Merchandise trade as a proportion of GDP in Eastern Africa

Eastern Africa: Merchandise trade as a proportion of GDP was 35.8% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
35.8%
Change on year
up 2.2%
Rank
29th
of 37 groups
All-time high
48.2%
in 2011
All-time low
30.3%
in 2020
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Merchandise trade as a proportion of GDP in Eastern Africa, 2000–2024

010203040502000201220242000: 34.3 %2001: 35.9 %2002: 35.1 %2003: 38 %2004: 41.2 %2005: 42.8 %2006: 44.4 %2007: 44.8 %2008: 45.6 %2009: 38.2 %2010: 42.6 %2011: 48.2 %2012: 46.8 %2013: 45 %2014: 42.6 %2015: 38.8 %2016: 36 %2017: 33.4 %2018: 35.5 %2019: 32.7 %2020: 30.3 %2021: 33.6 %2022: 36.4 %2023: 35 %2024: 35.8 %

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for merchandise trade as a proportion of gdp in Eastern Africa is 35.8%, measured in 2024.

The figure is up 2.2% on the previous year and down 15.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, merchandise trade as a proportion of gdp in Eastern Africa peaked at 48.2% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 30.3%, in 2020.

That places Eastern Africa 29th out of 37 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.

Merchandise trade as a proportion of GDP in Eastern Africa, year by year

Annual values for Merchandise trade as a proportion of GDP (%) in Eastern Africa, 2000 to 2024.
Year % Change
2000 34.3%
2001 35.9% +4.5%
2002 35.1% -2.0%
2003 38.0% +8.1%
2004 41.2% +8.3%
2005 42.8% +4.1%
2006 44.4% +3.6%
2007 44.8% +0.9%
2008 45.6% +1.9%
2009 38.2% -16.3%
2010 42.6% +11.6%
2011 48.2% +13.0%
2012 46.8% -2.8%
2013 45.0% -4.0%
2014 42.6% -5.3%
2015 38.8% -8.9%
2016 36.0% -7.4%
2017 33.4% -7.1%
2018 35.5% +6.1%
2019 32.7% -7.8%
2020 30.3% -7.4%
2021 33.6% +11.0%
2022 36.4% +8.3%
2023 35.0% -3.7%
2024 35.8% +2.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 40.0% 34.3% 45.6% 10
2010s 40.1% 32.7% 48.2% 10
2020s 34.2% 30.3% 36.4% 5

Countries ranked near Eastern Africa

  1. 27 Guyana 107.9% compare
  2. 28 Latvia 101.6% compare
  3. 29 Micronesia (Federated States of) 101.2% compare
  4. 30 Lithuania 99.5% compare
  5. 31 Oman 99.4% compare
  6. 32 Libya 98.1% compare

See the full ranking of 255 places →

More economy & growth data for Eastern Africa

All data for Eastern Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is merchandise trade as a proportion of gdp in Eastern Africa?
Merchandise trade as a proportion of gdp in Eastern Africa was 35.8% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest merchandise trade as a proportion of gdp recorded in Eastern Africa?
The highest recorded value was 48.2% in 2011.
What is the lowest merchandise trade as a proportion of gdp recorded in Eastern Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 30.3% in 2020.
How does Eastern Africa rank for merchandise trade as a proportion of gdp?
Eastern Africa ranks 29th out of 37 groups with data for 2024.
Is merchandise trade as a proportion of gdp rising or falling in Eastern Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 15.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Eastern Africa data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Merchandise trade as a proportion of GDP (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Merchandise trade as a proportion of GDP in Eastern Africa. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/merchandise-trade-as-a-proportion-of-gdp-percent/eastern-africa/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/merchandise-trade-as-a-proportion-of-gdp-percent/eastern-africa/">Merchandise trade as a proportion of GDP in Eastern Africa</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Merchandise trade as a proportion of GDP (%)
Unit
%
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
255 places, 6,196 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed