External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Colombia
Colombia: External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP was -5.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Colombia, 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
Colombia recorded -5.4% for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in 2025.
That represents a change of down 29.9% on the previous year and up 23.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Colombia peaked at 6.8% in 1986 and was at its lowest, -7.7%, in 2021.
That places Colombia 111th out of 191 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Colombia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.9% | — |
| 1961 | -0.8% | -189.5% |
| 1962 | -0.0% | -99.5% |
| 1963 | -0.4% | +9557.0% |
| 1964 | -0.7% | +88.9% |
| 1965 | 2.4% | -449.4% |
| 1966 | -4.4% | -280.0% |
| 1967 | 0.9% | -120.0% |
| 1968 | -1.0% | -219.2% |
| 1969 | -0.5% | -54.7% |
| 1970 | -1.3% | +173.3% |
| 1971 | -4.1% | +215.4% |
| 1972 | 0.5% | -111.3% |
| 1973 | 2.3% | +394.9% |
| 1974 | -1.1% | -148.2% |
| 1975 | 1.8% | -265.6% |
| 1976 | 3.2% | +74.5% |
| 1977 | 3.7% | +16.4% |
| 1978 | 2.8% | -22.9% |
| 1979 | 1.8% | -37.4% |
| 1980 | 0.6% | -64.9% |
| 1981 | -3.6% | -674.4% |
| 1982 | -4.3% | +19.9% |
| 1983 | -2.8% | -35.0% |
| 1984 | -0.6% | -79.2% |
| 1985 | 1.3% | -321.4% |
| 1986 | 6.8% | +433.7% |
| 1987 | 4.0% | -41.1% |
| 1988 | 2.4% | -39.8% |
| 1989 | 4.2% | +72.2% |
| 1990 | 2.9% | -29.5% |
| 1991 | 4.7% | +58.1% |
| 1992 | -0.6% | -112.3% |
| 1993 | -5.8% | +911.1% |
| 1994 | -5.9% | +1.9% |
| 1995 | -6.4% | +8.6% |
| 1996 | -5.6% | -12.2% |
| 1997 | -5.9% | +4.8% |
| 1998 | -5.9% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 0.5% | -109.2% |
| 2000 | -0.8% | -253.9% |
| 2001 | -3.1% | +273.7% |
| 2002 | -3.4% | +7.2% |
| 2003 | -3.4% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | -2.3% | -31.0% |
| 2005 | -3.5% | +49.9% |
| 2006 | -4.2% | +20.2% |
| 2007 | -4.2% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | -2.9% | -30.3% |
| 2009 | -2.3% | -21.8% |
| 2010 | -1.6% | -31.4% |
| 2011 | -0.9% | -42.0% |
| 2012 | -1.2% | +32.2% |
| 2013 | -1.8% | +49.6% |
| 2014 | -4.2% | +132.6% |
| 2015 | -7.1% | +67.4% |
| 2016 | -6.8% | -4.1% |
| 2017 | -5.0% | -26.2% |
| 2018 | -4.7% | -5.1% |
| 2019 | -5.8% | +23.0% |
| 2020 | -7.0% | +20.4% |
| 2021 | -7.7% | +9.3% |
| 2022 | -7.5% | -2.1% |
| 2023 | -4.5% | -39.8% |
| 2024 | -4.2% | -8.0% |
| 2025 | -5.4% | +29.9% |
Colombia compared with similar countries
- Colombia's -5.4% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is -4.0%, 1.3× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Colombia's -5.4% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is -2.1%, 2.5× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Colombia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | -9557.0% | -0.0% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | -911.1% | -0.6% | -5.8% |
| 1981 | -674.4% | 0.6% | -3.6% |
| 1965 | +449.4% | -0.7% | 2.4% |
| 1986 | +433.7% | 1.3% | 6.8% |
| 1973 | +394.9% | 0.5% | 2.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -0.4% | -4.4% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.0% | -4.1% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.8% | -4.3% | 6.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | -2.8% | -6.4% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | -3.0% | -4.2% | -0.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | -3.9% | -7.1% | -0.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | -6.0% | -7.7% | -4.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Colombia
More economy & growth data for Colombia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.41 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 4.82 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0105 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 90.31 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 11.57 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -15.44 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0253 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 216.58 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 6.31 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Colombia?
- External balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Colombia was -5.4% 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 Colombia?
- The highest recorded value was 6.8% in 1986.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp recorded in Colombia?
- The lowest recorded value was -7.7% in 2021.
- How does Colombia rank for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp?
- Colombia ranks 111th out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp rising or falling in Colombia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Colombia 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
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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.