Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Value of imported goods as a share of GDP was 23.1% in 2014. ▼ Falling
Latest (2014)
23.1%
Change on year
down 6.1%
World rank
160th
of 193 countries
All-time high
33.8%
in 1880
All-time low
12.7%
in 1942
Years of data
188
1827–2014
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in United Kingdom, 1827–2014
Source: Fouquin and Hugot (2016) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 23.1% for value of imported goods as a share of gdp in 2014.
The figure is down 6.1% on the previous year and up 15.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, value of imported goods as a share of gdp in United Kingdom peaked at 33.8% in 1880 and was at its lowest, 12.7%, in 1942.
That places United Kingdom 160th out of 193 countries with data for 2014, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 188 years of available data.
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1827 | 15.1% | — |
| 1828 | 14.8% | -2.0% |
| 1829 | 14.5% | -2.2% |
| 1830 | 14.3% | -1.2% |
| 1831 | 16.2% | +13.2% |
| 1832 | 13.1% | -19.2% |
| 1833 | 15.3% | +16.5% |
| 1834 | 15.9% | +4.0% |
| 1835 | 15.7% | -1.2% |
| 1836 | 17.5% | +11.8% |
| 1837 | 14.9% | -15.3% |
| 1838 | 16.3% | +9.4% |
| 1839 | 18.0% | +10.8% |
| 1840 | 18.4% | +2.0% |
| 1841 | 17.7% | -3.6% |
| 1842 | 17.4% | -1.6% |
| 1843 | 16.0% | -8.1% |
| 1844 | 16.5% | +3.3% |
| 1845 | 17.2% | +3.9% |
| 1846 | 16.9% | -1.5% |
| 1847 | 20.3% | +19.8% |
| 1848 | 17.4% | -14.2% |
| 1849 | 20.1% | +15.6% |
| 1850 | 22.0% | +9.4% |
| 1851 | 23.4% | +6.2% |
| 1852 | 21.8% | -6.9% |
| 1853 | 25.6% | +17.7% |
| 1854 | 23.3% | -9.1% |
| 1855 | 22.6% | -2.9% |
| 1856 | 25.3% | +12.0% |
| 1857 | 28.2% | +11.2% |
| 1858 | 27.2% | -3.5% |
| 1859 | 26.6% | -1.9% |
| 1860 | 29.8% | +11.9% |
| 1861 | 30.6% | +2.7% |
| 1862 | 32.5% | +6.1% |
| 1863 | 30.1% | -7.2% |
| 1864 | 30.8% | +2.3% |
| 1865 | 31.3% | +1.4% |
| 1866 | 32.9% | +5.3% |
| 1867 | 31.2% | -5.3% |
| 1868 | 32.3% | +3.7% |
| 1869 | 31.1% | -3.7% |
| 1870 | 29.6% | -5.1% |
| 1871 | 29.2% | -1.2% |
| 1872 | 29.1% | -0.5% |
| 1873 | 29.0% | -0.2% |
| 1874 | 29.1% | +0.3% |
| 1875 | 30.0% | +3.2% |
| 1876 | 30.5% | +1.7% |
| 1877 | 32.4% | +6.2% |
| 1878 | 31.1% | -4.0% |
| 1879 | 31.8% | +2.0% |
| 1880 | 33.8% | +6.2% |
| 1881 | 31.9% | -5.4% |
| 1882 | 32.2% | +0.8% |
| 1883 | 33.2% | +3.2% |
| 1884 | 31.4% | -5.6% |
| 1885 | 30.5% | -2.8% |
| 1886 | 28.5% | -6.4% |
| 1887 | 28.3% | -0.7% |
| 1888 | 29.1% | +2.6% |
| 1889 | 30.4% | +4.4% |
| 1890 | 29.2% | -3.9% |
| 1891 | 30.2% | +3.4% |
| 1892 | 30.2% | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 28.8% | -4.6% |
| 1894 | 27.5% | -4.4% |
| 1895 | 27.4% | -0.4% |
| 1896 | 28.1% | +2.7% |
| 1897 | 27.9% | -0.8% |
| 1898 | 27.6% | -1.1% |
| 1899 | 26.8% | -2.8% |
| 1900 | 27.8% | +3.5% |
| 1901 | 27.6% | -0.6% |
| 1902 | 27.7% | +0.5% |
| 1903 | 28.8% | +4.1% |
| 1904 | 29.3% | +1.5% |
| 1905 | 29.0% | -1.0% |
| 1906 | 29.9% | +3.1% |
| 1907 | 30.6% | +2.2% |
| 1908 | 29.5% | -3.5% |
| 1909 | 30.4% | +3.2% |
| 1910 | 31.7% | +4.1% |
| 1911 | 30.5% | -3.6% |
| 1912 | 32.0% | +4.8% |
| 1913 | 31.8% | -0.7% |
| 1914 | 28.4% | -10.5% |
| 1915 | 28.9% | +1.8% |
| 1916 | 27.6% | -4.6% |
| 1917 | 24.9% | -9.9% |
| 1918 | 25.8% | +3.5% |
| 1919 | 29.7% | +15.1% |
| 1920 | 32.3% | +9.1% |
| 1921 | 22.1% | -31.6% |
| 1922 | 22.5% | +1.7% |
| 1923 | 25.8% | +14.5% |
| 1924 | 29.3% | +13.5% |
| 1925 | 29.3% | +0.1% |
| 1926 | 28.5% | -2.6% |
| 1927 | 26.5% | -7.2% |
| 1928 | 26.0% | -1.9% |
| 1929 | 26.0% | +0.1% |
| 1930 | 22.6% | -13.1% |
| 1931 | 20.0% | -11.8% |
| 1932 | 16.6% | -16.7% |
| 1933 | 15.7% | -5.5% |
| 1934 | 16.2% | +3.1% |
| 1935 | 16.0% | -1.1% |
| 1936 | 17.0% | +6.1% |
| 1937 | 19.3% | +13.3% |
| 1938 | 16.7% | -13.3% |
| 1939 | 15.0% | -10.5% |
| 1940 | 16.0% | +7.2% |
| 1941 | 13.2% | -17.5% |
| 1942 | 12.7% | -3.9% |
| 1943 | 18.7% | +46.9% |
| 1944 | 23.2% | +24.2% |
| 1945 | 15.3% | -34.0% |
| 1946 | 13.1% | -14.8% |
| 1947 | 16.7% | +27.6% |
| 1948 | 17.0% | +2.2% |
| 1949 | 17.6% | +3.3% |
| 1950 | 19.2% | +8.9% |
| 1951 | 25.4% | +32.5% |
| 1952 | 21.1% | -17.0% |
| 1953 | 19.1% | -9.2% |
| 1954 | 17.7% | -7.2% |
| 1955 | 18.7% | +5.6% |
| 1956 | 17.4% | -6.9% |
| 1957 | 17.5% | +0.4% |
| 1958 | 16.0% | -8.4% |
| 1959 | 16.2% | +0.8% |
| 1960 | 17.4% | +7.4% |
| 1961 | 16.0% | -7.8% |
| 1962 | 15.6% | -2.8% |
| 1963 | 15.8% | +1.8% |
| 1964 | 16.9% | +6.5% |
| 1965 | 15.9% | -6.0% |
| 1966 | 15.5% | -2.2% |
| 1967 | 15.9% | +2.5% |
| 1968 | 18.1% | +13.9% |
| 1969 | 17.7% | -2.2% |
| 1970 | 16.6% | -6.1% |
| 1971 | 16.4% | -1.3% |
| 1972 | 16.6% | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 20.4% | +23.1% |
| 1974 | 26.7% | +30.5% |
| 1975 | 22.4% | -16.1% |
| 1976 | 24.0% | +7.3% |
| 1977 | 24.0% | -0.0% |
| 1978 | 22.6% | -6.0% |
| 1979 | 22.7% | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 20.5% | -9.7% |
| 1981 | 19.0% | -7.4% |
| 1982 | 19.3% | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 20.4% | +5.7% |
| 1984 | 22.7% | +11.1% |
| 1985 | 22.3% | -1.9% |
| 1986 | 21.0% | -5.7% |
| 1987 | 20.7% | -1.3% |
| 1988 | 20.8% | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 21.5% | +3.2% |
| 1990 | 20.4% | -5.2% |
| 1991 | 18.4% | -10.0% |
| 1992 | 18.8% | +2.2% |
| 1993 | 19.4% | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 19.8% | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 21.2% | +7.0% |
| 1996 | 21.7% | +2.3% |
| 1997 | 20.9% | -3.5% |
| 1998 | 20.2% | -3.7% |
| 1999 | 20.5% | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 21.5% | +5.0% |
| 2001 | 21.6% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 20.3% | -5.8% |
| 2003 | 20.0% | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 20.1% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 21.5% | +7.0% |
| 2006 | 23.7% | +10.3% |
| 2007 | 21.5% | -9.1% |
| 2008 | 23.8% | +10.6% |
| 2009 | 22.4% | -5.9% |
| 2010 | 23.7% | +5.5% |
| 2011 | 25.5% | +8.0% |
| 2012 | 25.2% | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 24.6% | -2.5% |
| 2014 | 23.1% | -6.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 14.8% | 14.5% | 15.1% | 3 |
| 1830s | 15.7% | 13.1% | 18.0% | 10 |
| 1840s | 17.8% | 16.0% | 20.3% | 10 |
| 1850s | 24.6% | 21.8% | 28.2% | 10 |
| 1860s | 31.3% | 29.8% | 32.9% | 10 |
| 1870s | 30.2% | 29.0% | 32.4% | 10 |
| 1880s | 30.9% | 28.3% | 33.8% | 10 |
| 1890s | 28.4% | 26.8% | 30.2% | 10 |
| 1900s | 29.1% | 27.6% | 30.6% | 10 |
| 1910s | 29.1% | 24.9% | 32.0% | 10 |
| 1920s | 26.8% | 22.1% | 32.3% | 10 |
| 1930s | 17.5% | 15.0% | 22.6% | 10 |
| 1940s | 16.4% | 12.7% | 23.2% | 10 |
| 1950s | 18.8% | 16.0% | 25.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 16.5% | 15.5% | 18.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 21.3% | 16.4% | 26.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 20.8% | 19.0% | 22.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.1% | 18.4% | 21.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.6% | 20.0% | 23.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.4% | 23.1% | 25.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More economy & growth data for United Kingdom
- 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)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), annual growth 8.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.9023 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per capita 51,972 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), annual growth 5.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per unit of GDP 0.6852 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per capita 39,472 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), annual 1.41 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), per unit 0.7556 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is value of imported goods as a share of gdp in United Kingdom?
- Value of imported goods as a share of gdp in United Kingdom was 23.1% in 2014, according to Fouquin and Hugot (2016) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 33.8% in 1880.
- What is the lowest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.7% in 1942.
- How does United Kingdom rank for value of imported goods as a share of gdp?
- United Kingdom ranks 160th out of 193 countries with data for 2014.
- Is value of imported goods as a share of gdp rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Fouquin and Hugot (2016) – processed 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 188 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Estimates correspond to merchandise import-to-GDP ratios for countries and regions. All ratios are taken at current prices. See source for more details.