Merchandise imports — all countries

Merchandise imports — Low-income countries

Merchandise imports in low-income countries in 2025 — 158,655,000,000 US$. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 9,916.1%.

2025 159B US$ +11.85% vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 159B US$2025
Period minimum 1.58B US$1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · US$

Merchandise imports — Low-income countries, 1960–2025050B100B150B200B19601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 1,584,000,000 US$1962: 1,701,000,000 US$1964: 1,869,000,000 US$1966: 2,081,000,000 US$1968: 2,204,000,000 US$1970: 2,653,000,000 US$1972: 3,204,000,000 US$1974: 5,577,000,000 US$1976: 7,391,000,000 US$1978: 10,511,000,000 US$1980: 18,027,000,000 US$1982: 16,845,000,000 US$1984: 16,489,000,000 US$1986: 15,578,000,000 US$1988: 17,338,000,000 US$1990: 18,452,000,000 US$1992: 17,881,000,000 US$1994: 19,301,000,000 US$1996: 22,641,000,000 US$1998: 21,400,000,000 US$2000: 22,774,000,000 US$2002: 28,240,000,000 US$2004: 41,031,000,000 US$2006: 59,693,000,000 US$2008: 89,900,000,000 US$2010: 94,035,000,000 US$2012: 112,569,000,000 US$2014: 119,960,000,000 US$2016: 91,224,000,000 US$2018: 104,684,000,000 US$2020: 102,235,000,000 US$2022: 133,561,000,000 US$2024: 141,849,000,000 US$2025: 158,655,000,000 US$
Change over the period: +157B (+9,916.1%) Average annual rate: 7.34 %

Comparison, 2025

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

Low-income countries 159B US$
World 26.69T US$
Merchandise imports — Low-income countries, by year Low-income countries All countries CSV XLSX
Year US$ Change Change, %
2025 159B +16.81B +11.85%
2024 142B −486M −0.34%
2023 142B +8.77B +6.57%
2022 134B +19.59B +17.19%
2021 114B +11.74B +11.48%
2020 102B −6.66B −6.11%
2019 109B +4.21B +4.02%
2018 105B +7.53B +7.75%
2017 97.16B +5.93B +6.5%
2016 91.22B −17.07B −15.76%
2015 108B −11.67B −9.73%
2014 120B +4.57B +3.96%
2013 115B +2.82B +2.51%
2012 113B +4.78B +4.43%
2011 108B +13.76B +14.63%
2010 94.04B +10.95B +13.18%
2009 83.08B −6.82B −7.58%
2008 89.9B +18.27B +25.5%
2007 71.63B +11.94B +20%
2006 59.69B +7.17B +13.64%
2005 52.53B +11.5B +28.02%
2004 41.03B +8.33B +25.49%
2003 32.7B +4.46B +15.78%
2002 28.24B +2.53B +9.84%
2001 25.71B +2.94B +12.89%
2000 22.77B +1.34B +6.24%
1999 21.44B +37M +0.17%
1998 21.4B +602M +2.89%
1997 20.8B −1.84B −8.14%
1996 22.64B +2.97B +15.1%
1995 19.67B +370M +1.92%
1994 19.3B +915M +4.98%
1993 18.39B +505M +2.82%
1992 17.88B +648M +3.76%
1991 17.23B −1.22B −6.61%
1990 18.45B +792M +4.48%
1989 17.66B +322M +1.86%
1988 17.34B +1.35B +8.46%
1987 15.99B +407M +2.61%
1986 15.58B −216M −1.37%
1985 15.79B −695M −4.21%
1984 16.49B −616M −3.6%
1983 17.11B +260M +1.54%
1982 16.85B −1.94B −10.33%
1981 18.79B +759M +4.21%
1980 18.03B +5.66B +45.8%
1979 12.36B +1.85B +17.63%
1978 10.51B +1.39B +15.24%
1977 9.12B +1.73B +23.41%
1976 7.39B +597M +8.79%
1975 6.79B +1.22B +21.82%
1974 5.58B +1.7B +43.7%
1973 3.88B +677M +21.13%
1972 3.2B +172M +5.67%
1971 3.03B +379M +14.29%
1970 2.65B +230M +9.49%
1969 2.42B +219M +9.94%
1968 2.2B +180M +8.89%
1967 2.02B −57M −2.74%
1966 2.08B +190M +10.05%
1965 1.89B +22M +1.18%
1964 1.87B +72M +4.01%
1963 1.8B +96M +5.64%
1962 1.7B +64M +3.91%
1961 1.64B +53M +3.35%
1960 1.58B

About the indicator

The value of imports of goods (excluding services) in current US dollars from WTO data, on a CIF basis. Together with merchandise exports it gives the merchandise trade balance — the indicator most often discussed in the context of a “trade deficit” between particular countries.

Source: UNCTADstat (UNCTAD), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.