External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Malawi
Malawi: External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP was -18.1% in 2025. ▬ Flat
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Malawi, 2017–2025
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
Malawi recorded -18.1% for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in 2025. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
The figure is up 6.4% on the previous year and up 9.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Malawi peaked at -18.1% in 2025 and was at its lowest, -20.9%, in 2022.
That places Malawi 154th out of 191 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | -20.0% | — |
| 2018 | -20.2% | +1.4% |
| 2019 | -18.2% | -10.0% |
| 2020 | -19.0% | +4.4% |
| 2021 | -19.2% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | -20.9% | +9.2% |
| 2023 | -19.9% | -4.7% |
| 2024 | -19.3% | -3.1% |
| 2025 | -18.1% | -6.4% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's -18.1% is below the median for low income countries, which is -11.3%, 1.6× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Malawi's -18.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -6.9%, 2.6× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | -19.5% | -20.2% | -18.2% | 3 |
| 2020s | -19.4% | -20.9% | -18.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More economy & growth data for Malawi
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.07 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 4.6 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate -12.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 0.0151 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -16.34 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 0.0111 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 0.0125 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Malawi?
- External balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Malawi was -18.1% 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 Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was -18.1% in 2025.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was -20.9% in 2022.
- How does Malawi rank for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp?
- Malawi ranks 154th out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Malawi 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.