External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Portugal
Portugal: External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP was 0.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Portugal, 1970–2025
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
Portugal recorded 0.9% for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in 2025.
That represents a change of down 53.6% on the previous year and up 23.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Portugal peaked at 2.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, -14.9%, in 1981.
Portugal ranks 72nd of 191 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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 Portugal, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | -5.0% | — |
| 1971 | -5.4% | +7.6% |
| 1972 | -3.6% | -33.8% |
| 1973 | -5.4% | +50.6% |
| 1974 | -11.8% | +121.0% |
| 1975 | -9.6% | -19.2% |
| 1976 | -10.4% | +8.7% |
| 1977 | -11.7% | +12.1% |
| 1978 | -9.6% | -17.6% |
| 1979 | -8.3% | -13.2% |
| 1980 | -11.3% | +35.8% |
| 1981 | -14.9% | +31.7% |
| 1982 | -14.4% | -3.5% |
| 1983 | -9.8% | -31.7% |
| 1984 | -6.1% | -38.4% |
| 1985 | -3.0% | -49.9% |
| 1986 | -2.0% | -33.0% |
| 1987 | -4.9% | +141.3% |
| 1988 | -7.9% | +61.8% |
| 1989 | -5.9% | -25.1% |
| 1990 | -6.7% | +13.1% |
| 1991 | -7.3% | +8.3% |
| 1992 | -7.4% | +1.6% |
| 1993 | -7.0% | -5.6% |
| 1994 | -6.9% | -0.9% |
| 1995 | -6.4% | -7.7% |
| 1996 | -7.1% | +11.6% |
| 1997 | -8.0% | +12.4% |
| 1998 | -9.2% | +14.6% |
| 1999 | -10.4% | +12.9% |
| 2000 | -11.0% | +6.7% |
| 2001 | -10.2% | -7.5% |
| 2002 | -8.2% | -20.1% |
| 2003 | -6.4% | -21.5% |
| 2004 | -7.9% | +22.9% |
| 2005 | -8.8% | +11.5% |
| 2006 | -7.8% | -10.8% |
| 2007 | -7.6% | -3.5% |
| 2008 | -9.6% | +26.4% |
| 2009 | -6.9% | -27.7% |
| 2010 | -7.6% | +10.6% |
| 2011 | -4.2% | -45.2% |
| 2012 | -0.5% | -88.2% |
| 2013 | 1.1% | -322.1% |
| 2014 | 0.1% | -86.4% |
| 2015 | 0.7% | +395.4% |
| 2016 | 1.2% | +60.4% |
| 2017 | 1.1% | -9.3% |
| 2018 | 0.6% | -42.5% |
| 2019 | 0.5% | -13.6% |
| 2020 | -2.0% | -473.0% |
| 2021 | -2.8% | +39.1% |
| 2022 | -2.4% | -13.5% |
| 2023 | 1.2% | -148.9% |
| 2024 | 2.0% | +68.3% |
| 2025 | 0.9% | -53.6% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 0.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.2%, 41% of the median. (72 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 0.9% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.8%, 1.2× the median. (51 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Portugal 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -473.0% | 0.5% | -2.0% |
| 2015 | +395.4% | 0.1% | 0.7% |
| 2013 | +322.1% | -0.5% | 1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -8.1% | -11.8% | -3.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | -8.0% | -14.9% | -2.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | -7.6% | -10.4% | -6.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | -8.4% | -11.0% | -6.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.7% | -7.6% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.5% | -2.8% | 2.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
More economy & growth data for Portugal
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.18 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.9 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 6.84 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0218 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 639.78 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 13.49 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 16.41 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.043 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1,261 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 62.23 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Portugal?
- External balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Portugal was 0.9% 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 Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 2.0% in 2024.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was -14.9% in 1981.
- How does Portugal rank for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp?
- Portugal ranks 72nd out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Portugal 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 — 56 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.