Lead time to import, median case (days)
2007 - 2016 - LP.IMP.DURS.MD (Source database: World Development Indicators)
Overview
Series unique ID
LP.IMP.DURS.MD
Series Name
Lead time to import, median case (days)
Database ID
WLD_2019_WDI_v01_M
Periodicity of data
Annual
Definition short
Lead time to import is the median time (the value for 50 percent of shipments) from port of discharge to arrival at the consignee.
Definition long
Lead time to import is the median time (the value for 50 percent of shipments) from port of discharge to arrival at the consignee. Data are from the Logistics Performance Index survey. Respondents provided separate values for the best case (10 percent of shipments) and the median case (50 percent of shipments). The data are exponentiated averages of the logarithm of single value responses and of midpoint values of range responses for the median case.
Limitations and exceptions
The Logistics Performance Index is an interactive benchmarking tool created to help countries identify the challenges and opportunities they face in their performance on trade logistics and what they can do to improve their performance. Feedback from operators is supplemented with quantitative data on the performance of key components of the logistics chain in the country of work. Thus, the LPI consists of both qualitative and quantitative measures.
In addition, despite being the most comprehensive data source for country logistics and trade facilitation, the LPI has two important limitations. First, the experience of international freight forwarders might not represent the broader logistics environment in poor countries, which often rely on traditional operators. And the international and traditional operators might differ in their interactions with government agencies - and in their service levels. Second, for landlocked countries and small-island states, the LPI might reflect access problems outside the country assessed, such as transit difficulties. The low rating of a landlocked country might not adequately reflect its trade facilitation efforts, which depend on the workings of complex international transit systems. Landlocked countries cannot eliminate transit inefficiencies with domestic reforms.
In addition, despite being the most comprehensive data source for country logistics and trade facilitation, the LPI has two important limitations. First, the experience of international freight forwarders might not represent the broader logistics environment in poor countries, which often rely on traditional operators. And the international and traditional operators might differ in their interactions with government agencies - and in their service levels. Second, for landlocked countries and small-island states, the LPI might reflect access problems outside the country assessed, such as transit difficulties. The low rating of a landlocked country might not adequately reflect its trade facilitation efforts, which depend on the workings of complex international transit systems. Landlocked countries cannot eliminate transit inefficiencies with domestic reforms.
Relevance
The LPI measures on-the-ground trade logistics performance, helping national leaders, key policymakers, and private sector traders understand the challenges they and their trading partners face in reducing logistical barriers to international commerce.
A useful outcome measure of logistics performance is the time taken to complete trade transactions. The median import lead time for port and airport supply chains, as measured for the LPI, is more than 3.5 times longer in low performing countries than in high-performing countries. The difference is around three times for land supply chains. The association suggests that geographical hurdles, and perhaps internal transport markets, still pose substantial difficulties in many countries. Besides geography and speed en route, another factor in import lead times is the border process. Time can be reduced at all stages of this process, but especially in the clearance of goods on arrival. Countries with low logistics performance need to reform their border management so that they can reduce red tape, excessive and opaque procedural requirements, and physical inspections. Although the time to clear goods through customs is a fairly small fraction of total import time for all LPI quintiles, it rises sharply if goods are physically inspected. Core customs procedures are similar across quintiles. But low-performing countries have a far higher prevalence of physical inspection, even subjecting the same shipment to repeated inspections by multiple agencies.
Many low-income countries have long export lead times, reducing their export competitiveness and ability to participate in international trade.
A useful outcome measure of logistics performance is the time taken to complete trade transactions. The median import lead time for port and airport supply chains, as measured for the LPI, is more than 3.5 times longer in low performing countries than in high-performing countries. The difference is around three times for land supply chains. The association suggests that geographical hurdles, and perhaps internal transport markets, still pose substantial difficulties in many countries. Besides geography and speed en route, another factor in import lead times is the border process. Time can be reduced at all stages of this process, but especially in the clearance of goods on arrival. Countries with low logistics performance need to reform their border management so that they can reduce red tape, excessive and opaque procedural requirements, and physical inspections. Although the time to clear goods through customs is a fairly small fraction of total import time for all LPI quintiles, it rises sharply if goods are physically inspected. Core customs procedures are similar across quintiles. But low-performing countries have a far higher prevalence of physical inspection, even subjecting the same shipment to repeated inspections by multiple agencies.
Many low-income countries have long export lead times, reducing their export competitiveness and ability to participate in international trade.
Aggregation method
Unweighted average
Notes
Compliance with international resolution
API documentation
Description
See the Developer Information webpage for detailed documentation of the API
Documentation Link
https://datahelpdesk.worldbank.org/knowledgebase/topics/125589-developer-information
Series links
Series links
| Link type | Description | Link | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| API | Data in JSON | https://api.worldbank.org/v2/countries/all/indicators/LP.IMP.DURS.MD?date=2007:2016&format=json | json |
| API | Data in XML | https://api.worldbank.org/v2/countries/all/indicators/LP.IMP.DURS.MD?date=2007:2016 | XML |
| API | Metadata in JSON | https://api.worldbank.org/v2/sources/2/indicator/lp.imp.durs.md/metadata?format=json | json |
| API | Metadata in XML | https://api.worldbank.org/v2/sources/2/indicator/lp.imp.durs.md/metadata | XML |
Geographic information
Geographic locations
| Location name | Location code |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan | AFG |
| Angola | AGO |
| Albania | ALB |
| Arab World | ARB |
| United Arab Emirates | ARE |
| Argentina | ARG |
| Australia | AUS |
| Austria | AUT |
| Azerbaijan | AZE |
| Burundi | BDI |
| Belgium | BEL |
| Benin | BEN |
| Burkina Faso | BFA |
| Bangladesh | BGD |
| Bulgaria | BGR |
| Bahrain | BHR |
| Bahamas, The | BHS |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | BIH |
| Belarus | BLR |
| Bolivia | BOL |
| Brazil | BRA |
| Central African Republic | CAF |
| Canada | CAN |
| Central Europe and the Baltics | CEB |
| Switzerland | CHE |
| Chile | CHL |
| China | CHN |
| Côte d'Ivoire | CIV |
| Cameroon | CMR |
| Congo, Dem. Rep. | COD |
| Congo, Rep. | COG |
| Colombia | COL |
| Costa Rica | CRI |
| Caribbean small states | CSS |
| Cuba | CUB |
| Cyprus | CYP |
| Czech Republic | CZE |
| Germany | DEU |
| Djibouti | DJI |
| Denmark | DNK |
| Dominican Republic | DOM |
| Algeria | DZA |
| East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) | EAP |
| Early-demographic dividend | EAR |
| East Asia & Pacific | EAS |
| Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) | ECA |
| Europe & Central Asia | ECS |
| Ecuador | ECU |
| Egypt, Arab Rep. | EGY |
| Euro area | EMU |
| Eritrea | ERI |
| Spain | ESP |
| Estonia | EST |
| Ethiopia | ETH |
| European Union | EUU |
| Fragile and conflict affected situations | FCS |
| Finland | FIN |
| France | FRA |
| Gabon | GAB |
| United Kingdom | GBR |
| Georgia | GEO |
| Ghana | GHA |
| Guinea | GIN |
| Gambia, The | GMB |
| Greece | GRC |
| Guatemala | GTM |
| High income | HIC |
| Hong Kong SAR, China | HKG |
| Honduras | HND |
| Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) | HPC |
| Croatia | HRV |
| Haiti | HTI |
| Hungary | HUN |
| IBRD only | IBD |
| IDA & IBRD total | IBT |
| IDA total | IDA |
| IDA blend | IDB |
| Indonesia | IDN |
| IDA only | IDX |
| India | IND |
| Ireland | IRL |
| Iran, Islamic Rep. | IRN |
| Iraq | IRQ |
| Iceland | ISL |
| Israel | ISR |
| Italy | ITA |
| Jamaica | JAM |
| Jordan | JOR |
| Japan | JPN |
| Kazakhstan | KAZ |
| Kenya | KEN |
| Kyrgyz Republic | KGZ |
| Cambodia | KHM |
| Korea, Rep. | KOR |
| Kuwait | KWT |
| Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) | LAC |
| Lebanon | LBN |
| Liberia | LBR |
| Libya | LBY |
| Latin America & Caribbean | LCN |
| Least developed countries: UN classification | LDC |
| Low income | LIC |
| Sri Lanka | LKA |
| Lower middle income | LMC |
| Low & middle income | LMY |
| Late-demographic dividend | LTE |
| Lithuania | LTU |
| Luxembourg | LUX |
| Latvia | LVA |
| Morocco | MAR |
| Moldova | MDA |
| Madagascar | MDG |
| Maldives | MDV |
| Middle East & North Africa | MEA |
| Mexico | MEX |
| Middle income | MIC |
| Macedonia, FYR | MKD |
| Mali | MLI |
| Malta | MLT |
| Myanmar | MMR |
| Middle East & North Africa (excluding high income) | MNA |
| Montenegro | MNE |
| Mongolia | MNG |
| Mauritania | MRT |
| Mauritius | MUS |
| Malawi | MWI |
| Malaysia | MYS |
| North America | NAC |
| Namibia | NAM |
| Niger | NER |
| Nigeria | NGA |
| Nicaragua | NIC |
| Netherlands | NLD |
| Norway | NOR |
| Nepal | NPL |
| New Zealand | NZL |
| OECD members | OED |
| Oman | OMN |
| Other small states | OSS |
| Pakistan | PAK |
| Panama | PAN |
| Peru | PER |
| Philippines | PHL |
| Poland | POL |
| Pre-demographic dividend | PRE |
| Portugal | PRT |
| Paraguay | PRY |
| Pacific island small states | PSS |
| Post-demographic dividend | PST |
| Qatar | QAT |
| Romania | ROU |
| Russian Federation | RUS |
| Rwanda | RWA |
| South Asia | SAS |
| Saudi Arabia | SAU |
| Sudan | SDN |
| Senegal | SEN |
| Singapore | SGP |
| Solomon Islands | SLB |
| Sierra Leone | SLE |
| El Salvador | SLV |
| Serbia | SRB |
| Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) | SSA |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | SSF |
| Small states | SST |
| Slovak Republic | SVK |
| Slovenia | SVN |
| Sweden | SWE |
| Syrian Arab Republic | SYR |
| Chad | TCD |
| East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD) | TEA |
| Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD) | TEC |
| Togo | TGO |
| Thailand | THA |
| Tajikistan | TJK |
| Latin America & Caribbean (IDA & IBRD) | TLA |
| Middle East & North Africa (IDA & IBRD) | TMN |
| South Asia (IDA & IBRD) | TSA |
| Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD) | TSS |
| Trinidad and Tobago | TTO |
| Tunisia | TUN |
| Turkey | TUR |
| Tanzania | TZA |
| Uganda | UGA |
| Ukraine | UKR |
| Upper middle income | UMC |
| Uruguay | URY |
| United States | USA |
| Uzbekistan | UZB |
| Venezuela, RB | VEN |
| Vietnam | VNM |
| World | WLD |
| Yemen, Rep. | YEM |
| South Africa | ZAF |
| Zambia | ZMB |
| Zimbabwe | ZWE |