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% |
Lebanon compared with similar countries
- Lebanon's -35.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is -9.2%, 3.9× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Lebanon's -35.6% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is -5.3%, 6.7× the median. (23 countries reporting)
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 -32.3% compare
- 174 Tajikistan -36.7% compare
- 175 Gambia -36.7% compare
- 176 Jordan -37.5% compare
More economy & growth data for Lebanon
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate 107.77 % change on previous year (2021)
- 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)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate -18.65 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 1.42 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -22.54 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 1.03 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
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.
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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.