Ores and metals imports (% of merchandise imports) in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Ores and metals imports (% of merchandise imports) was 1.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Ores and metals imports in Africa Western and Central, 1962–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for ores and metals imports in Africa Western and Central is 1.0%, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 14.1% on the previous year and down 13.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ores and metals imports in Africa Western and Central peaked at 2.4% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 0.9%, in 2023.
That places Africa Western and Central 46th out of 47 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 47 years of available data.
Ores and metals imports (% of merchandise imports) in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 1.5% | — |
| 1963 | 1.6% | +8.2% |
| 1964 | 1.5% | -3.7% |
| 1965 | 1.6% | +4.9% |
| 1966 | 2.0% | +22.0% |
| 1967 | 1.9% | -5.5% |
| 1968 | 1.8% | -2.1% |
| 1969 | 1.9% | +4.9% |
| 1970 | 1.6% | -14.0% |
| 1971 | 1.7% | +5.0% |
| 1972 | 1.6% | -4.2% |
| 1973 | 1.8% | +7.1% |
| 1974 | 1.6% | -9.1% |
| 1975 | 1.5% | -4.8% |
| 1976 | 1.6% | +3.3% |
| 1977 | 1.5% | -3.9% |
| 1978 | 1.5% | -1.1% |
| 1979 | 1.8% | +18.0% |
| 1981 | 1.6% | -11.7% |
| 1983 | 2.0% | +27.2% |
| 1996 | 2.1% | +6.6% |
| 1997 | 2.4% | +14.8% |
| 1998 | 2.0% | -18.9% |
| 1999 | 2.1% | +4.1% |
| 2000 | 2.0% | -1.2% |
| 2001 | 2.1% | +4.6% |
| 2002 | 2.1% | -2.2% |
| 2003 | 1.6% | -22.6% |
| 2006 | 2.0% | +26.5% |
| 2007 | 2.1% | +4.4% |
| 2008 | 1.6% | -26.5% |
| 2009 | 1.4% | -9.3% |
| 2010 | 1.1% | -23.9% |
| 2011 | 1.1% | +5.9% |
| 2012 | 1.5% | +28.6% |
| 2013 | 1.2% | -15.8% |
| 2014 | 1.2% | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 1.3% | +7.2% |
| 2016 | 1.1% | -13.3% |
| 2017 | 2.0% | +77.5% |
| 2018 | 1.2% | -39.7% |
| 2019 | 1.1% | -5.7% |
| 2020 | 1.1% | -4.2% |
| 2021 | 1.1% | +3.9% |
| 2022 | 1.0% | -9.5% |
| 2023 | 0.9% | -10.0% |
| 2024 | 1.0% | +14.1% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Ores and metals imports (% of merchandise imports) in Africa Western and Central 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | +77.5% | 1.1% | 2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.7% | 1.5% | 2.0% | 8 |
| 1970s | 1.6% | 1.5% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.8% | 1.6% | 2.0% | 2 |
| 1990s | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2.4% | 4 |
| 2000s | 1.9% | 1.4% | 2.1% | 8 |
| 2010s | 1.3% | 1.1% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
- 43 Belarus 3.5% compare
- 44 United Kingdom 3.3% compare
- 45 New Caledonia 3.3% compare
- 46 Slovenia 3.2% compare
- 47 Saudi Arabia 3.1% compare
- 48 Cambodia 3.1% compare
- 49 Brazil 2.9% compare
More energy & mining data for Africa Western and Central
- Electricity production from oil, gas and coal sources 6.3% (2023)
- Access to electricity 58.8% (2024)
- Electricity production from renewable sources, excluding 1.19 kWh per person (2021)
- Electricity production from renewable sources, excluding 0.0006 kWh per US$ of GDP (2021)
- Electricity production from renewable sources, excluding 63.57 kWh per square kilometre (2021)
- Electricity production from renewable sources, excluding 1.71 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is ores and metals imports in Africa Western and Central?
- Ores and metals imports in Africa Western and Central was 1.0% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest ores and metals imports recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 2.4% in 1997.
- What is the lowest ores and metals imports recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.9% in 2023.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for ores and metals imports?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 46th out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is ores and metals imports rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Ores and metals imports (% of merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 47 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Ores and metals comprise the commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) sections 27 (crude fertilizer, minerals nes); 28 (metalliferous ores, scrap); and 68 (non-ferrous metals). Imports of services are services provided by non-residents to residents. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise imports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a non-resident and a resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e.