External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Philippines
Philippines: External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP was -13.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Philippines, 1981–2025
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 Philippines stood at -13.7%.
The figure is up 4.8% on the previous year and down 189.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Philippines peaked at 2.4% in 1986 and was at its lowest, -15.7%, in 2022.
That places Philippines 145th out of 191 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
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 Philippines, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | -3.0% | — |
| 1982 | -4.4% | +50.1% |
| 1983 | -4.9% | +10.2% |
| 1984 | -0.9% | -80.8% |
| 1985 | 1.2% | -228.2% |
| 1986 | 2.4% | +98.7% |
| 1987 | -0.3% | -111.5% |
| 1988 | 0.7% | -346.1% |
| 1989 | -1.8% | -367.1% |
| 1990 | -4.1% | +129.4% |
| 1991 | -2.3% | -44.6% |
| 1992 | -3.4% | +49.9% |
| 1993 | -5.9% | +70.7% |
| 1994 | -4.4% | -25.3% |
| 1995 | -5.4% | +24.3% |
| 1996 | -6.1% | +11.8% |
| 1997 | -7.1% | +16.0% |
| 1998 | -4.5% | -36.7% |
| 1999 | -0.3% | -92.4% |
| 2000 | 1.5% | -552.6% |
| 2001 | -2.6% | -268.7% |
| 2002 | -3.8% | +48.0% |
| 2003 | -3.0% | -22.7% |
| 2004 | -3.5% | +17.1% |
| 2005 | -1.4% | -60.1% |
| 2006 | 1.6% | -218.4% |
| 2007 | 2.4% | +45.3% |
| 2008 | -1.0% | -140.6% |
| 2009 | -0.4% | -53.7% |
| 2010 | -0.4% | -20.8% |
| 2011 | -2.6% | +628.9% |
| 2012 | -2.9% | +12.5% |
| 2013 | -3.5% | +19.3% |
| 2014 | -2.8% | -20.5% |
| 2015 | -4.7% | +71.3% |
| 2016 | -8.4% | +78.4% |
| 2017 | -9.1% | +7.5% |
| 2018 | -11.7% | +29.5% |
| 2019 | -12.1% | +2.9% |
| 2020 | -7.8% | -35.7% |
| 2021 | -12.0% | +54.3% |
| 2022 | -15.7% | +30.7% |
| 2023 | -14.1% | -9.6% |
| 2024 | -14.4% | +1.7% |
| 2025 | -13.7% | -4.8% |
Philippines compared with similar countries
- Philippines's -13.7% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is -4.0%, 3.4× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Philippines's -13.7% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is -9.4%, 1.5× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Philippines 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | -628.9% | -0.4% | -2.6% |
| 2000 | +552.6% | -0.3% | 1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | -1.2% | -4.9% | 2.4% | 9 |
| 1990s | -4.3% | -7.1% | -0.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | -1.0% | -3.8% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | -5.8% | -12.1% | -0.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | -12.9% | -15.7% | -7.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Philippines
- 142 Nicaragua -13.3% compare
- 143 Uzbekistan -13.3% compare
- 144 Rwanda -13.6% compare
- 146 North Macedonia -13.7% compare
- 147 Central African Republic -14.2% compare
- 148 Mauritania -14.3% compare
More economy & growth data for Philippines
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 4.98 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 6.4 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.64 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0081 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 33.76 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 0.5964 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0059 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 24.65 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0043 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Philippines?
- External balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Philippines was -13.7% 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 Philippines?
- The highest recorded value was 2.4% in 1986.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp recorded in Philippines?
- The lowest recorded value was -15.7% in 2022.
- How does Philippines rank for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp?
- Philippines ranks 145th out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp rising or falling in Philippines?
- Over the last ten years it is down 189.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Philippines 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 — 45 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.