External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Palau
Palau: External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP was -40.4% in 2024. ▼ Falling
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Palau, 2005–2024
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
Palau recorded -40.4% for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 25.8% on the previous year and down 14.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Palau peaked at -20.9% in 2015 and was at its lowest, -72.8%, in 2022.
That places Palau 180th out of 191 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 20 years of available data.
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Palau, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | -34.0% | — |
| 2006 | -35.9% | +5.7% |
| 2007 | -30.3% | -15.6% |
| 2008 | -34.2% | +12.7% |
| 2009 | -29.2% | -14.7% |
| 2010 | -30.4% | +4.2% |
| 2011 | -33.4% | +10.0% |
| 2012 | -32.4% | -3.0% |
| 2013 | -31.9% | -1.5% |
| 2014 | -35.2% | +10.2% |
| 2015 | -20.9% | -40.5% |
| 2016 | -22.4% | +6.8% |
| 2017 | -31.4% | +40.5% |
| 2018 | -32.2% | +2.6% |
| 2019 | -38.9% | +20.6% |
| 2020 | -57.8% | +48.7% |
| 2021 | -66.4% | +14.9% |
| 2022 | -72.8% | +9.6% |
| 2023 | -54.5% | -25.1% |
| 2024 | -40.4% | -25.8% |
Palau compared with similar countries
- Palau's -40.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.2%. (72 countries reporting)
- Palau's -40.4% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is -9.4%, 4.3× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | -32.7% | -35.9% | -29.2% | 5 |
| 2010s | -30.9% | -38.9% | -20.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | -58.4% | -72.8% | -40.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Palau
More economy & growth data for Palau
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate 881.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.69 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.5 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.97 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0287 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 560.2 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -0.043 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0209 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 409.06 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 Palau?
- External balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Palau was -40.4% 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 Palau?
- The highest recorded value was -20.9% in 2015.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp recorded in Palau?
- The lowest recorded value was -72.8% in 2022.
- How does Palau rank for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp?
- Palau ranks 180th out of 191 countries with data for 2024.
- Is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp rising or falling in Palau?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Palau 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.