Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in World
World: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within was 11.7% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in World, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
World recorded 11.7% for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in 2023.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and up 8.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in World peaked at 12.2% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 2.0%, in 1961.
That places World 29th out of 46 groups 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 World, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2.1% | — |
| 1961 | 2.0% | -6.7% |
| 1962 | 2.1% | +5.3% |
| 1963 | 2.3% | +11.4% |
| 1964 | 2.7% | +15.1% |
| 1965 | 2.8% | +3.1% |
| 1966 | 2.8% | +0.7% |
| 1967 | 2.8% | -1.4% |
| 1968 | 3.0% | +8.2% |
| 1969 | 3.0% | +0.7% |
| 1970 | 2.9% | -4.5% |
| 1971 | 2.8% | -2.5% |
| 1972 | 2.9% | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 3.3% | +16.2% |
| 1974 | 3.4% | +1.0% |
| 1975 | 3.1% | -8.3% |
| 1976 | 3.1% | -0.3% |
| 1977 | 3.1% | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 3.0% | -3.0% |
| 1979 | 3.4% | +13.5% |
| 1980 | 3.6% | +6.9% |
| 1981 | 3.8% | +6.0% |
| 1982 | 4.1% | +5.3% |
| 1983 | 3.9% | -4.6% |
| 1984 | 4.1% | +7.2% |
| 1985 | 4.0% | -3.6% |
| 1986 | 3.5% | -11.3% |
| 1987 | 3.8% | +8.6% |
| 1988 | 4.1% | +7.1% |
| 1989 | 4.4% | +7.0% |
| 1990 | 4.4% | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 5.1% | +14.4% |
| 1992 | 5.5% | +7.7% |
| 1993 | 6.3% | +15.6% |
| 1994 | 6.9% | +9.6% |
| 1995 | 7.3% | +4.6% |
| 1996 | 7.5% | +3.2% |
| 1997 | 7.4% | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 6.7% | -8.6% |
| 1999 | 6.7% | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 7.4% | +10.7% |
| 2001 | 7.5% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 7.9% | +4.5% |
| 2003 | 8.1% | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 8.5% | +4.0% |
| 2005 | 8.8% | +4.4% |
| 2006 | 9.0% | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 9.3% | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 9.5% | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 9.8% | +3.7% |
| 2010 | 10.4% | +5.4% |
| 2011 | 10.4% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 10.7% | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 10.8% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 10.8% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 11.3% | +4.1% |
| 2016 | 11.3% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 11.4% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 11.5% | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 11.7% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 12.0% | +2.8% |
| 2021 | 12.2% | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 11.8% | -3.4% |
| 2023 | 11.7% | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.6% | 2.0% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.1% | 2.8% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.9% | 3.5% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.4% | 4.4% | 7.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.6% | 7.4% | 9.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.0% | 10.4% | 11.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.9% | 11.7% | 12.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near World
More private sector data for World
- Merchandise trade 43.9% (2025)
- Food imports 8.9% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 67.4% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 26.69 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 9.1% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 69.3% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 26.39 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 3,212 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.223 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 7.17 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in World?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in World was 11.7% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within recorded in World?
- The highest recorded value was 12.2% in 2021.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.0% in 1961.
- How does World rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within?
- World ranks 29th out of 46 groups with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this World 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.