Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in OECD members
OECD members: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within was 6.4% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in OECD members, 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 OECD members stood at 6.4%.
The figure is down 1.1% on the previous year and up 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in OECD members peaked at 6.5% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 1.0%, in 1961.
That places OECD members 36th out of 46 groups 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 within in OECD members, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.0% | — |
| 1961 | 1.0% | -1.0% |
| 1962 | 1.0% | +4.6% |
| 1963 | 1.1% | +10.6% |
| 1964 | 1.2% | +4.6% |
| 1965 | 1.2% | +2.7% |
| 1966 | 1.5% | +25.7% |
| 1967 | 1.5% | -0.0% |
| 1968 | 1.4% | -6.3% |
| 1969 | 1.5% | +4.2% |
| 1970 | 1.5% | -0.1% |
| 1971 | 1.5% | +1.8% |
| 1972 | 1.6% | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 2.0% | +27.3% |
| 1974 | 2.2% | +8.1% |
| 1975 | 1.9% | -13.9% |
| 1976 | 1.9% | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 1.9% | +2.3% |
| 1978 | 1.9% | -0.7% |
| 1979 | 2.3% | +19.1% |
| 1980 | 2.5% | +9.4% |
| 1981 | 2.6% | +6.7% |
| 1982 | 2.7% | +1.7% |
| 1983 | 2.5% | -8.2% |
| 1984 | 2.6% | +4.7% |
| 1985 | 2.5% | -4.2% |
| 1986 | 2.0% | -19.1% |
| 1987 | 2.1% | +5.3% |
| 1988 | 2.3% | +6.8% |
| 1989 | 2.4% | +6.1% |
| 1990 | 2.3% | -1.8% |
| 1991 | 2.7% | +16.6% |
| 1992 | 2.9% | +5.2% |
| 1993 | 3.4% | +18.4% |
| 1994 | 3.6% | +4.9% |
| 1995 | 3.7% | +4.6% |
| 1996 | 3.9% | +5.1% |
| 1997 | 3.8% | -3.7% |
| 1998 | 3.3% | -12.6% |
| 1999 | 3.5% | +4.9% |
| 2000 | 3.9% | +12.1% |
| 2001 | 4.1% | +4.2% |
| 2002 | 4.3% | +5.1% |
| 2003 | 4.5% | +4.8% |
| 2004 | 4.8% | +6.6% |
| 2005 | 5.0% | +4.6% |
| 2006 | 5.1% | +3.0% |
| 2007 | 5.3% | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 5.6% | +5.7% |
| 2009 | 5.6% | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 6.1% | +7.8% |
| 2011 | 6.3% | +4.5% |
| 2012 | 6.4% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 6.3% | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 6.4% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 6.4% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 6.2% | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 6.3% | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 6.4% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 6.4% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 6.5% | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 6.5% | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 6.5% | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 6.4% | -1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.3% | 1.0% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.9% | 1.5% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.4% | 2.0% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.3% | 2.3% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.8% | 3.9% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.3% | 6.1% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.5% | 6.4% | 6.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near OECD members
More private sector data for OECD members
- Merchandise trade 41.9% (2025)
- Food imports 9.1% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 70.6% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 15.86 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 9.5% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 69.2% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 14.51 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 10,347 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 6.28 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in OECD members?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in OECD members was 6.4% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within recorded in OECD members?
- The highest recorded value was 6.5% in 2021.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within recorded in OECD members?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.0% in 1961.
- How does OECD members rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within?
- OECD members ranks 36th out of 46 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within rising or falling in OECD members?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this OECD members 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.