Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Value of imported goods as a share of GDP was 19.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
19.8%
Change on year
down 6.0%
World rank
155th
of 201 countries
All-time high
24.9%
in 2022
All-time low
14.1%
in 1966
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1960–2024
Source: International Monetary Fund (2025); 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 2024, value of imported goods as a share of gdp in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland stood at 19.8%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.0% on the previous year and down 8.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, value of imported goods as a share of gdp in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 24.9% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 14.1%, in 1966.
That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 155th out of 201 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 65 years of available data.
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 16.1% | — |
| 1961 | 14.7% | -8.3% |
| 1962 | 14.4% | -2.3% |
| 1963 | 14.5% | +0.9% |
| 1964 | 15.5% | +6.5% |
| 1965 | 14.5% | -6.2% |
| 1966 | 14.1% | -2.8% |
| 1967 | 14.4% | +2.0% |
| 1968 | 16.2% | +12.5% |
| 1969 | 15.7% | -2.9% |
| 1970 | 15.2% | -3.4% |
| 1971 | 14.6% | -3.5% |
| 1972 | 14.7% | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 17.8% | +21.6% |
| 1974 | 23.4% | +31.0% |
| 1975 | 19.3% | -17.5% |
| 1976 | 20.7% | +7.2% |
| 1977 | 20.3% | -1.9% |
| 1978 | 19.0% | -6.4% |
| 1979 | 18.8% | -1.2% |
| 1980 | 17.1% | -8.6% |
| 1981 | 15.9% | -7.5% |
| 1982 | 15.8% | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 16.4% | +4.0% |
| 1984 | 18.4% | +11.9% |
| 1985 | 17.8% | -2.9% |
| 1986 | 16.5% | -7.7% |
| 1987 | 16.2% | -1.7% |
| 1988 | 16.3% | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 16.8% | +3.4% |
| 1990 | 19.3% | +14.8% |
| 1991 | 17.3% | -10.7% |
| 1992 | 17.7% | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 17.7% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 18.2% | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 17.8% | -1.9% |
| 1996 | 18.2% | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 17.5% | -4.0% |
| 1998 | 16.9% | -3.3% |
| 1999 | 18.9% | +11.6% |
| 2000 | 20.0% | +5.7% |
| 2001 | 18.9% | -5.4% |
| 2002 | 18.3% | -3.4% |
| 2003 | 18.2% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 18.1% | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 18.9% | +4.5% |
| 2006 | 20.2% | +7.0% |
| 2007 | 19.7% | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 21.4% | +8.8% |
| 2009 | 20.4% | -4.8% |
| 2010 | 22.5% | +10.1% |
| 2011 | 24.6% | +9.3% |
| 2012 | 24.7% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 22.7% | -8.1% |
| 2014 | 21.7% | -4.4% |
| 2015 | 20.9% | -3.7% |
| 2016 | 23.1% | +10.5% |
| 2017 | 23.3% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 22.7% | -2.4% |
| 2019 | 23.6% | +3.9% |
| 2020 | 20.9% | -11.6% |
| 2021 | 21.3% | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 24.9% | +17.3% |
| 2023 | 21.1% | -15.4% |
| 2024 | 19.8% | -6.0% |
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 19.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 30.7%, 65% of the median. (73 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 19.8% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 37.1%, 54% of the median. (51 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 15.0% | 14.1% | 16.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 18.4% | 14.6% | 23.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 16.7% | 15.8% | 18.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 18.0% | 16.9% | 19.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.4% | 18.1% | 21.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.0% | 20.9% | 24.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.6% | 19.8% | 24.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 152 Papua New Guinea 20.6% compare
- 153 New Caledonia 20.4% compare
- 154 Guam 20.1% compare
- 156 Norway 19.7% compare
- 157 Benin 19.7% compare
- 158 Afghanistan 19.5% compare
More economy & growth data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.14 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.42 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 86.93 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0217 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1,251 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 76.63 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 691.49 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0191 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1,103 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 22.77 % change on previous year (2025)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is value of imported goods as a share of gdp in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Value of imported goods as a share of gdp in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 19.8% in 2024, according to International Monetary Fund (2025); 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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 24.9% in 2022.
- What is the lowest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.1% in 1966.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for value of imported goods as a share of gdp?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 155th out of 201 countries with data for 2024.
- Is value of imported goods as a share of gdp rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (2025); 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).