Merchandise trade (% of GDP) in Djibouti
Djibouti: Merchandise trade (% of GDP) was 267.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise trade in Djibouti, 1985–2025
Source: World Trade Organization (WTO). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, merchandise trade in Djibouti stood at 267.1%.
That represents a change of up 3.5% on the previous year and up 544.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise trade in Djibouti peaked at 272.2% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 38.4%, in 1995.
That places Djibouti 2nd out of 204 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise trade (% of GDP) in Djibouti, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 63.1% | — |
| 1987 | 62.4% | -1.0% |
| 1988 | 56.6% | -9.3% |
| 1989 | 54.2% | -4.1% |
| 1990 | 53.1% | -2.2% |
| 1991 | 50.0% | -5.9% |
| 1992 | 49.2% | -1.6% |
| 1993 | 47.8% | -2.7% |
| 1994 | 42.3% | -11.6% |
| 1995 | 38.4% | -9.3% |
| 1996 | 40.7% | +6.0% |
| 1997 | 41.2% | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 43.6% | +5.8% |
| 1999 | 41.4% | -4.9% |
| 2000 | 43.4% | +4.7% |
| 2001 | 39.8% | -8.1% |
| 2002 | 39.4% | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 44.2% | +12.2% |
| 2004 | 44.9% | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 44.7% | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 50.9% | +13.7% |
| 2007 | 62.6% | +23.1% |
| 2008 | 64.4% | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 50.3% | -21.8% |
| 2010 | 40.7% | -19.2% |
| 2011 | 48.7% | +19.9% |
| 2012 | 50.4% | +3.4% |
| 2013 | 41.0% | -18.5% |
| 2014 | 42.0% | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 41.5% | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 155.8% | +275.9% |
| 2017 | 243.9% | +56.5% |
| 2018 | 244.6% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 263.3% | +7.7% |
| 2020 | 181.2% | -31.2% |
| 2021 | 229.9% | +26.9% |
| 2022 | 272.2% | +18.4% |
| 2023 | 258.6% | -5.0% |
| 2024 | 258.1% | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 267.1% | +3.5% |
Djibouti compared with similar countries
- Djibouti's 267.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 52.4%, 5.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Djibouti's 267.1% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 70.6%, 3.8× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise trade (% of GDP) in Djibouti 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | +275.9% | 41.5% | 155.8% |
| 2017 | +56.5% | 155.8% | 243.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 59.1% | 54.2% | 63.1% | 4 |
| 1990s | 44.8% | 38.4% | 53.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 48.5% | 39.4% | 64.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 117.2% | 40.7% | 263.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 244.5% | 181.2% | 272.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Djibouti
More private sector data for Djibouti
- Food imports 38.6% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 51.9% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 6.26 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 694.21 million current US$ (2024)
- Food exports 41.5% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 56.6% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 6.09 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 842.19 million current US$ (2024)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 5,143 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 1.32 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise trade in Djibouti?
- Merchandise trade in Djibouti was 267.1% in 2025, according to World Trade Organization (WTO).
- What is the highest merchandise trade recorded in Djibouti?
- The highest recorded value was 272.2% in 2022.
- What is the lowest merchandise trade recorded in Djibouti?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.4% in 1995.
- How does Djibouti rank for merchandise trade?
- Djibouti ranks 2nd out of 204 countries with data for 2025.
- Is merchandise trade rising or falling in Djibouti?
- Over the last ten years it is up 544.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Djibouti 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 40 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.