South Africa vs Sweden: External balance on goods and services
External balance on goods and services over time
- South Africa
- Sweden
How they compare
Sweden currently reports 2.1% against 1.9% in South Africa, a difference of 0.2%.
That makes Sweden's figure about 1.1 times South Africa's.
The two have swapped places 13 times across 66 shared years of data; in 1960 it was South Africa ahead.
South Africa ranks 65th and Sweden ranks 63rd of 193 countries.
Across the 7 decades both report, South Africa averaged higher in 4 and Sweden in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Sweden | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.0% | 0.2% | 2.8% | South Africa |
| 1970s | 1.3% | 0.4% | 0.8% | South Africa |
| 1980s | 4.5% | 1.3% | 3.2% | South Africa |
| 1990s | 2.5% | 3.9% | 1.5% | Sweden |
| 2000s | 0.7% | 5.7% | 5.0% | Sweden |
| 2010s | -0.2% | 3.3% | 3.5% | Sweden |
| 2020s | 2.9% | 2.9% | 0.0% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher external balance on goods and services, South Africa or Sweden?
- Sweden, at 2.1% against 1.9% in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in external balance on goods and services between South Africa and Sweden?
- 0.2%, with Sweden ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Sweden?
- 66 years are reported by both, from 1960 to 2025.
- How do South Africa and Sweden rank globally for external balance on goods and services?
- South Africa ranks 65th and Sweden ranks 63rd of 193 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as External balance on goods and services (% of GDP). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
The balance of international trade in goods and services is the difference between the exports and imports of goods and services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.