Saudi Arabia vs South Africa: External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP
Saudi Arabia
1.6%
in 2025
South Africa
1.9%
in 2025
Saudi Arabia rank
66th
South Africa rank
65th
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP over time
- Saudi Arabia
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 1.9% against 1.6% in Saudi Arabia, a difference of 0.3%.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.2 times Saudi Arabia's.
The two have swapped places 9 times across 58 shared years of data; in 1968 it was Saudi Arabia ahead.
Saudi Arabia ranks 66th and South Africa ranks 65th of 191 countries.
Across the 7 decades both report, Saudi Arabia averaged higher in 6 and South Africa in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Saudi Arabia | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 23.1% | 1.5% | 21.6% | Saudi Arabia |
| 1970s | 37.7% | 1.3% | 36.5% | Saudi Arabia |
| 1980s | 3.0% | 4.5% | 1.4% | South Africa |
| 1990s | 7.4% | 2.5% | 4.9% | Saudi Arabia |
| 2000s | 22.5% | 0.7% | 21.7% | Saudi Arabia |
| 2010s | 12.1% | -0.2% | 12.2% | Saudi Arabia |
| 2020s | 5.4% | 2.9% | 2.5% | Saudi Arabia |
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, Saudi Arabia or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 1.9% against 1.6% in Saudi Arabia as of 2025.
- What is the difference in external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp between Saudi Arabia and South Africa?
- 0.3%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Saudi Arabia and South Africa?
- 58 years are reported by both, from 1968 to 2025.
- How do Saudi Arabia and South Africa rank globally for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 66th 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.