Which country imports the least
Figuring out which country imports the least isn't as straightforward as you'd think. Depends on how you measure it—total dollar value, or relative to their economy size. Tons of tiny, isolated places have tiny import bills. But the one that consistently comes in dead last in absolute terms? That's South Sudan. Extreme poverty, endless conflict, basically no foreign currency to speak of. Then if you look at imports as a slice of GDP, places like Somalia, <>Burundi, and Afghanistan are scraping the bottom too. Their economies are wrecked by war, barely plugged into global trade at all.
The numbers for these "least importing" nations bounce around a lot and get revised constantly. But a clear picture emerges: the countries with rock-bottom import levels are almost always the ones getting hammered by economic disaster, political chaos, or just being stuck in the middle of nowhere. Here's a look at the main contenders and why they trade so little.
Which country has the lowest import value in the world?
Based on the latest stuff from the World Bank and UN Comtrade database, South Sudan is pretty much公认 as the country with the tiniest total value of imported goods and services. In recent years, their annual imports have been pegged at under half a billion US dollars. For perspective, the US imports over three trillion annually. South Sudan's import capacity is totally crippled by a mess of factors:
- Civil War and Instability: Decades of fighting have blown up infrastructure, wrecked supply chains, made it basically impossible for businesses to.
- Lack of Foreign Currency: The economy leans hard on oil, but production has tanked. So there's barely any foreign exchange to actually pay for imports.
- Extreme Poverty: GDP per capita under $500 means people have almost no buying power. Demand for foreign stuff is almost nonexistent.
Other countries with super low import values include Somalia,
Which country imports the least relative to its?
you shift the lens to imports as a percentage of GDP (what economists call trade openness), the lineup shifts a bit. The countries with the lowest-to-GDP ratios are either really self-sufficient or—way more common—their economies are so busted they've basically checked out of global trade Recent World Bank data shows Somalia and Burundi often have the lowest ratios, imports under 10% of their GDP.
Here's a table of the lowest import-to-GDP countries:
| Country | Imports (% of GDP) | Primary Reason for Low Imports |
|---|---|---|
| Somalia | ~8-10% | Collapsed state, extreme poverty, piracy history |
| Burundi | ~10-12% | Landlocked, political crisis, low industrialization |
| South Sudan | ~12-15% | Civil war, oil dependency, currency crisis |
| Afghanistan | ~15-18% | , sanctions, limited infrastructure |
| ~18-20% | Instability, landlocked, low economic activity |
Worth noting: a super low import-to-GDP ratio is usually a red flag for a struggling economy, not healthy one. Successful, developed economies tend to have high levels of both imports and exports.
What are the main reasons a country imports so little?
There are a bunch of structural and economic reasons why a country might have almost no imports. Understanding these helps answer the "which country imports the least" question.
1. Conflict and Instability
This is the biggest factor by far. War-torn places like South Sudan, Somalia, and Syria have had their economic systems destroyed. Ports are damaged, roads are dangerous, the government can't guarantee basic law and order. International businesses won't touch that kind of high-risk environment.
2. Extreme Poverty and Lack of Demand
If people are too poor to buy imported stuff, imports stay low. In Burundi and the Central African Republic, GDP per capita is among the world's lowest. There's simply no consumer market for foreign products.
3. Lack of Foreign Currency Reserves
To buy imports, you need to pay in a widely accepted currency—usually US dollars or Euros. Many of the least-importing countries have severe foreign exchange shortages. They can't afford to buy goods from abroad, even if they desperately need them.4. Geographic Isolation
Generally, no. Some folks might think low imports means self-sufficiency or protectionism, but in the context of these countries, it's a sign of deep economic dysfunction. A healthy economy imports capital goods (machinery, tech) to boost productivity, raw materials for manufacturing, and consumer goods to improve living standards. The low imports we're talking about here are symptoms of poverty, conflict, and isolation—not a policy win. That said, some really small, isolated island nations (like Tokelau or Niue) also have extremely low import values just because their populations are tiny. But that's a matter of scale, not economic failure. Yeah, North Korea often gets mentioned as one of the countries that imports the least, but reliable data is hard to come by because of international sanctions and its secretive nature. Its imports are heavily restricted by sanctions and its own isolationist policiesJuche). Estimates suggest imports are very low, South Sudan and Somalia probably have even lower official trade volumes.
Is it good to have low imports?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Does North Korea import very little?
Data for places like Somalia and South Sudan is often estimated by international organizations like the World Bank, the IMF, and UN. They use a mix of partner-country data (what other countries report exporting to them), port activity, and satellite imagery. The data is considered less reliable than for stable countries, but it's the best we've got.
Could a very rich country import very little?
In theory, a country with natural resources and a domestic market could have relatively low imports. The US, for example, imports a ton, but its import-to-GDP ratio (around 15%) is lower than many smaller European nations. But no rich, developed country has import levels as low as the ones we're talking about here. A very low import level is almost always a sign of economic distress.
Short Summary
- Lowest Absolute Imports: South Sudan is widely considered the country that imports the least by total monetary value, due to its civil war and economic collapse.
- Lowest Relative Imports: Somalia and Burundi have the lowest import-to-GDP ratios, often below 10%, reflecting their extreme poverty and isolation from global trade.
- Common Causes: The primary drivers for low imports are conflict, extreme poverty, lack of foreign currency, and geographic isolation.
- Negative Sign: A very low level of imports is generally a negative indicator, signifying a broken economy rather than a healthy, self-sufficient one.
