Trade & investment · Sub-Saharan Africa · Low income
Uganda: trade and investment
Exports is 21.4% (2025), 141st of 184 in the world and 27th of 43 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Imports is 28.8% (2025), 137th of 184 in the world and 26th of 43 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Trade openness is 50.2% (2025), 144th of 184 in the world and 27th of 43 in Sub-Saharan Africa.
13 indicators
Trade & investment: Uganda in detail
Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Sub-Saharan Africa; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.
| Indicator | Latest | World rank | In region | ~2000 | ~2010 | ~2020 | 10-year change | Region | Income group | World | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ExportsExports of goods and services, % of GDP | 21.4%2025 | 141/184 | 27/43 | 10.7% | 13.8% | 15.4% | +8.6 ppsince 2015 | 27.9% | 23.6% | 29.5% | |
| ImportsImports of goods and services, % of GDP | 28.8%2025 | 137/184 | 26/43 | 22.1% | 24.4% | 21.6% | +3.9 ppsince 2015 | 27.9% | 33.9% | 28.5% | |
| Trade opennessTrade, % of GDP | 50.2%2025 | 144/184 | 27/43 | 32.7% | 38.3% | 37.0% | +12.5 ppsince 2015 | 55.7% | 47.6% | 68.5% | |
| Current accountCurrent account balance, % of GDP | -5.2%2025 | 133/185 | 25/42 | -5.8% | -6.0% | -9.6% | ±0.0 ppsince 2015 | — | — | — | |
| Merchandise exportsMerchandise exports, current US$ | $12.5bn2025 | 94/206 | 9/48 | $403m | $1.6bn | $4.1bn | +451%since 2015 | $487bn | $107bn | $26.4tn | |
| High-tech exportsHigh-technology exports, % of manufactured exports | 1.9%2024 | 132/170 | 22/39 | · | 2.6% | 2.1% | −0.8 ppsince 2014 | 6.0% | 2.1% | 24.7% | |
| Fuel exportsFuel exports, % of merchandise exports | 2.3%2024 | 100/172 | 16/39 | 5.0% | 1.2% | 2.4% | +0.2 ppsince 2014 | 40.9% | 8.2% | 9.5% | |
| Food exportsFood exports, % of merchandise exports | 39.3%2024 | 43/172 | 13/39 | 62.9% | 66.8% | 37.5% | −26.2 ppsince 2014 | 14.6% | 38.0% | 9.0% | |
| Average tariffApplied tariff rate, weighted mean, all products | 7.9%2022 | 58/184 | 30/45 | 6.0% | 9.2% | 8.1% | −1.0 ppsince 2012 | — | — | — | |
| FDI inflowsForeign direct investment, net inflows, % of GDP | 5.4%2025 | 40/197 | 11/46 | 2.6% | 2.0% | 3.2% | +3.1 ppsince 2015 | 2.1% | 3.7% | 1.4% | |
| RemittancesPersonal remittances received, % of GDP | 4.5%2025 | 58/178 | 14/41 | 3.8% | 2.9% | 2.8% | +1.7 ppsince 2015 | 3.1% | 3.4% | 0.8% | |
| Tourist arrivalsInternational tourist arrivals | 473,0002020 | 129/196 | 19/42 | 193,000 | 946,000 | 473,000 | −50%since 2010 | 56.0m | 17.4m | 2.4bn | |
| Tourism receiptsInternational tourism receipts, current US$ | $518m2020 | 98/177 | 8/40 | $187m2001 | $802m | $518m | −35%since 2010 | $34.9bn | $11.8bn | $1.9tn |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.
neighbours
Uganda and its neighbours
Countries sharing a land border with Uganda. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.
| Indicator | Uganda | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Tanzania | Kenya | Rwanda | South Sudan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exports | 21.4%2025 | 43.4%2025 | 19.0%2025 | 15.8%2025 | 21.6%2025 | 36.7%2015 |
| Imports | 28.8%2025 | 43.9%2025 | 20.0%2025 | 21.8%2025 | 35.1%2025 | 28.9%2015 |
| Trade openness | 50.2%2025 | 87.3%2025 | 39.0%2025 | 37.5%2025 | 56.7%2025 | 65.6%2015 |
| Current account | -5.2%2025 | -4.3%2025 | -3.0%2024 | -2.1%2025 | -12.0%2024 | 7.9%2023 |
| Merchandise exports | $12.5bn2025 | $32.1bn2025 | $10.0bn2025 | $8.6bn2025 | $2.5bn2025 | $955m2025 |
| High-tech exports | 1.9%2024 | 0.2%2023 | 3.0%2024 | 3.2%2024 | 4.8%2022 | — |
| Fuel exports | 2.3%2024 | 1.8%2024 | 1.3%2025 | 1.8%2025 | 0.1%2022 | — |
| Food exports | 39.3%2024 | 1.3%2024 | 31.0%2025 | 50.8%2025 | 27.2%2022 | — |
| Average tariff | 7.9%2022 | 8.4%2020 | 8.6%2022 | 11.7%2022 | 11.1%2022 | — |