Merchandise trade (% of GDP) in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Merchandise trade (% of GDP) was 66.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise trade in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1960–2025
Source: World Trade Organization (WTO). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise trade in Democratic Republic of Congo is 66.1%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 11.4% on the previous year and up 58.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise trade in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 76.3% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 7.3%, in 1978.
That places Democratic Republic of Congo 73rd out of 204 countries with data for 2025, 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 trade (% of GDP) in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 21.3% | — |
| 1961 | 16.2% | -23.9% |
| 1962 | 11.3% | -30.3% |
| 1963 | 9.5% | -15.9% |
| 1964 | 14.1% | +48.0% |
| 1965 | 10.0% | -29.1% |
| 1966 | 11.6% | +16.9% |
| 1967 | 15.5% | +32.9% |
| 1968 | 17.2% | +11.2% |
| 1969 | 16.1% | -6.3% |
| 1970 | 19.7% | +22.0% |
| 1971 | 15.9% | -19.2% |
| 1972 | 15.3% | -3.7% |
| 1973 | 16.1% | +4.8% |
| 1974 | 18.0% | +12.2% |
| 1975 | 11.4% | -36.9% |
| 1976 | 12.1% | +6.4% |
| 1977 | 9.7% | -20.2% |
| 1978 | 7.3% | -24.1% |
| 1979 | 11.4% | +55.1% |
| 1980 | 26.3% | +131.5% |
| 1981 | 24.7% | -6.1% |
| 1982 | 21.2% | -14.1% |
| 1983 | 26.3% | +24.1% |
| 1984 | 39.5% | +50.0% |
| 1985 | 43.1% | +9.1% |
| 1986 | 38.6% | -10.3% |
| 1987 | 46.8% | +21.2% |
| 1988 | 45.9% | -1.9% |
| 1989 | 48.1% | +4.8% |
| 1990 | 43.5% | -9.7% |
| 1991 | 30.7% | -29.4% |
| 1992 | 26.5% | -13.6% |
| 1993 | 16.4% | -38.1% |
| 1994 | 33.0% | +101.2% |
| 1995 | 43.1% | +30.5% |
| 1996 | 45.7% | +5.9% |
| 1997 | 36.4% | -20.2% |
| 1998 | 40.6% | +11.4% |
| 1999 | 29.2% | -28.0% |
| 2000 | 7.8% | -73.3% |
| 2001 | 22.5% | +187.6% |
| 2002 | 25.4% | +12.9% |
| 2003 | 32.1% | +26.8% |
| 2004 | 38.5% | +19.9% |
| 2005 | 40.4% | +4.8% |
| 2006 | 36.1% | -10.5% |
| 2007 | 35.4% | -2.1% |
| 2008 | 38.3% | +8.2% |
| 2009 | 39.8% | +3.9% |
| 2010 | 40.6% | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 45.8% | +13.0% |
| 2012 | 41.3% | -9.9% |
| 2013 | 35.8% | -13.2% |
| 2014 | 39.1% | +9.2% |
| 2015 | 41.7% | +6.6% |
| 2016 | 32.9% | -21.2% |
| 2017 | 48.2% | +46.7% |
| 2018 | 59.9% | +24.2% |
| 2019 | 47.4% | -20.8% |
| 2020 | 45.3% | -4.4% |
| 2021 | 48.5% | +6.9% |
| 2022 | 38.5% | -20.7% |
| 2023 | 76.3% | +98.3% |
| 2024 | 74.6% | -2.1% |
| 2025 | 66.1% | -11.4% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 66.1% is above the median for low income countries, which is 39.4%, 1.7× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 66.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.5%, 1.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise trade (% of GDP) in Democratic Republic of Congo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | +187.6% | 7.8% | 22.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 14.3% | 9.5% | 21.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 13.7% | 7.3% | 19.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 36.1% | 21.2% | 48.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 34.5% | 16.4% | 45.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 31.6% | 7.8% | 40.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.3% | 32.9% | 59.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 58.2% | 38.5% | 76.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
- 70 Georgia 67.7% compare
- 71 Burkina Faso 67.5% compare
- 72 El Salvador 66.1% compare
- 74 Germany 65.5% compare
- 75 Azerbaijan 65.1% compare
- 76 Greenland 63.2% compare
More private sector data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Food imports 4.8% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 50.2% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 28.10 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 0.6% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 17.9% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 32.10 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 284.49 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.3526 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 7.36 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 249.04 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise trade in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Merchandise trade in Democratic Republic of Congo was 66.1% in 2025, according to World Trade Organization (WTO).
- What is the highest merchandise trade recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 76.3% in 2023.
- What is the lowest merchandise trade recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.3% in 1978.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for merchandise trade?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 73rd out of 204 countries with data for 2025.
- Is merchandise trade rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 58.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
- The figures come from World Trade Organization (WTO), published as part of Merchandise trade (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
General merchandise trade includes goods whose economic ownership is changed between a resident and a non-resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e. It is the total of merchandise exports plus merchandise imports. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.