What does an imports-to-GDP comparison tell us about the scale of trade? The figures below use World Bank observations for 2024. The observation period is distinct from the date this article is prepared.
Key takeaways
- Cuba ranked 1 with 82.4 % of GDP in 2024.
- Nicaragua ranked 2 with 58.2 % of GDP in 2024.
- Honduras ranked 3 with 57.7 % of GDP in 2024.
What does an imports-to-GDP comparison tell us about the scale of trade?
Imports of goods and services are measured against domestic economic output. The percentage is a ratio between different accounting concepts, not the fraction of a household's shopping basket bought overseas. Both goods and services matter, so merchandise trade alone will not reproduce this ranking.
How to interpret the differences
A relatively large ratio can occur in economies with substantial cross-border activity. It does not establish that domestic production is weak or that an economy is dependent on any particular supplier. Those questions need product, partner and domestic-value-added data.
A country average, not a regional total
Mean: 34.3 % of GDP in 2024.
This is an unweighted mean across the reported countries. Each country contributes equally; the result is not a GDP-weighted or population-weighted regional aggregate.
What to investigate next
Use this table to identify economies for closer trade research. Compare imports with exports for the same period and definitions before discussing a balance. A percentage ranking also differs from a ranking by the dollar value of imports.
| Rank | Country | Imports of goods and services (% of GDP) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cuba | 82.4% |
| 2 | Nicaragua | 58.2% |
| 3 | Honduras | 57.7% |
| 4 | El Salvador | 53.0% |
| 5 | Paraguay | 39.4% |
| 6 | Panama | 39.3% |
| 7 | Mexico | 38.1% |
| 8 | Canada | 32.7% |
| 9 | Costa Rica | 32.3% |
| 10 | Guatemala | 31.4% |
| 11 | Chile | 30.2% |
| 12 | Dominican Republic | 29.0% |
| 13 | Ecuador | 26.9% |
| 14 | Bolivia | 25.5% |
| 15 | Uruguay | 23.2% |
| 16 | Peru | 22.8% |
| 17 | Colombia | 20.2% |
| 18 | Brazil | 17.6% |
| 19 | United States | 14.0% |
| 20 | Argentina | 12.7% |
Source: World Bank WDI (NE.IMP.GNFS.ZS)
Methodology: World Bank indicator NE.IMP.GNFS.ZS for 20 reported countries from the configured 20-country comparison in 2024; exact source-reported values ranked descending without imputation or unit conversion. Missing observations remain excluded.
Methodology
World Bank indicator NE.IMP.GNFS.ZS for 20 reported countries from the configured 20-country comparison in 2024; exact source-reported values ranked descending without imputation or unit conversion. Missing observations remain excluded.
Caveats
Coverage is limited to the configured selected-country universe and the stated reference year. Missing observations are not imputed.
Data attribution and reproducibility
National accounts sources and World Bank WDI. Indicator definitions and original provider credits. Data distributed under CC BY 4.0. WorldDataRank calculated the ordering and country mean and created the visual. Data retrieved 2026-10-27T19:35:34Z. The upstream release date is not supplied in this snapshot; it is not inferred from the observation year. This publication is independent and is not endorsed by the data providers.