Trade in Nepal
Nepal: Trade was 42.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Trade in Nepal, 1965–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Nepal recorded 42.6% for trade in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.9% on the previous year and down 8.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, trade in Nepal peaked at 64.0% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 13.2%, in 1970.
That places Nepal 165th out of 192 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 61 years of available data.
Trade in Nepal, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 21.7% | — |
| 1966 | 14.4% | -33.6% |
| 1967 | 13.8% | -4.0% |
| 1968 | 14.3% | +3.7% |
| 1969 | 17.2% | +20.1% |
| 1970 | 13.2% | -23.4% |
| 1971 | 14.5% | +10.0% |
| 1972 | 13.6% | -6.6% |
| 1973 | 17.0% | +25.1% |
| 1974 | 16.0% | -5.8% |
| 1975 | 22.3% | +39.2% |
| 1976 | 25.0% | +12.1% |
| 1977 | 26.1% | +4.6% |
| 1978 | 26.0% | -0.2% |
| 1979 | 27.8% | +6.6% |
| 1980 | 30.3% | +9.1% |
| 1981 | 32.5% | +7.4% |
| 1982 | 30.4% | -6.5% |
| 1983 | 31.5% | +3.8% |
| 1984 | 30.1% | -4.6% |
| 1985 | 31.5% | +4.7% |
| 1986 | 32.0% | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 32.7% | +2.4% |
| 1988 | 33.8% | +3.4% |
| 1989 | 33.4% | -1.4% |
| 1990 | 32.2% | -3.5% |
| 1991 | 34.7% | +7.7% |
| 1992 | 41.7% | +20.2% |
| 1993 | 47.2% | +13.2% |
| 1994 | 50.4% | +6.9% |
| 1995 | 59.5% | +18.0% |
| 1996 | 58.5% | -1.7% |
| 1997 | 64.0% | +9.5% |
| 1998 | 56.7% | -11.4% |
| 1999 | 52.6% | -7.3% |
| 2000 | 55.7% | +6.0% |
| 2001 | 55.8% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 46.2% | -17.1% |
| 2003 | 44.2% | -4.3% |
| 2004 | 46.1% | +4.3% |
| 2005 | 44.1% | -4.5% |
| 2006 | 44.8% | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 44.6% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 46.0% | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 47.1% | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 46.0% | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 36.3% | -21.1% |
| 2012 | 37.9% | +4.5% |
| 2013 | 41.9% | +10.4% |
| 2014 | 46.0% | +9.8% |
| 2015 | 46.7% | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 42.1% | -9.8% |
| 2017 | 44.6% | +6.0% |
| 2018 | 48.4% | +8.5% |
| 2019 | 49.2% | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 40.9% | -16.9% |
| 2021 | 43.1% | +5.2% |
| 2022 | 49.0% | +13.7% |
| 2023 | 41.6% | -15.1% |
| 2024 | 40.2% | -3.4% |
| 2025 | 42.6% | +5.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 16.3% | 13.8% | 21.7% | 5 |
| 1970s | 20.1% | 13.2% | 27.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 31.8% | 30.1% | 33.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 49.7% | 32.2% | 64.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 47.5% | 44.1% | 55.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.9% | 36.3% | 49.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.9% | 40.2% | 49.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More economy & growth data for Nepal
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 4.28 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 5.25 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), annual growth 4.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.8798 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per capita 1,351 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), annual growth 6.85 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per unit of GDP 119.9 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per capita 184,158 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), annual 3.8 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), per unit 0.7061 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is trade in Nepal?
- Trade in Nepal was 42.6% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest trade recorded in Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 64.0% in 1997.
- What is the lowest trade recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.2% in 1970.
- How does Nepal rank for trade?
- Nepal ranks 165th out of 192 countries with data for 2025.
- Is trade rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nepal data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of Trade (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Trade is the sum of exports and imports of goods and services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.