Imports of goods and services in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Imports of goods and services was 20.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Imports of goods and services in Ethiopia, 2011–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Ethiopia recorded 20.2% for imports of goods and services in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 70.1% on the previous year and down 33.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, imports of goods and services in Ethiopia peaked at 31.6% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 11.9%, in 2024.
Ethiopia ranks 177th of 193 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.
Imports of goods and services in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 31.5% | — |
| 2012 | 31.6% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 29.0% | -8.4% |
| 2014 | 29.1% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 30.3% | +4.1% |
| 2016 | 27.1% | -10.6% |
| 2017 | 23.5% | -13.3% |
| 2018 | 22.8% | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 20.9% | -8.5% |
| 2020 | 16.9% | -19.1% |
| 2021 | 16.7% | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 18.4% | +9.8% |
| 2023 | 14.0% | -23.7% |
| 2024 | 11.9% | -15.3% |
| 2025 | 20.2% | +70.1% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 20.2% is below the median for low income countries, which is 29.1%, 69% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 20.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 30.0%, 67% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Imports of goods and services in Ethiopia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | +70.1% | 11.9% | 20.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 27.3% | 20.9% | 31.6% | 9 |
| 2020s | 16.3% | 11.9% | 20.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More economy & growth data for Ethiopia
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 0 BoP, current US$ (1989)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (1989)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 0 BoP, current US$ per person (1989)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 4.02 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 23.25 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0269 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 30.45 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 86.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0253 includes gold, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per capita 28.66 includes gold, current US$ per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is imports of goods and services in Ethiopia?
- Imports of goods and services in Ethiopia was 20.2% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs).
- What is the highest imports of goods and services recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 31.6% in 2012.
- What is the lowest imports of goods and services recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.9% in 2024.
- How does Ethiopia rank for imports of goods and services?
- Ethiopia ranks 177th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is imports of goods and services rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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
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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.