External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP was -52.4% in 2024. ▼ Falling
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Afghanistan, 2020–2024
Source: National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Afghanistan is -52.4%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 5 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 51.6% on the previous year and down 102.4% over five years.
That places Afghanistan 186th out of 191 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -25.9% | — |
| 2021 | -22.7% | -12.1% |
| 2022 | -36.1% | +59.0% |
| 2023 | -34.5% | -4.4% |
| 2024 | -52.4% | +51.6% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's -52.4% is below the median for low income countries, which is -11.3%, 4.6× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's -52.4% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is -5.3%, 9.9× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
- 183 Marshall Islands -43.8% compare
- 184 Northern Mariana Islands -48.6%
- 185 Micronesia (country) -48.8% compare
- 187 Lesotho -54.9% compare
- 188 Guam -56.1%
- 189 Somalia -69.6% compare
More economy & growth data for Afghanistan
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate 60.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP -8.59 Percent per annum (2022)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP -6.24 Percent per annum (2022)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate -3.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0237 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 9.26 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -8.37 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0182 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 6.76 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 external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Afghanistan?
- External balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Afghanistan was -52.4% in 2024, according to National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was -22.7% in 2021.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was -52.4% in 2024.
- How does Afghanistan rank for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp?
- Afghanistan ranks 186th out of 191 countries with data for 2024.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures 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 part of External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 5 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Exports of goods and services minus imports of goods and services divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage.