External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Germany
Germany: External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP was 2.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Germany, 1970–2025
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
In 2025, external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Germany stood at 2.4%.
The figure is down 37.6% on the previous year and down 68.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Germany peaked at 7.4% in 2015 and was at its lowest, -4.6%, in 1980.
That places Germany 60th 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 Germany, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | -1.5% | — |
| 1971 | -1.7% | +18.4% |
| 1972 | -1.6% | -5.6% |
| 1973 | -1.0% | -38.7% |
| 1974 | -0.5% | -51.0% |
| 1975 | -1.7% | +244.8% |
| 1976 | -2.2% | +31.9% |
| 1977 | -2.1% | -3.7% |
| 1978 | -1.9% | -11.0% |
| 1979 | -3.6% | +86.9% |
| 1980 | -4.6% | +28.9% |
| 1981 | -3.9% | -15.1% |
| 1982 | -2.7% | -32.2% |
| 1983 | -3.0% | +12.9% |
| 1984 | -2.8% | -6.7% |
| 1985 | -2.0% | -26.8% |
| 1986 | -0.4% | -81.2% |
| 1987 | -0.3% | -12.3% |
| 1988 | -0.4% | +6.9% |
| 1989 | -0.6% | +74.9% |
| 1990 | -0.2% | -67.0% |
| 1991 | -0.5% | +141.9% |
| 1992 | -0.5% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 0.0% | -101.7% |
| 1994 | 0.1% | +1237.3% |
| 1995 | 0.4% | +208.6% |
| 1996 | 0.7% | +85.1% |
| 1997 | 1.0% | +54.7% |
| 1998 | 1.2% | +13.9% |
| 1999 | 0.5% | -53.6% |
| 2000 | 0.2% | -69.3% |
| 2001 | 1.6% | +842.4% |
| 2002 | 4.0% | +159.3% |
| 2003 | 3.6% | -10.6% |
| 2004 | 5.0% | +37.1% |
| 2005 | 5.0% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 5.2% | +4.6% |
| 2007 | 6.4% | +23.4% |
| 2008 | 5.8% | -9.5% |
| 2009 | 4.8% | -17.5% |
| 2010 | 5.1% | +7.0% |
| 2011 | 4.9% | -4.9% |
| 2012 | 6.0% | +24.4% |
| 2013 | 5.8% | -4.4% |
| 2014 | 6.5% | +13.2% |
| 2015 | 7.4% | +13.4% |
| 2016 | 7.3% | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 7.0% | -4.3% |
| 2018 | 5.9% | -15.6% |
| 2019 | 5.6% | -4.5% |
| 2020 | 5.3% | -5.4% |
| 2021 | 5.1% | -3.5% |
| 2022 | 2.5% | -51.7% |
| 2023 | 4.0% | +60.7% |
| 2024 | 3.8% | -4.9% |
| 2025 | 2.4% | -37.6% |
Germany compared with similar countries
- Germany's 2.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.2%, 1.1× the median. (72 countries reporting)
- Germany's 2.4% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.8%, 3.0× the median. (51 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Germany 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +1237.3% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 2001 | +842.4% | 0.2% | 1.6% |
| 1975 | -244.8% | -0.5% | -1.7% |
| 1995 | +208.6% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -1.8% | -3.6% | -0.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | -2.1% | -4.6% | -0.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.3% | -0.5% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.1% | 0.2% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.1% | 4.9% | 7.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.8% | 2.4% | 5.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Germany
More economy & growth data for Germany
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.7761 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 0.6565 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 3.33 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0108 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 654.77 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -1.6 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0079 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 478.11 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 2.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0053 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Germany?
- External balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Germany was 2.4% 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 Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 7.4% in 2015.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was -4.6% in 1980.
- How does Germany rank for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp?
- Germany ranks 60th out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is down 68.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Germany 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.