Merchandise trade (% of GDP) in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
South Asia (IDA & IBRD): Merchandise trade (% of GDP) was 30.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise trade in South Asia (IDA & IBRD), 1960–2025
Source: World Trade Organization (WTO). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
South Asia (IDA & IBRD) recorded 30.0% for merchandise trade in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 6.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise trade in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) peaked at 43.4% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 7.5%, in 1971.
South Asia (IDA & IBRD) ranks 45th of 47 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise trade (% of GDP) in South Asia (IDA & IBRD), year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 11.5% | — |
| 1961 | 10.8% | -6.6% |
| 1962 | 10.2% | -4.9% |
| 1963 | 9.8% | -4.7% |
| 1964 | 9.5% | -2.8% |
| 1965 | 8.7% | -8.0% |
| 1966 | 13.0% | +49.1% |
| 1967 | 9.9% | -24.2% |
| 1968 | 9.2% | -6.4% |
| 1969 | 8.1% | -12.8% |
| 1970 | 7.6% | -5.3% |
| 1971 | 7.5% | -1.6% |
| 1972 | 8.0% | +6.0% |
| 1973 | 8.7% | +9.5% |
| 1974 | 10.2% | +17.4% |
| 1975 | 11.4% | +11.5% |
| 1976 | 11.9% | +4.2% |
| 1977 | 12.0% | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 12.1% | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 13.3% | +9.6% |
| 1980 | 14.4% | +9.0% |
| 1981 | 14.0% | -3.5% |
| 1982 | 13.6% | -2.4% |
| 1983 | 12.2% | -10.5% |
| 1984 | 13.6% | +11.2% |
| 1985 | 12.4% | -8.8% |
| 1986 | 11.5% | -7.3% |
| 1987 | 11.5% | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 12.5% | +7.9% |
| 1989 | 13.7% | +10.4% |
| 1990 | 14.4% | +5.0% |
| 1991 | 15.8% | +9.4% |
| 1992 | 16.9% | +7.2% |
| 1993 | 18.2% | +7.2% |
| 1994 | 18.4% | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 20.8% | +13.4% |
| 1996 | 20.6% | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 21.0% | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 20.7% | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 20.6% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 22.8% | +10.3% |
| 2001 | 21.8% | -4.2% |
| 2002 | 22.6% | +3.6% |
| 2003 | 23.6% | +4.6% |
| 2004 | 26.7% | +13.0% |
| 2005 | 30.9% | +15.7% |
| 2006 | 33.3% | +7.9% |
| 2007 | 32.5% | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 43.4% | +33.6% |
| 2009 | 32.2% | -25.8% |
| 2010 | 35.0% | +8.7% |
| 2011 | 42.5% | +21.3% |
| 2012 | 43.0% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 42.0% | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 38.7% | -7.6% |
| 2015 | 32.2% | -16.9% |
| 2016 | 28.0% | -13.2% |
| 2017 | 28.8% | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 31.4% | +9.0% |
| 2019 | 28.9% | -7.9% |
| 2020 | 24.5% | -15.3% |
| 2021 | 30.9% | +26.3% |
| 2022 | 35.6% | +15.3% |
| 2023 | 31.0% | -12.9% |
| 2024 | 30.4% | -2.0% |
| 2025 | 30.0% | -1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 10.1% | 8.1% | 13.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.3% | 7.5% | 13.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.9% | 11.5% | 14.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 18.7% | 14.4% | 21.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.0% | 21.8% | 43.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 35.0% | 28.0% | 43.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.4% | 24.5% | 35.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
- 42 Serbia 84.6% compare
- 43 Solomon Islands 83.8% compare
- 44 Bulgaria 83.5% compare
- 45 Micronesia (country) 83.5% compare
- 46 Bhutan 83.3% compare
- 47 Bosnia and Herzegovina 83.3% compare
- 48 Guinea 82.7% compare
More private sector data for South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
- Food imports 5.5% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 50.3% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 864.53 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 223.66 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 12.6% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 69.8% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 510.58 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 433.30 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 301.72 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1115 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise trade in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- Merchandise trade in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) was 30.0% in 2025, according to World Trade Organization (WTO).
- What is the highest merchandise trade recorded in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- The highest recorded value was 43.4% in 2008.
- What is the lowest merchandise trade recorded in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.5% in 1971.
- How does South Asia (IDA & IBRD) rank for merchandise trade?
- South Asia (IDA & IBRD) ranks 45th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is merchandise trade rising or falling in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Asia (IDA & IBRD) 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.