External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Central African Republic
Central African Republic: External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP was -14.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Central African Republic, 1960–2025
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
Central African Republic recorded -14.2% for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in 2025.
The figure is up 13.4% on the previous year and up 25.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Central African Republic peaked at 0.2% in 2003 and was at its lowest, -22.6%, in 2017.
Central African Republic ranks 147th of 191 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Central African Republic, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -10.9% | — |
| 1961 | -9.3% | -15.0% |
| 1962 | -13.1% | +41.5% |
| 1963 | -13.2% | +1.0% |
| 1964 | -12.4% | -6.7% |
| 1965 | -10.6% | -14.5% |
| 1966 | -14.2% | +34.1% |
| 1967 | -20.6% | +45.3% |
| 1968 | -5.3% | -74.2% |
| 1969 | -10.3% | +93.0% |
| 1970 | -9.6% | -6.2% |
| 1971 | -7.6% | -20.8% |
| 1972 | -8.9% | +16.4% |
| 1973 | -7.9% | -11.4% |
| 1974 | -15.6% | +98.2% |
| 1975 | -18.8% | +20.5% |
| 1976 | -7.1% | -62.0% |
| 1977 | -9.1% | +27.7% |
| 1978 | -10.5% | +14.7% |
| 1979 | -12.7% | +21.4% |
| 1980 | -15.9% | +24.9% |
| 1981 | -9.7% | -39.0% |
| 1982 | -12.0% | +24.5% |
| 1983 | -12.5% | +3.5% |
| 1984 | -12.1% | -2.9% |
| 1985 | -9.6% | -20.5% |
| 1986 | -10.4% | +8.4% |
| 1987 | -10.7% | +2.6% |
| 1988 | -7.3% | -31.7% |
| 1989 | -6.2% | -15.7% |
| 1990 | -8.8% | +43.0% |
| 1991 | -8.5% | -3.1% |
| 1992 | -9.5% | +11.3% |
| 1993 | -5.8% | -39.0% |
| 1994 | -1.6% | -72.0% |
| 1995 | -6.0% | +272.7% |
| 1996 | -4.1% | -31.3% |
| 1997 | -2.0% | -50.5% |
| 1998 | -5.7% | +179.8% |
| 1999 | -4.8% | -16.9% |
| 2000 | -4.9% | +3.2% |
| 2001 | -5.4% | +10.2% |
| 2002 | -4.2% | -22.8% |
| 2003 | 0.2% | -105.8% |
| 2004 | -5.2% | -2279.6% |
| 2005 | -8.3% | +59.0% |
| 2006 | -7.8% | -7.0% |
| 2007 | -9.4% | +20.4% |
| 2008 | -12.4% | +32.9% |
| 2009 | -11.8% | -5.0% |
| 2010 | -11.2% | -5.4% |
| 2011 | -8.2% | -26.5% |
| 2012 | -10.0% | +21.2% |
| 2013 | -8.5% | -15.1% |
| 2014 | -19.7% | +133.6% |
| 2015 | -19.0% | -3.7% |
| 2016 | -20.9% | +9.9% |
| 2017 | -22.6% | +8.3% |
| 2018 | -17.8% | -21.4% |
| 2019 | -18.6% | +4.4% |
| 2020 | -19.2% | +3.3% |
| 2021 | -17.7% | -7.7% |
| 2022 | -20.6% | +16.5% |
| 2023 | -14.6% | -29.2% |
| 2024 | -16.4% | +12.5% |
| 2025 | -14.2% | -13.4% |
Central African Republic compared with similar countries
- Central African Republic's -14.2% is below the median for low income countries, which is -11.3%, 1.3× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Central African Republic's -14.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -6.9%, 2.1× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Central African Republic 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | -2279.6% | 0.2% | -5.2% |
| 1995 | -272.7% | -1.6% | -6.0% |
| 1998 | -179.8% | -2.0% | -5.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -12.0% | -20.6% | -5.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | -10.8% | -18.8% | -7.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | -10.6% | -15.9% | -6.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | -5.7% | -9.5% | -1.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | -6.9% | -12.4% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | -15.6% | -22.6% | -8.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | -17.1% | -20.6% | -14.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Central African Republic
- 144 Rwanda -13.6% compare
- 145 Philippines -13.7% compare
- 146 North Macedonia -13.7% compare
- 148 Mauritania -14.3% compare
- 149 Mozambique -14.3% compare
- 150 Samoa -15.4% compare
More economy & growth data for Central African Republic
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP -0.5324 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.55 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 1,290 BoP, current US$ (2002)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2002)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 0.0003 BoP, current US$ per person (2002)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 40.41 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 4.29 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0147 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 7.58 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 2.02 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Central African Republic?
- External balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Central African Republic was -14.2% in 2025, 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 Central African Republic?
- The highest recorded value was 0.2% in 2003.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp recorded in Central African Republic?
- The lowest recorded value was -22.6% in 2017.
- How does Central African Republic rank for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp?
- Central African Republic ranks 147th out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp rising or falling in Central African Republic?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Central African Republic 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.
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About this data
Exports of goods and services minus imports of goods and services divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage.