Imports of goods and services in Arab World
Arab World: Imports of goods and services was 42.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Imports of goods and services in Arab World, 1990–2024
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2024, imports of goods and services in Arab World stood at 42.7%. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is up 5.6% on the previous year and up 11.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, imports of goods and services in Arab World peaked at 42.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 27.2%, in 1990.
That places Arab World 7th out of 45 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Imports of goods and services in Arab World, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 27.2% | — |
| 1991 | 38.1% | +40.4% |
| 1992 | 37.8% | -0.7% |
| 1993 | 37.1% | -2.1% |
| 1994 | 32.9% | -11.3% |
| 1995 | 33.6% | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 32.1% | -4.6% |
| 1997 | 31.9% | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 33.4% | +4.9% |
| 1999 | 31.3% | -6.3% |
| 2000 | 29.9% | -4.5% |
| 2001 | 30.8% | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 31.7% | +2.9% |
| 2003 | 32.6% | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 35.1% | +7.9% |
| 2005 | 35.1% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 35.0% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 39.4% | +12.5% |
| 2008 | 40.2% | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 41.7% | +3.9% |
| 2010 | 36.6% | -12.2% |
| 2011 | 35.2% | -4.0% |
| 2012 | 35.8% | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 36.9% | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 38.2% | +3.4% |
| 2015 | 40.5% | +5.9% |
| 2016 | 38.1% | -5.9% |
| 2017 | 38.7% | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 36.3% | -6.1% |
| 2019 | 37.2% | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 36.8% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 35.7% | -3.1% |
| 2022 | 36.0% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 40.5% | +12.5% |
| 2024 | 42.7% | +5.6% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Imports of goods and services in Arab World 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +40.4% | 27.2% | 38.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 33.5% | 27.2% | 38.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 35.1% | 29.9% | 41.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 37.4% | 35.2% | 40.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.3% | 35.7% | 42.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Arab World
More economy & growth data for Arab World
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 109.61 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 5.2 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 1,228 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 0.1627 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) -0.4924 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 1,308 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 0.1733 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) 0.6095 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0092 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 69.31 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is imports of goods and services in Arab World?
- Imports of goods and services in Arab World was 42.7% in 2024, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs).
- What is the highest imports of goods and services recorded in Arab World?
- The highest recorded value was 42.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest imports of goods and services recorded in Arab World?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.2% in 1990.
- How does Arab World rank for imports of goods and services?
- Arab World ranks 7th out of 45 groups with data for 2024.
- Is imports of goods and services rising or falling in Arab World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Arab World data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs), published as part of Imports of goods and services (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Imports of goods includes change in the economic ownership of goods from non-residents to residents of the compiling economy, irrespective of physical movement of goods across national borders. Imports of services includes services provided by non-residents to residents. 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.