Finland vs South Africa: External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP
Finland
1.3%
in 2025
South Africa
1.9%
in 2025
Finland rank
68th
South Africa rank
65th
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP over time
- Finland
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 1.9% against 1.3% in Finland, a difference of 0.6%.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.5 times Finland's.
The two have swapped places 11 times across 56 shared years of data; in 1970 it was Finland ahead.
Finland ranks 68th and South Africa ranks 65th of 191 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, Finland averaged higher in 2 and South Africa in 4.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Finland | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -1.2% | 1.3% | 2.5% | South Africa |
| 1980s | 0.3% | 4.5% | 4.2% | South Africa |
| 1990s | 4.7% | 2.5% | 2.3% | Finland |
| 2000s | 5.9% | 0.7% | 5.1% | Finland |
| 2010s | -0.4% | -0.2% | 0.3% | South Africa |
| 2020s | -0.0% | 2.9% | 2.9% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp, Finland or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 1.9% against 1.3% in Finland as of 2025.
- What is the difference in external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp between Finland and South Africa?
- 0.6%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Finland and South Africa?
- 56 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2025.
- How do Finland and South Africa rank globally for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp?
- Finland ranks 68th and South Africa ranks 65th of 191 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Exports of goods and services minus imports of goods and services divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage.