Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in North Korea
North Korea: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within was 97.1% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in North Korea, 1981–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
North Korea recorded 97.1% for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in 2023. That is the highest value across all 43 years on record.
That represents a change of up 24.9% on the previous year and up 13.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in North Korea peaked at 97.1% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 23.0%, in 2001.
North Korea ranks 1st of 203 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 43 years of available data.
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in North Korea, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 34.6% | — |
| 1982 | 33.8% | -2.4% |
| 1983 | 34.2% | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 35.5% | +3.6% |
| 1985 | 35.6% | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 37.0% | +3.8% |
| 1987 | 29.0% | -21.5% |
| 1988 | 30.7% | +5.7% |
| 1989 | 37.0% | +20.5% |
| 1990 | 35.3% | -4.7% |
| 1991 | 43.4% | +23.0% |
| 1992 | 45.6% | +5.1% |
| 1993 | 45.9% | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 39.3% | -14.6% |
| 1995 | 39.0% | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 30.4% | -22.1% |
| 1997 | 43.0% | +41.6% |
| 1998 | 35.8% | -16.8% |
| 1999 | 34.8% | -2.6% |
| 2000 | 35.6% | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 23.0% | -35.3% |
| 2002 | 32.0% | +39.1% |
| 2003 | 46.0% | +43.5% |
| 2004 | 46.4% | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 43.5% | -6.2% |
| 2006 | 41.5% | -4.6% |
| 2007 | 49.8% | +19.8% |
| 2008 | 48.6% | -2.3% |
| 2009 | 64.3% | +32.2% |
| 2010 | 63.9% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 82.9% | +29.6% |
| 2012 | 83.1% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 85.7% | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 90.0% | +5.1% |
| 2015 | 82.4% | -8.5% |
| 2016 | 89.1% | +8.2% |
| 2017 | 92.3% | +3.7% |
| 2018 | 80.0% | -13.3% |
| 2019 | 91.9% | +14.8% |
| 2020 | 90.5% | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 95.3% | +5.4% |
| 2022 | 77.7% | -18.4% |
| 2023 | 97.1% | +24.9% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 97.1% is above the median for low income countries, which is 21.7%, 4.5× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 97.1% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 34.3%, 2.8× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 34.2% | 29.0% | 37.0% | 9 |
| 1990s | 39.2% | 30.4% | 45.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 43.1% | 23.0% | 64.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 84.1% | 63.9% | 92.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 90.1% | 77.7% | 97.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More private sector data for North Korea
- Merchandise imports 2.87 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports 611.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 23 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 69.72 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 107.97 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), annual growth rate 22.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports from economies in the Arab World 0.0% (2023)
- Merchandise imports from high-income economies 0.2% (2023)
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside 2.7% (2023)
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East 97.1% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in North Korea?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in North Korea was 97.1% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 97.1% in 2023.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.0% in 2001.
- How does North Korea rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within?
- North Korea ranks 1st out of 203 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Korea 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.