Value of imported goods as a share of GDP (International Monetary) in Tanzania
Tanzania: Value of imported goods as a share of GDP (International Monetary) was 16.8% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Tanzania, 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
In 2025, value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Tanzania stood at 16.8%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 15.0% on the previous year and down 45.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Tanzania peaked at 32.3% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 2.1%, in 1963.
That places Tanzania 166th out of 201 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP (International Monetary) in Tanzania, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2.6% | — |
| 1961 | 2.7% | +4.3% |
| 1962 | 2.4% | -12.2% |
| 1963 | 2.1% | -10.3% |
| 1964 | 2.9% | +34.4% |
| 1965 | 3.2% | +10.7% |
| 1966 | 3.6% | +11.7% |
| 1967 | 3.6% | +0.3% |
| 1968 | 4.8% | +33.2% |
| 1969 | 4.1% | -13.7% |
| 1970 | 10.0% | +143.1% |
| 1971 | 11.4% | +14.4% |
| 1972 | 10.4% | -8.6% |
| 1973 | 10.6% | +1.6% |
| 1974 | 14.6% | +37.9% |
| 1975 | 13.4% | -8.6% |
| 1976 | 8.9% | -33.6% |
| 1977 | 7.6% | -14.1% |
| 1978 | 10.0% | +30.8% |
| 1979 | 8.5% | -15.2% |
| 1980 | 8.5% | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 6.5% | -22.8% |
| 1982 | 6.8% | +3.5% |
| 1983 | 4.6% | -32.1% |
| 1984 | 5.4% | +17.4% |
| 1985 | 5.7% | +5.3% |
| 1986 | 6.4% | +12.5% |
| 1987 | 9.4% | +47.1% |
| 1988 | 10.0% | +6.4% |
| 1989 | 11.0% | +9.8% |
| 1990 | 15.5% | +40.5% |
| 1991 | 16.1% | +4.2% |
| 1992 | 21.7% | +34.8% |
| 1993 | 22.2% | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 21.9% | -1.2% |
| 1995 | 23.2% | +6.0% |
| 1996 | 17.8% | -23.2% |
| 1997 | 12.5% | -29.9% |
| 1998 | 12.8% | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 13.1% | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 11.4% | -13.1% |
| 2001 | 12.8% | +12.3% |
| 2002 | 11.8% | -7.4% |
| 2003 | 14.2% | +20.3% |
| 2004 | 15.3% | +7.8% |
| 2005 | 17.6% | +15.2% |
| 2006 | 24.3% | +37.7% |
| 2007 | 27.1% | +11.4% |
| 2008 | 28.9% | +6.6% |
| 2009 | 22.2% | -23.1% |
| 2010 | 25.0% | +12.7% |
| 2011 | 32.3% | +28.9% |
| 2012 | 29.5% | -8.4% |
| 2013 | 27.0% | -8.7% |
| 2014 | 24.8% | -8.0% |
| 2015 | 31.0% | +25.0% |
| 2016 | 15.8% | -49.0% |
| 2017 | 18.7% | +18.0% |
| 2018 | 14.9% | -20.1% |
| 2019 | 14.8% | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 12.9% | -13.1% |
| 2021 | 15.3% | +19.0% |
| 2022 | 20.7% | +34.8% |
| 2023 | 19.1% | -7.4% |
| 2024 | 19.8% | +3.5% |
| 2025 | 16.8% | -15.0% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 16.8% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 28.5%, 59% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 16.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 26.0%, 65% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Value of imported goods as a share of GDP (International Monetary) in Tanzania 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | +143.1% | 4.1% | 10.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.2% | 2.1% | 4.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.5% | 7.6% | 14.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.4% | 4.6% | 11.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.7% | 12.5% | 23.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.6% | 11.4% | 28.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.4% | 14.8% | 32.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.4% | 12.9% | 20.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More economy & growth data for Tanzania
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate 10.4 % change on previous year (2023)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.67 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 6.5 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate -55.52 % change on previous year (2024)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0011 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 1.44 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -54.24 % change on previous year (2024)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0008 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 1.05 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 Tanzania?
- Value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Tanzania was 16.8% 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 Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 32.3% in 2011.
- What is the lowest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.1% in 1963.
- How does Tanzania rank for value of imported goods as a share of gdp?
- Tanzania ranks 166th out of 201 countries with data for 2025.
- Is value of imported goods as a share of gdp rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 45.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Tanzania 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).