A Mediterranean country that connects Africa’s northeast corner with Asia’s southwest corner via the Sinai Peninsula’s land bridge, the Arab Republic of Egypt imported US$83.2 billion worth of product in 2023.

That dollar amount reflects an 8.7% increase from $76.5 billion five years earlier in 2019.

From 2022 to 2023, the total cost of Egyptian purchases of imported goods dropped -13.5% compared to $96.2 billion starting from 2022.

Based on the average exchange rate for 2023, Egypt uses the Egyptian pound which depreciated by -82.6% against the US dollar since 2019 and diluted by -59.8% from 2022 to 2023. The weaker local currency in 2023 made Egypt’s imports paid for in stronger US dollars in 2023 relatively more expensive than in 2022 when converted starting from Egyptian pounds.

Domestically, the inflation rate for Egypt’s average consumer prices was 24.4% in 2023–significantly higher than the 8.5% for 2022.

Best Egyptian Imports Suppliers

The latest available country-specific data shows that 57.2% of products imported into Egypt was supplied by exporters in: mainland China (15.6% of the Egyptian total), United States of America (8.2%), Saudi Arabia (6.7%), Russia (4.3%), Germany (4.1%), Italy (3.27%), India (3.25%), Brazil (3.1%), Türkiye (2.5%), Kuwait (2.1%), Ukraine (2%) and Israel (1.9%).

From a continental perspective, almost half (48.1%) of Egypt’s total imports by value was purchased from suppliers in Asian countries. Trade partners in Europe provided another 36.3% worth of overall imports purchased by Egypt.

Smaller percentages came from exporters in North America (7.3%), Latin America (5.3%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (2.2%), and Oceania (0.8%) led by Australia and New Zealand.

Given Egypt’s population of 105.7 million people, its total $83.2 billion in 2023 imports translates to roughly $800 in average yearly product demand from every person in the northeast African country. That dollar statistic exceeds the average $760 per capita worth of imports in 2022.

Egypt’s Top 10 Imports

The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Egypt’s import purchases during 2023. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Egypt.

1. Mineral fuels including oil: US$12.6 billion (15.2% of total imports)
2. Machinery including computers: $7 billion (8.4%)
3. Cereals: $6.4 billion (7.7%)
4. Electrical machinery, equipment: $5.1 billion (6.1%)
5. Plastics, plastic articles: $4.3 billion (5.1%)
6. Iron, steel: $4.2 billion (5.1%)
7. Pharmaceuticals: $3.6 billion (4.4%)
8. Vehicles: $3.5 billion (4.3%)
9. Animal/vegetable fats, oils, waxes: $2.5 billion (3%)
10. Organic chemicals: $2.3 billion (2.8%)

Egypt’s top 10 imports generated over three-fifths (62%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.

The lone growth category for Egypt was animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes benefiting from a 5.5% advance from 2022.

The severest decliners were Egyptian imports of plastics both as materials and items made from plastic (down -28% from 2022), organic chemicals (down -26.3%), then the metals iron and steel (down -17.9%).

Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level.

Information presented below is from the more granular 4-digit HTS code perspective.

Applying the more detailed codes, Egypt spent the most on imported processed petroleum oils (7.8% of the Egyptian total), wheat (4.5%), petroleum gases (4%), medication mixes in dosage (3.9%), corn (3%), cars (2.8%), crude oil (2.3%), soya beans (2%), iron ores and concentrates (also 2%) then iron or steel scrap (1.7%).

Egypt’s Most Valuable Imported Mineral Fuels Including Oil

In 2023, Egyptian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related goods.

1. Processed petroleum oils: US$6.5 billion (up 11.2% from 2022)
2. Petroleum gases: $3.3 billion (up 3.4%)
3. Crude oil: $1.9 billion (down -58.8%)
4. Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $587 million (up 27.6%)
5. Petroleum oil residues: $227.5 million (down -47%)
6. Coke, semi-coke: $75.8 million (down -70.1%)
7. Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $27.1 million (down -41%)
8. Tar pitch, coke: $15.8 million (down -50.7%)
9. Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $12.6 million (up 12%)
10. Peat: $8 million (up 10.7%)

Among these import subcategories, Egyptian purchases of coal, solid fuels made from coal (up 27.6%), petroleum jelly and mineral waxes (up 12%) then processed petroleum oils (up 11.2%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported mineral fuels-related goods among Egyptian businesses and consumers.

Egypt’s Most Valuable Imported Machinery Including Computers

In 2023, Egyptian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.

1. Metal-rolling mills: US$502.4 million (up 363.2% from 2022)
2. Taps, valves, similar appliances: $441.5 million (up 6.6%)
3. Miscellaneous machinery: $412.7 million (up 8.4%)
4. Liquid pumps and elevators: $391 million (up 4.5%)
5. Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $365.3 million (up 27.6%)
6. Computers, optical readers: $362.9 million (down -24.7%)
7. Air or vacuum pumps: $348.8 million (down -3.6%)
8. Refrigerators, freezers: $294.5 million (down -13.8%)
9. Connector/insulating parts: $271.1 million (down -9.6%)
10. Lifting/loading machinery: $227.9 million (up 13%)

Among these import subcategories, Egyptian purchases of metal-rolling mills (up 363.2%), centrifuges, filters and purifiers (up 27.6%) then lifting or loading machinery (up 13%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.

These amounts and the percentage gain within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery including computers among Egyptian businesses and consumers.

Egypt’s Most Valuable Imported Cereals

In 2023, Egyptian importers spent the most on the following subcategories of cereals.

1. Wheat: US$3.8 billion (down -11.6% from 2022)
2. Corn: $2.5 billion (down -19.5%)
3. Rice: $138.8 million (up 29.9%)
4. Barley $10.8 million (2022 data unavailable)
5. Sorghum grain: $2.1 million (up 1.9%)
6. Buckwheat, millet, canary seed: $1.8 million (down -18.6%)
7. Oats: $69,000 (2022 data unavailable)

Among these import subcategories, Egyptian purchases of rice (up 29.9%) and sorghum grain (up 1.9%) grew from 2022 to 2023.

These amounts and the percentage gain within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported cereals among Egyptian businesses and consumers.

Egypt’s Most Valuable Electronics Imports

In 2023, Egyptian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronics including consumer items.

1. Phone devices including smartphones: US$1.2 billion (down -30.4% from 2022)
2. Flat panel displays: $513 million (up 147.3%)
3. Electrical converters/power units: $348.3 million (up 6.1%)
4. Insulated wire/cable: $343.5 million (down -9.2%)
5. Electric generating sets, converters: $278.3 million (up 86.4%)
6. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $250.3 million (down -13.4%)
7. Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $232.4 million (down -4%)
8. Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $208 million (up 36%)
9. Electric motors, generators: $193.7 million (down -7.5%)
10. Integrated circuits/microassemblies: $163.4 million (up 22.9%)

Among these import subcategories, Egyptian purchases of flat panel displays (up 147.3%), electric generating sets and converters (up 86.4%), then solar power diodes and semi-conductors (up 36%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of electronics-related imports among Egyptian businesses and consumers.

See also Egypt’s Top 10 Exports, Uganda’s Top 10 Exports, Somalia’s Top 10 Exports, Turkey’s Top Trading Partners and India’s Top Trading Partners

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook report on South Asia: Sri Lanka. Accessed on August 25, 2024

International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on August 25, 2024

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on August 25, 2024

Wikipedia, Egypt. Accessed on August 25, 2024