That dollar amount results from a 6.5% increase from $9.75 billion in Nepalese spending 5 years earlier in 2020 and a 0.3% year-over-year flatlining gain from $10.35 billion during 2023.
Based on the average exchange rate for 2024, the Nepalese rupee weakened by -11.5% against the US dollar since 2020 and diluted by -1.3% from 2023 to 2024. Nepal’s weaker local currency made Nepalese imports paid for starting from the diluted Nepalese rupee relatively more expensive for importers located in Nepal.
Nepal’s top 5 imported products are processed petroleum oils, petroleum gases, iron ore reduced products, phone devices including smartphones, and hot-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products. Combined, the 5 most valuable imported goods in 2024 represent a concentration exceeding one quarter (28.6%) of the overall value of Nepalese imports.
Nepal’s Main Product Suppliers by Geography
The latest available country-specific data from 2022 shows that 94.9% of products exported from Nepal was bought by importers in: India (71.9% of the Nepalese total), United States of America (11.3%), Germany (2.5%), Türkiye (2%), United Kingdom (1.8%), France (1%), Australia (0.8%), Japan (0.8%), Canada (0.8%), Italy (also 0.8%), Netherlands (0.6%) and Denmark (also 0.6%).
Applying a continental lens, 77.5% of Nepal’s total imports by value was purchased from fellow Asian countries.
Smaller percentages came from sellers located in North America (12.1%), Europe (9.2%), Oceania (0.9%) led by Australia and New Zealand), Africa (0.2%), then Latin America (0.1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean.
Given Nepal’s population of 31.1 million people, its total $12.5 billion in 2024 imports translates to roughly $325 in yearly product demand from every person in the Himalayan country. That dollar metric exceeds the average $280 per capita one year earlier during 2023.
Nepal’s Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Nepal’s import purchases during 2024. 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 (21.5% of total imports)
- Machinery including computers: $826.9 million (8%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $771.3 million (7.4%)
- Iron, steel: $731.7 million (7%)
- Vehicles: $658.5 million (6.3%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $374 million (3.6%)
- Cereals: $321.7 million (3.1%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $271.9 million (2.6%)
- Vegetables: $216.7 million (2.1%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $181 million (1.7%)
Nepal’s top 10 imports accounted for almost two-thirds (63.4%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.
Imported vehicles posted the most greatest percentage increase in value among Nepal’s top 10 import categories, up 35.1% from 2023 to 2024.
In second place were Nepal’s imports of machinery including computers (up 16.3%) trailed by plastics, both as materials and items made from plastic, (up 12.9%) and vegetables (up 10%).
Year over year, iron and steel represent Nepal’s greatest import decliners via a -21.5% drop.
Please note that the information presented below is at the more granular 4-digit level.
Nepal’s Top Imported Fuels
In 2024, Nepali importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related goods.
- Processed petroleum oils: US$1.6 billion (down -6% from 2023)
- Petroleum gases: $405 million (up 5.4%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $130 million (down -1.9%)
- Electrical energy: $70.7 million (up 10.3%)
- Petroleum oil residues: $55.9 million (down -28.8%)
- Coke, semi-coke: $1.7 million (down -32.8%)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $1.7 million (down -10.4%)
- Asphalt/petroleum bitumen mixes: $903,000 (up 13.9%)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $762,000 (down -5.1%)
- Natural bitumen, asphalt, shale: $181,000 (down -1.1%)
Among these import subcategories, Nepali purchases of asphalt or petroleum bitumen mixes (up 13.9%), electrical energy (up 10.3%) then petroleum gases (up 5.4%) grew from 2023 to 2024.
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 Machinery Imports
In 2024, Nepali importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.
- Computers, optical readers: US$117.5 million (up 41.2% from 2023)
- Refrigerators, freezers: $50.7 million (up 16.8%)
- Hydraulic turbines, water wheels: $45.8 million (up 75.5%)
- Sort/screen/washing machinery: $40.2 million (up 29.2%)
- Liquid pumps and elevators: $33 million (up 13.8%)
- Air or vacuum pumps: $32 million (up 9.5%)
- Air conditioners: $31.6 million (up 34.8%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $29 million (up 18.6%)
- Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): $28.4 million (up 51.6%)
- Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $24.3 million (up 9.5%)
Among these import subcategories, Nepali purchases of hydraulic turbines, water wheels and related regulators (up 75.5%), heavy machinery including bulldozers, excavators and road rollers (up 51.6%) then computers including optical readers (up 41.2%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
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 Electronics
In 2024, Nepali importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronics including consumer-related products.
- Phone devices including smartphones: US$287.6 million (up 4.1% from 2023)
- Electrical converters/power units: $87.5 million (up 12.7%)
- Insulated wire/cable: $63.8 million (down -4.3%)
- Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $39.4 million (down -38.8%)
- Electric storage batteries: $36.6 million (up 9.9%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $22 million (down -0.2%)
- High-voltage switches, fuses: $21.8 million (down -13.6%)
- TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $21.2 million (up 79.3%)
- Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $19.7 million (up 20.9%)
- TV receivers/transmitters/digital cameras: $19.5 million (up 60.6%)
Among these import subcategories, Nepali purchases of television receivers, monitors and projectors (up 79.3%), special television receivers, transmitters and digital cameras (up 60.6%) then electric water heaters and hair dryers (up 20.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
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.
Nepal’s Top Iron and Steel Imports
In 2024, Nepali importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of iron and steel.
- Iron ore reduced products: US$313.5 million (up 1.5% from 2023)
- Hot-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products: $167.2 million (down -36%)
- Iron or non-alloy steel products (semi-finished): $90.3 million (down -32.3%)
- Coiled iron or non-alloy steel bars, rods: $66.9 million (down -28.5%)
- Pig iron: $22.4 million (down -19.9%)
- Iron ferroalloys: $13.1 million (down -7.7%)
- Flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products (plated/coated): $12.8 million (up 217.4%)
- Flat-rolled stainless steel items: $10.6 million (down -35.8%)
- Flat-rolled other alloy steel products: $8.3 million (up 102.9%)
- Iron or non-alloy steel angles, shapes, sections: $7.3 million (up 16.8%)
Among these import subcategories, Nepali purchases of flat-rolled plated or coated iron or non-alloy steel products (up 217.4%), flat-rolled miscellaneous alloy steel products (up 102.9%) then iron or non-alloy steel angles, shapes or sections (up 16.8%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
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.
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 December 3, 2025
EXCHANGE-RATES.org, Nepalese Rupee (NPR) To US Dollar (USD) Exchange Rate History. Accessed on December 3, 2025
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Databases (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on December 3, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on December 3, 2025
Wikipedia, Nepal. Accessed on December 3, 2025