External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Eritrea
Eritrea: External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP was -11.1% in 2011. ▲ Rising
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Eritrea, 1992–2011
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
Eritrea recorded -11.1% for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in 2011. That is the highest value across all 20 years on record.
That represents a change of up 55.2% on the previous year and up 78.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Eritrea peaked at -11.1% in 2011 and was at its lowest, -77.2%, in 1999.
Eritrea ranks 134th of 191 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 20 years of available data.
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Eritrea, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | -33.5% | — |
| 1993 | -40.9% | +22.1% |
| 1994 | -54.8% | +33.9% |
| 1995 | -60.5% | +10.4% |
| 1996 | -58.1% | -4.0% |
| 1997 | -56.2% | -3.4% |
| 1998 | -65.3% | +16.1% |
| 1999 | -77.2% | +18.3% |
| 2000 | -48.5% | -37.1% |
| 2001 | -50.4% | +3.9% |
| 2002 | -53.0% | +5.1% |
| 2003 | -61.1% | +15.3% |
| 2004 | -54.0% | -11.6% |
| 2005 | -48.8% | -9.7% |
| 2006 | -31.5% | -35.5% |
| 2007 | -23.0% | -26.8% |
| 2008 | -21.7% | -5.7% |
| 2009 | -18.9% | -12.8% |
| 2010 | -24.7% | +30.7% |
| 2011 | -11.1% | -55.2% |
Eritrea compared with similar countries
- Eritrea's -11.1% is above the median for low income countries, which is -11.3%, 98% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Eritrea's -11.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -6.9%, 1.6× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | -55.8% | -77.2% | -33.5% | 8 |
| 2000s | -41.1% | -61.1% | -18.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | -17.9% | -24.7% | -11.1% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Eritrea
- 131 Greenland -10.3% compare
- 132 Togo -10.8% compare
- 133 United States Virgin Islands -10.9% compare
- 135 Cape Verde -11.4% compare
- 136 Madagascar -11.6% compare
- 137 Egypt -11.7% compare
More economy & growth data for Eritrea
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.25 Percent per annum (2019)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.84 Percent per annum (2019)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 2.65 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0027 units per US$ of GDP (2011)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 6.53 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -2.25 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0017 units per US$ of GDP (2011)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 4.77 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0118 units per US$ of GDP (2011)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Eritrea?
- External balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Eritrea was -11.1% in 2011, 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 Eritrea?
- The highest recorded value was -11.1% in 2011.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp recorded in Eritrea?
- The lowest recorded value was -77.2% in 1999.
- How does Eritrea rank for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp?
- Eritrea ranks 134th out of 191 countries with data for 2011.
- Is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp rising or falling in Eritrea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 78.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Eritrea 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.