Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Kenya
Kenya: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within was 8.2% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Kenya, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
Kenya recorded 8.2% for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in 2023.
The figure is down 4.3% on the previous year and down 3.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Kenya peaked at 14.5% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 1.5%, in 1967.
Kenya ranks 130th 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 Kenya, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 5.2% | — |
| 1961 | 6.2% | +19.6% |
| 1962 | 4.6% | -25.3% |
| 1963 | 3.8% | -18.5% |
| 1964 | 2.1% | -43.7% |
| 1965 | 2.4% | +13.2% |
| 1966 | 1.5% | -36.5% |
| 1967 | 1.5% | -1.9% |
| 1968 | 11.4% | +659.7% |
| 1969 | 10.6% | -6.4% |
| 1970 | 11.9% | +11.5% |
| 1971 | 10.1% | -15.1% |
| 1972 | 8.5% | -15.5% |
| 1973 | 7.1% | -16.4% |
| 1974 | 5.0% | -29.9% |
| 1975 | 4.2% | -14.9% |
| 1976 | 4.2% | -1.9% |
| 1977 | 1.5% | -63.8% |
| 1978 | 1.8% | +22.5% |
| 1979 | 2.0% | +9.9% |
| 1980 | 3.2% | +56.3% |
| 1981 | 1.9% | -40.3% |
| 1982 | 3.8% | +100.9% |
| 1983 | 1.7% | -56.3% |
| 1984 | 1.6% | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 1.6% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 1.6% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 3.0% | +80.3% |
| 1988 | 3.0% | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 3.0% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 2.7% | -11.6% |
| 1991 | 3.1% | +16.4% |
| 1992 | 3.1% | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 2.7% | -12.2% |
| 1994 | 14.5% | +427.7% |
| 1995 | 11.1% | -23.4% |
| 1996 | 8.8% | -20.3% |
| 1997 | 13.5% | +52.4% |
| 1998 | 8.6% | -36.5% |
| 1999 | 9.5% | +11.6% |
| 2000 | 8.5% | -11.3% |
| 2001 | 5.2% | -38.2% |
| 2002 | 5.9% | +12.9% |
| 2003 | 7.1% | +19.6% |
| 2005 | 12.7% | +80.3% |
| 2006 | 10.4% | -18.5% |
| 2007 | 9.7% | -6.3% |
| 2008 | 9.4% | -3.0% |
| 2009 | 12.0% | +26.6% |
| 2010 | 10.0% | -16.3% |
| 2011 | 9.6% | -3.9% |
| 2012 | 8.0% | -16.9% |
| 2013 | 8.5% | +5.9% |
| 2014 | 7.3% | -13.9% |
| 2015 | 7.7% | +5.7% |
| 2016 | 7.4% | -4.1% |
| 2017 | 9.5% | +28.4% |
| 2018 | 9.9% | +4.8% |
| 2019 | 10.2% | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 8.0% | -21.8% |
| 2021 | 8.1% | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 8.5% | +5.4% |
| 2023 | 8.2% | -4.3% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 8.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 19.5%, 42% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 8.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 15.0%, 54% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Kenya 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | +659.7% | 1.5% | 11.4% |
| 1994 | +427.7% | 2.7% | 14.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.9% | 1.5% | 11.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.6% | 1.5% | 11.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.4% | 1.6% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.8% | 2.7% | 14.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.0% | 5.2% | 12.7% | 9 |
| 2010s | 8.8% | 7.3% | 10.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.2% | 8.0% | 8.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 127 Somalia 8.8% compare
- 128 Suriname 8.6% compare
- 129 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8.4% compare
- 131 Madagascar 8.1% compare
- 132 South Africa 8.1% compare
- 133 Palestine, State of 8.0% compare
More private sector data for Kenya
- Merchandise trade 22.2% (2025)
- Food imports 16.3% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 56.6% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 21.61 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 49.2% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 30.7% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 8.60 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 149.5 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0633 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 4.42 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Kenya?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Kenya was 8.2% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 14.5% in 1994.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.5% in 1967.
- How does Kenya rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within?
- Kenya ranks 130th out of 203 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya 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.
Download this data
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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.