Value of imported goods as a share of GDP (International Monetary) in Iran
Iran: Value of imported goods as a share of GDP (International Monetary) was 12.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
12.9%
Change on year
up 17.4%
World rank
187th
of 201 countries
All-time high
30.0%
in 1993
All-time low
3.5%
in 1986
Years of data
63
1960–2025
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Iran, 1960–2025
Source: International Monetary Fund (2026); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Iran recorded 12.9% for value of imported goods as a share of gdp in 2025.
The figure is up 17.4% on the previous year and up 32.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Iran peaked at 30.0% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 3.5%, in 1986.
Iran ranks 187th of 201 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP (International Monetary) in Iran, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 10.1% | — |
| 1961 | 11.1% | +9.2% |
| 1962 | 8.9% | -19.9% |
| 1963 | 8.6% | -2.8% |
| 1964 | 9.7% | +12.1% |
| 1965 | 10.6% | +9.9% |
| 1966 | 10.4% | -2.4% |
| 1967 | 11.4% | +10.0% |
| 1968 | 12.2% | +7.5% |
| 1969 | 11.0% | -10.2% |
| 1973 | 9.6% | -12.3% |
| 1974 | 9.3% | -3.7% |
| 1975 | 16.0% | +72.2% |
| 1976 | 14.9% | -6.5% |
| 1977 | 14.2% | -4.6% |
| 1978 | 9.9% | -30.8% |
| 1979 | 8.4% | -14.7% |
| 1980 | 9.2% | +9.8% |
| 1981 | 10.5% | +13.7% |
| 1982 | 7.4% | -29.4% |
| 1983 | 9.0% | +21.0% |
| 1984 | 6.8% | -24.3% |
| 1985 | 5.0% | -25.7% |
| 1986 | 3.5% | -31.2% |
| 1987 | 5.4% | +55.1% |
| 1988 | 5.1% | -5.4% |
| 1989 | 8.5% | +66.9% |
| 1990 | 13.0% | +52.5% |
| 1991 | 19.8% | +52.4% |
| 1992 | 22.0% | +11.3% |
| 1993 | 30.0% | +36.4% |
| 1994 | 15.4% | -48.8% |
| 1995 | 12.0% | -21.9% |
| 1996 | 11.7% | -2.7% |
| 1997 | 12.4% | +5.8% |
| 1998 | 11.6% | -6.2% |
| 1999 | 9.8% | -15.4% |
| 2000 | 13.0% | +32.8% |
| 2001 | 13.0% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 15.8% | +22.3% |
| 2003 | 16.6% | +4.6% |
| 2004 | 17.5% | +5.8% |
| 2005 | 17.2% | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 15.2% | -11.5% |
| 2007 | 12.7% | -16.0% |
| 2008 | 13.3% | +4.0% |
| 2009 | 11.8% | -10.7% |
| 2010 | 13.4% | +13.3% |
| 2011 | 15.6% | +16.2% |
| 2012 | 14.7% | -5.9% |
| 2013 | 9.6% | -34.5% |
| 2014 | 11.3% | +17.3% |
| 2015 | 9.8% | -13.4% |
| 2016 | 8.9% | -8.7% |
| 2017 | 10.1% | +13.4% |
| 2018 | 10.0% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 12.6% | +26.1% |
| 2020 | 13.8% | +9.2% |
| 2021 | 12.9% | -6.0% |
| 2022 | 13.8% | +6.5% |
| 2023 | 11.6% | -15.7% |
| 2024 | 11.0% | -5.1% |
| 2025 | 12.9% | +17.4% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 12.9% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 38.0%, 34% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iran's 12.9% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 27.2%, 48% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 10.4% | 8.6% | 12.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 11.8% | 8.4% | 16.0% | 7 |
| 1980s | 7.0% | 3.5% | 10.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.7% | 9.8% | 30.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.6% | 11.8% | 17.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.6% | 8.9% | 15.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.7% | 11.0% | 13.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More economy & growth data for Iran
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate -141.63 % change on previous year (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.48 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.43 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.019 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 74.73 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 0.3978 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0139 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 54.57 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Iran?
- Value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Iran was 12.9% in 2025, according to International Monetary Fund (2026); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 30.0% in 1993.
- What is the lowest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.5% in 1986.
- How does Iran rank for value of imported goods as a share of gdp?
- Iran ranks 187th out of 201 countries with data for 2025.
- Is value of imported goods as a share of gdp rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iran data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (2026); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Value of imported goods as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Value of a country’s total goods imports, including freight and insurance costs, as a percentage of a country’s gross domestic product (GDP).