That dollar amount reflects a 22.1% increase from $10.3 billion in Nepalese spending in 2017 and a 28.4% acceleration from $9.7 billion during 2020.
Nepal’s top 5 imported products are processed petroleum oils, semi-finished products made from iron or non-alloy steel, phone devices including smartphones, rice, and petroleum gases. Combined, the 5 most valuable imported goods in 2021 represent a concentration exceeding one quarter (26.8%) of the overall value of Nepalese imports.
Nepal’s Main Product Suppliers
The latest available country-specific data shows that 91.2% of products imported into Nepal were supplied by exporters in: India (64.2% of the global total), mainland China (13.7%), Argentina (2.2%), United Arab Emirates (1.9%), United States of America (1.8%), Canada (1.59%), Indonesia (1.56%), Ukraine (0.93%), South Korea (0.9%), South Africa (0.88%), Malaysia (0.82%) and France (0.7%).
Applying a continental lens, 88.6% of Nepal’s total imports by value were purchased from fellow Asian countries.
Smaller percentages came from Europe (3.7%), North America (3.4%), Latin America (2.7%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (1%), and Oceania (0.6%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
Given Nepal’s population of 29.7 million people, its total $12.5 billion in 2021 imports translates to roughly $430 in yearly product demand from every person in the Himalayan country. That dollar metric exceeds the average $280 per capita one year earlier during 2020.
Nepal’s Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Nepal’s import purchases during 2021. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Nepal.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$2.2 billion (17.2% of total imports)
- Iron, steel: $1.4 billion (11.3%)
- Machinery including computers: $1 billion (8.3%)
- Vehicles: $910 million (7.3%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $869.9 million (7%)
- Cereals: $641.6 million (5.1%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $537.6 million (4.3%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $432.6 million (3.5%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $237.5 million (1.9%)
- Vegetables: $233.7 million (1.9%)
Nepal’s top 10 imports accounted for almost two-thirds (65.6%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.
Imported pharmaceuticals posted the fastest-growing increase in value among Nepal’s top 10 import categories, up 148.8% from 2020 to 2021.
In second place were Nepal’s imports of vehicles (up 77.5%) trailed by optical, technical and medical apparatus (up 60.1%).
Year over year, vegetables represent the lone top product imported into Nepal that incurred a decline via a -23.7% drop.
Please note that the information presented below is at the more granular 4-digit level.
Nepal’s Top Imported Fuels
In 2021, Nepali importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related goods.
- Processed petroleum oils: US$1.5 billion (up 69.6% from 2020)
- Petroleum gases: $403.1 million (up 60.6%)
- Electrical energy: $116.4 million (2020 data unavailable)
- Petroleum oil residues: $66.1 million (down -9.1%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $55.7 million (down -69.3%)
- Coke, semi-coke: $3.2 million (down -79.7%)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $2.1 million (up 17.5%)
- Natural bitumen, asphalt, shale: $1.3 million (up 635.3%)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $563,000 (up 365.3%)
- Asphalt/petroleum bitumen mixes: $209,000 (up 10.6%)
Among these import subcategories, Nepali purchases of natural bitumen, asphalt and shale (up 635.3%), high-temperature distilled coal tar oils (up 365.3%) then processed petroleum oils (up 69.6%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage changes within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported mineral fuels including oil among businesses and consumers in Nepal.
Nepal’s Top Iron and Steel Imports
In 2021, Nepali importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of iron and steel.
- Iron or non-alloy steel products (semi-finished): US$581.5 million (up 43% from 2020)
- Hot-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products: $278.8 million (up 49.6%)
- Coiled iron or non-alloy steel bars, rods: $144.2 million (up 47.7%)
- Hot-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products: $111.6 million (up 424.3%)
- Iron ore reduced products: $103.1 million (up 124.2%)
- Flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products (plated/coated): $39.5 million (up 225.4%)
- Cold-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products: $36.3 million (down -26.6%)
- Iron or non-alloy steel angles, shapes, sections: $35.2 million (down -19%)
- Flat-rolled stainless steel items: $19.5 million (up 193.5%)
- Flat-rolled stainless steel items (thin): $14.3 million (up 17%)
Among these import subcategories, Nepali purchases of hot-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products (up 424.3%), plated or coated flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products (up 225.4%) then flat-rolled stainless steel items (up 193.5%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported iron and steel among Nepali businesses and consumers.
Nepal’s Top Machinery Imports
In 2021, Nepali importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.
- Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): US$127.7 million (up 52.1% from 2020)
- Computers, optical readers: $96.2 million (down -7.4%)
- Sort/screen/washing machinery: $58 million (down -14.7%)
- Refrigerators, freezers: $48.9 million (up 50.2%)
- Miscellaneous machinery: $45.2 million (up 98.4%)
- Air or vacuum pumps: $38.2 million (up 57.6%)
- Liquid pumps and elevators: $38 million (up 30.6%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $37.7 million (up 43.3%)
- Temperature-change machines: $35.1 million (up 160.3%)
- Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $32.5 million (up 27.9%)
Among these import subcategories, Nepali purchases of temperature-change machines (up 160.3%), miscellaneous machinery (up 98.4%) then air or vacuum pumps (up 57.6%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery including computers among Nepali businesses and consumers.
Nepal’s Top Imported Vehicles
In 2021, Nepali importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles and related products.
- Motorcycles: US$281.8 million (up 72.6% from 2020)
- Cars: $188.3 million (up 101.9%)
- Trucks: $157.3 million (up 99%)
- Tractors: $94.1 million (up 38.4%)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $69.1 million (up 88.9%)
- Motorcycle parts/accessories: $42.8 million (up 88.3%)
- Chassis fitted with engine: $24.6 million (up 155.8%)
- Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $19.5 million (up 82.7%)
- Special purpose vehicles: $15.1 million (up 1%)
- Public-transport vehicles: $8.5 million (down -14.3%)
Among these import subcategories, Nepali purchases of chassis fitted with engine (up 155.8%), cars (up 101.9%) then trucks (up 99%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electronics among Nepali businesses and consumers.
See also Nepal’s Top 10 Exports, Nepal’s Top Trading Partners, India’s Top Trading Partners, Palm Oil Exports by Country and Top Cardamoms Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles. Accessed on June 29, 2022
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Databases (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on June 29, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on June 29, 2022
Wikipedia, Nepal. Accessed on June 29, 2022