Merchandise trade in South Asia
South Asia: Merchandise trade was 30.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise trade in South Asia, 1960–2025
Source: World Trade Organization (WTO). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, merchandise trade in South Asia stood at 30.0%.
That represents a change of down 1.3% on the previous year and down 6.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise trade in South Asia peaked at 43.4% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 7.5%, in 1971.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 10.1% | 8.1% | 13.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.3% | 7.5% | 13.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.9% | 11.5% | 14.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 18.7% | 14.4% | 21.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.0% | 21.8% | 43.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 35.0% | 28.0% | 43.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.4% | 24.5% | 35.6% | 6 |
More private sector data for South Asia
- Merchandise exports 510.58 billion current US$ (2025)
- Manufactures exports 67.0% (2024)
- Food exports 11.8% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 864.53 billion current US$ (2025)
- Manufactures imports 47.1% (2024)
- Food imports 5.6% (2024)
- Commercial service exports 433.81 billion current US$ (2025)
- Transport services 20.4% (2025)
- Computer, communications and other services 59.1% (2025)
- Commercial service imports 223.58 billion current US$ (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise trade in South Asia?
- Merchandise trade in South Asia was 30.0% in 2025, according to World Trade Organization (WTO).
- What is the highest merchandise trade recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 43.4% in 2008.
- What is the lowest merchandise trade recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.5% in 1971.
- Is merchandise trade rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Asia data come from?
- The figures come from World Trade Organization (WTO), published as part of Merchandise trade (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
General merchandise trade includes goods whose economic ownership is changed between a resident and a non-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. It is the total of merchandise exports plus merchandise imports. 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.