.2% |
| 1987 | 3.5% | +38.5% |
| 1988 | 3.3% | -6.8% |
| 1989 | 4.3% | +33.4% |
| 1990 | 5.3% | +22.7% |
| 1991 | 35.9% | +573.1% |
| 1992 | 13.4% | -62.6% |
| 1993 | 25.4% | +89.2% |
| 1994 | 34.6% | +36.3% |
| 1995 | 45.8% | +32.2% |
| 1996 | 27.3% | -40.3% |
| 1997 | 25.8% | -5.8% |
| 1998 | 13.9% | -46.0% |
| 1999 | 12.8% | -8.1% |
| 2000 | 9.5% | -25.5% |
| 2001 | 15.6% | +63.5% |
| 2002 | 15.4% | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 23.6% | +53.1% |
| 2004 | 31.7% | +34.3% |
| 2005 | 13.1% | -58.8% |
| 2006 | 15.4% | +17.5% |
| 2007 | 28.0% | +82.6% |
| 2008 | 46.0% | +64.2% |
| 2009 | 42.1% | -8.5% |
| 2010 | 34.5% | -18.1% |
| 2011 | 11.8% | -65.7% |
| 2012 | 7.9% | -33.5% |
| 2013 | 6.9% | -11.8% |
| 2014 | 6.2% | -10.9% |
| 2015 | 4.7% | -23.9% |
| 2016 | 2.8% | -40.0% |
| 2017 | 4.2% | +48.6% |
| 2018 | 4.2% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 4.0% | -5.3% |
| 2020 | 5.2% | +32.5% |
| 2021 | 4.4% | -15.5% |
| 2022 | 4.3% | -3.0% |
| 2023 | 4.9% | +13.5% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 4.9% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 16.6%, 29% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 4.9% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 3.3%, 1.5× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Iraq 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 | +573.1% | 5.3% | 35.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.0% | 3.8% | 9.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.2% | 1.4% | 8.3% | 9 |
| 1980s | 2.5% | 1.1% | 4.3% | 9 |
| 1990s | 24.0% | 5.3% | 45.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.0% | 9.5% | 46.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.7% | 2.8% | 34.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.7% | 4.3% | 5.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More private sector data for Iraq
- Merchandise trade 70.0% (2025)
- Food imports 7.2% (2014)
- Manufactures imports 66.3% (2014)
- Merchandise imports 85.19 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 0.0% (2016)
- Manufactures exports 0.0% (2016)
- Merchandise exports 92.91 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 1,976 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.3653 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate -8 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Iraq?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Iraq was 4.9% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 46.0% in 2008.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.1% in 1983.
- How does Iraq rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within?
- Iraq ranks 145th out of 203 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iraq 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.