External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Lebanon
Lebanon: External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP was -35.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Lebanon, 1989–2024
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
In 2024, external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Lebanon stood at -35.6%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 17.4% on the previous year and down 10.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Lebanon peaked at -17.4% in 2020 and was at its lowest, -81.9%, in 1990.
That places Lebanon 173rd out of 191 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Lebanon, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | -73.2% | — |
| 1990 | -81.9% | +11.9% |
| 1991 | -67.4% | -17.7% |
| 1992 | -61.1% | -9.3% |
| 1993 | -58.0% | -5.1% |
| 1994 | -54.5% | -6.0% |
| 1995 | -51.5% | -5.5% |
| 1996 | -42.4% | -17.7% |
| 1997 | -33.0% | -22.1% |
| 1998 | -27.2% | -17.7% |
| 1999 | -22.7% | -16.6% |
| 2000 | -21.8% | -4.1% |
| 2001 | -24.3% | +11.9% |
| 2002 | -18.8% | -22.6% |
| 2003 | -20.6% | +9.4% |
| 2004 | -20.9% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | -19.5% | -6.5% |
| 2006 | -19.9% | +1.9% |
| 2007 | -23.7% | +19.1% |
| 2008 | -29.5% | +24.7% |
| 2009 | -24.0% | -18.7% |
| 2010 | -25.1% | +4.3% |
| 2011 | -29.4% | +17.4% |
| 2012 | -30.9% | +5.1% |
| 2013 | -32.9% | +6.3% |
| 2014 | -32.3% | -1.8% |
| 2015 | -25.6% | -20.9% |
| 2016 | -24.3% | -5.0% |
| 2017 | -24.6% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | -26.7% | +8.7% |
| 2019 | -21.6% | -19.3% |
| 2020 | -17.4% | -19.5% |
| 2021 | -26.8% | +54.0% |
| 2022 | -45.2% | +68.9% |
| 2023 | -43.1% | -4.7% |
| 2024 | -35.6% | -17.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | -73.2% | -73.2% | -73.2% | 1 |
| 1990s | -50.0% | -81.9% | -22.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | -22.3% | -29.5% | -18.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | -27.3% | -32.9% | -21.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | -33.6% | -45.2% | -17.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lebanon
- 170 Solomon Islands -30.2% compare
- 171 American Samoa -30.8% compare
- 172 Palestine, State of -32.3% compare
- 174 Tajikistan -36.7% compare
- 175 Gambia -36.7% compare
- 176 Jordan -37.5% compare
More economy & growth data for Lebanon
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.87 Percent per annum (2022)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP -0 Percent per annum (2022)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 390.72 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.015 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 67.3 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 1.84 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 181.11 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0709 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 317.35 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 21.14 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Lebanon?
- External balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Lebanon was -35.6% 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 Lebanon?
- The highest recorded value was -17.4% in 2020.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp recorded in Lebanon?
- The lowest recorded value was -81.9% in 1990.
- How does Lebanon rank for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp?
- Lebanon ranks 173rd out of 191 countries with data for 2024.
- Is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp rising or falling in Lebanon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lebanon 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 — 36 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.