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Reserves in months of imports — all countries

Reserves in months of imports — Lower-middle-income countries

Reserves in months of imports in lower-middle-income countries in 2024 — 5.58 months. Since 2002, the indicator has fallen by 11%.

2024 5.58 months −5.24% vs 2023
World rank —
Period maximum 8.91 months2020
Period minimum 5.24 months2022

Trend over time

2002–2024 · months of imports

Reserves in months of imports — Lower-middle-income countries, 2002–202456789200220052008201120142017202020232002: 6.28 months2003: 7.1 months2004: 6.75 months2005: 6.03 months2006: 6.42 months2007: 7.44 months2008: 5.51 months2009: 7.32 months2010: 6.67 months2011: 5.47 months2012: 5.3 months2013: 5.31 months2014: 5.49 months2015: 6.18 months2016: 6.45 months2017: 6.31 months2018: 5.52 months2019: 6.32 months2020: 8.91 months2021: 7.16 months2022: 5.24 months2023: 5.89 months2024: 5.58 months
Change over the period: −0.69 (−11.02%) Average annual rate: -0.53 %

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Lower-middle-income countries

Lower-middle-income countries 5.58 months
World 8.8 months
Reserves in months of imports — Lower-middle-income countries, by year Lower-middle-income countries All countries CSV XLSX
Year months Change Change, %
2024 5.58 −0.31 −5.24%
2023 5.89 +0.65 +12.35%
2022 5.24 −1.91 −26.74%
2021 7.16 −1.75 −19.6%
2020 8.91 +2.59 +40.97%
2019 6.32 +0.8 +14.41%
2018 5.52 −0.79 −12.53%
2017 6.31 −0.13 −2.08%
2016 6.45 +0.26 +4.25%
2015 6.18 +0.7 +12.7%
2014 5.49 +0.18 +3.42%
2013 5.31 +0 +0.08%
2012 5.3 −0.17 −3.07%
2011 5.47 −1.2 −18.04%
2010 6.67 −0.64 −8.81%
2009 7.32 +1.81 +32.87%
2008 5.51 −1.93 −25.92%
2007 7.44 +1.01 +15.79%
2006 6.42 +0.39 +6.5%
2005 6.03 −0.72 −10.66%
2004 6.75 −0.35 −4.99%
2003 7.1 +0.83 +13.2%
2002 6.28 — —

About the indicator

The ratio of international reserves to average monthly imports of goods and services. The commonly accepted minimum benchmark of adequacy is three months of imports; below that level a country becomes vulnerable to external shocks and to a halt in the inflow of capital.

Important: The aggregate is weighted by imports: all of the reserves of a group divided by its average monthly imports. Weighting by population or GDP will not do here — imports are precisely what stands in the denominator of the indicator.

Source: World Economic Outlook (IMF), license IMF open data.

Other indicators for lower-middle-income countries

Finance International reserves

The gold and foreign exchange reserves of a country in US dollars.

Lower-middle-income countries by year Trade Imports of goods and services

The value of goods brought in and of services received from non-residents.

Lower-middle-income countries by year Finance Current account balance

The balance of a country's external transactions as a percent of GDP: surplus or deficit.

Lower-middle-income countries by year Finance Current account balance (World Bank)

The current account balance as a percent of GDP from World Bank data.

Lower-middle-income countries by year
All indicators for lower-middle-income countries