Current account balance in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Current account balance was -3.79 billion BoP, current US$ in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Current account balance in Ethiopia, 1977–2024
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
In 2024, current account balance in Ethiopia stood at -3.79 billion BoP, current US$.
That represents a change of up 20.8% on the previous year and up 34.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, current account balance in Ethiopia peaked at 125.42 million BoP, current US$ in 1994 and was at its lowest, -7.91 billion BoP, current US$, in 2016.
That places Ethiopia 164th out of 200 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Current account balance in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | -82.56 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1978 | -111.74 million BoP, current US$ | +35.3% |
| 1979 | -91.35 million BoP, current US$ | -18.2% |
| 1980 | -226.13 million BoP, current US$ | +147.5% |
| 1981 | -249.52 million BoP, current US$ | +10.3% |
| 1982 | -194.93 million BoP, current US$ | -21.9% |
| 1983 | -169.90 million BoP, current US$ | -12.8% |
| 1984 | -130.10 million BoP, current US$ | -23.4% |
| 1985 | 106.28 million BoP, current US$ | -181.7% |
| 1986 | -327.15 million BoP, current US$ | -407.8% |
| 1987 | -216.86 million BoP, current US$ | -33.7% |
| 1988 | -227.54 million BoP, current US$ | +4.9% |
| 1989 | -144.40 million BoP, current US$ | -36.5% |
| 1990 | -293.77 million BoP, current US$ | +103.4% |
| 1991 | 103.10 million BoP, current US$ | -135.1% |
| 1992 | -119.96 million BoP, current US$ | -216.3% |
| 1993 | -50.00 million BoP, current US$ | -58.3% |
| 1994 | 125.42 million BoP, current US$ | -350.8% |
| 1995 | 39.38 million BoP, current US$ | -68.6% |
| 1996 | 79.57 million BoP, current US$ | +102.1% |
| 1997 | -40.25 million BoP, current US$ | -150.6% |
| 1998 | -332.61 million BoP, current US$ | +726.3% |
| 1999 | -465.22 million BoP, current US$ | +39.9% |
| 2000 | 13.46 million BoP, current US$ | -102.9% |
| 2001 | -373.39 million BoP, current US$ | -2874.6% |
| 2002 | -136.64 million BoP, current US$ | -63.4% |
| 2003 | -136.38 million BoP, current US$ | -0.2% |
| 2004 | -667.84 million BoP, current US$ | +389.7% |
| 2005 | -1.57 billion BoP, current US$ | +134.8% |
| 2006 | -1.79 billion BoP, current US$ | +13.9% |
| 2007 | -828.00 million BoP, current US$ | -53.6% |
| 2008 | -1.81 billion BoP, current US$ | +118.1% |
| 2009 | -2.19 billion BoP, current US$ | +21.3% |
| 2010 | -635.27 million BoP, current US$ | -71.0% |
| 2011 | -1.06 billion BoP, current US$ | +66.2% |
| 2012 | -3.08 billion BoP, current US$ | +191.6% |
| 2013 | -3.03 billion BoP, current US$ | -1.4% |
| 2014 | -5.77 billion BoP, current US$ | +90.3% |
| 2015 | -7.57 billion BoP, current US$ | +31.1% |
| 2016 | -7.91 billion BoP, current US$ | +4.5% |
| 2017 | -5.93 billion BoP, current US$ | -25.0% |
| 2018 | -4.61 billion BoP, current US$ | -22.2% |
| 2019 | -5.03 billion BoP, current US$ | +9.0% |
| 2020 | -2.72 billion BoP, current US$ | -45.9% |
| 2021 | -4.51 billion BoP, current US$ | +65.8% |
| 2022 | -5.16 billion BoP, current US$ | +14.5% |
| 2023 | -4.79 billion BoP, current US$ | -7.2% |
| 2024 | -3.79 billion BoP, current US$ | -20.8% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's -3.79 billion BoP, current US$ is below the median for low income countries, which is -984.26 million BoP, current US$, 3.9× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's -3.79 billion BoP, current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -749.01 million BoP, current US$, 5.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Current account balance in Ethiopia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | -2874.6% | 13.46 million BoP, current US$ | -373.39 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1998 | -726.3% | -40.25 million BoP, current US$ | -332.61 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -95.22 million BoP, current US$ | -111.74 million BoP, current US$ | -82.56 million BoP, current US$ | 3 |
| 1980s | -178.02 million BoP, current US$ | -327.15 million BoP, current US$ | 106.28 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | -95.43 million BoP, current US$ | -465.22 million BoP, current US$ | 125.42 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | -947.88 million BoP, current US$ | -2.19 billion BoP, current US$ | 13.46 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | -4.46 billion BoP, current US$ | -7.91 billion BoP, current US$ | -635.27 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | -4.19 billion BoP, current US$ | -5.16 billion BoP, current US$ | -2.72 billion BoP, current US$ | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
- 161 Algeria -2.75 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 162 Jordan -3.13 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 163 Afghanistan -3.14 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 165 Venezuela -3.87 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 166 Cote d'Ivoire -3.89 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 167 Democratic Republic of Congo -3.94 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Ethiopia
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 0 BoP, current US$ (1989)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (1989)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 0 BoP, current US$ per person (1989)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 4.02 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 23.25 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0269 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 30.45 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 86.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0253 includes gold, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per capita 28.66 includes gold, current US$ per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is current account balance in Ethiopia?
- Current account balance in Ethiopia was -3.79 billion BoP, current US$ in 2024, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest current account balance recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 125.42 million BoP, current US$ in 1994.
- What is the lowest current account balance recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was -7.91 billion BoP, current US$ in 2016.
- How does Ethiopia rank for current account balance?
- Ethiopia ranks 164th out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is current account balance rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 34.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ethiopia data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Current account balance (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Balance of current transactions (transactions in goods and services, earned income and transfer income) between residents and non-residents. The term current account balance is used in the external accounts and is expressed from the perspective of resident units. The term current external balance is used in the national accounts and is expressed from the perspective of the non-resident units, and therefore with the opposite sign. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.