Imports of goods and services in Nepal
Nepal: Imports of goods and services was 33.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Imports of goods and services in Nepal, 1965–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Nepal recorded 33.7% for imports of goods and services in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.4% on the previous year and down 7.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, imports of goods and services in Nepal peaked at 42.3% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 7.0%, in 1967.
Nepal ranks 126th of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 61 years of available data.
Imports of goods and services in Nepal, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 13.9% | — |
| 1966 | 8.8% | -37.1% |
| 1967 | 7.0% | -20.6% |
| 1968 | 7.5% | +7.9% |
| 1969 | 10.2% | +36.2% |
| 1970 | 8.3% | -18.8% |
| 1971 | 9.1% | +10.0% |
| 1972 | 7.9% | -13.3% |
| 1973 | 10.4% | +31.0% |
| 1974 | 10.5% | +1.7% |
| 1975 | 13.4% | +26.7% |
| 1976 | 14.2% | +6.1% |
| 1977 | 14.3% | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 15.5% | +8.1% |
| 1979 | 16.0% | +3.2% |
| 1980 | 18.7% | +17.3% |
| 1981 | 19.6% | +4.7% |
| 1982 | 18.8% | -4.1% |
| 1983 | 21.3% | +13.3% |
| 1984 | 19.4% | -8.8% |
| 1985 | 20.0% | +2.8% |
| 1986 | 20.3% | +1.5% |
| 1987 | 20.9% | +3.0% |
| 1988 | 22.4% | +7.1% |
| 1989 | 22.3% | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 21.7% | -2.8% |
| 1991 | 23.2% | +7.0% |
| 1992 | 25.7% | +11.0% |
| 1993 | 28.8% | +11.7% |
| 1994 | 31.4% | +9.3% |
| 1995 | 34.5% | +9.8% |
| 1996 | 35.6% | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 37.7% | +5.8% |
| 1998 | 33.9% | -10.1% |
| 1999 | 29.7% | -12.3% |
| 2000 | 32.4% | +9.1% |
| 2001 | 33.2% | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 28.5% | -14.3% |
| 2003 | 28.5% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 29.5% | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 29.5% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 31.3% | +6.2% |
| 2007 | 31.7% | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 33.3% | +4.8% |
| 2009 | 34.7% | +4.2% |
| 2010 | 36.4% | +5.0% |
| 2011 | 28.5% | -21.7% |
| 2012 | 29.2% | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 32.6% | +11.7% |
| 2014 | 35.9% | +10.1% |
| 2015 | 36.5% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 33.9% | -6.9% |
| 2017 | 36.8% | +8.5% |
| 2018 | 40.6% | +10.3% |
| 2019 | 41.5% | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 34.1% | -17.7% |
| 2021 | 37.9% | +11.2% |
| 2022 | 42.3% | +11.4% |
| 2023 | 34.6% | -18.2% |
| 2024 | 32.6% | -5.6% |
| 2025 | 33.7% | +3.4% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 33.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 41.9%, 81% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 33.7% is above the median for South Asia, which is 28.9%, 1.2× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 9.5% | 7.0% | 13.9% | 5 |
| 1970s | 12.0% | 7.9% | 16.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 20.4% | 18.7% | 22.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 30.2% | 21.7% | 37.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 31.3% | 28.5% | 34.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 35.2% | 28.5% | 41.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.9% | 32.6% | 42.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
- 123 Iran, Islamic Republic of 34.5% compare
- 124 Ghana 33.9% compare
- 125 France 33.8% compare
- 127 Norway 33.7% compare
- 128 Central African Republic 33.6% compare
- 129 Sao Tome and Principe 33.3% compare
More economy & growth data for Nepal
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 4.28 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 5.25 Percent per annum (2029)
- 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$), gaps filled 56.90 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -23.95 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0013 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1.92 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 33.15 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is imports of goods and services in Nepal?
- Imports of goods and services in Nepal was 33.7% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs).
- What is the highest imports of goods and services recorded in Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 42.3% in 2022.
- What is the lowest imports of goods and services recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.0% in 1967.
- How does Nepal rank for imports of goods and services?
- Nepal ranks 126th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is imports of goods and services rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nepal 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.
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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.