Current account balance as a proportion of GDP (%) in Zambia
Zambia: Current account balance as a proportion of GDP (%) was -1.9% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Current account balance as a proportion of GDP in Zambia, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for current account balance as a proportion of gdp in Zambia is -1.9%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 36.6% on the previous year and down 35.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, current account balance as a proportion of gdp in Zambia peaked at 11.9% in 2021 and was at its lowest, -18.4%, in 2000.
That places Zambia 118th out of 205 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Current account balance as a proportion of GDP (%) in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | -18.4% | — |
| 2001 | -18.0% | -2.2% |
| 2002 | -15.8% | -12.1% |
| 2003 | -13.5% | -14.4% |
| 2004 | -7.1% | -47.2% |
| 2005 | -2.8% | -61.0% |
| 2006 | 4.6% | -266.8% |
| 2007 | -1.2% | -126.7% |
| 2008 | -3.3% | +169.0% |
| 2009 | 6.0% | -278.8% |
| 2010 | 7.5% | +26.4% |
| 2011 | 4.7% | -38.1% |
| 2012 | 5.4% | +15.5% |
| 2013 | -0.6% | -110.7% |
| 2014 | -1.4% | +147.8% |
| 2015 | -3.6% | +153.1% |
| 2016 | -4.6% | +26.0% |
| 2017 | -1.7% | -63.1% |
| 2018 | -1.3% | -22.6% |
| 2019 | 0.6% | -146.4% |
| 2020 | 11.8% | +1853.2% |
| 2021 | 11.9% | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 3.7% | -68.5% |
| 2023 | -3.0% | -181.0% |
| 2024 | -1.9% | -36.6% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's -1.9% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is -0.8%, 2.3× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Zambia's -1.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -4.1%, 46% of the median. (40 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Current account balance as a proportion of GDP (%) in Zambia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +1853.2% | 0.6% | 11.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | -7.0% | -18.4% | 6.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5% | -4.6% | 7.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.5% | -3.0% | 11.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 115 Colombia -1.6% compare
- 116 El Salvador -1.8% compare
- 117 Comoros -1.9% compare
- 119 Australia -2.0% compare
- 120 North Macedonia -2.1% compare
- 121 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland -2.2% compare
- 121 United Kingdom -2.2% compare
More economy & growth data for Zambia
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate -28.84 % change on previous year (2024)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.31 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 4.92 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 13.19 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.1053 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 138.75 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 7.79 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0769 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 101.32 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is current account balance as a proportion of gdp in Zambia?
- Current account balance as a proportion of gdp in Zambia was -1.9% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest current account balance as a proportion of gdp recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 11.9% in 2021.
- What is the lowest current account balance as a proportion of gdp recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was -18.4% in 2000.
- How does Zambia rank for current account balance as a proportion of gdp?
- Zambia ranks 118th out of 205 countries with data for 2024.
- Is current account balance as a proportion of gdp rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Current account balance as a proportion of GDP (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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