External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Samoa
Samoa: External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP was -15.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Samoa, 2002–2025
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
Samoa recorded -15.4% for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in 2025.
That represents a change of up 15.5% on the previous year and up 24.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Samoa peaked at -13.3% in 2019 and was at its lowest, -37.9%, in 2022.
That places Samoa 150th out of 191 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Samoa, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | -19.6% | — |
| 2003 | -14.1% | -28.0% |
| 2004 | -14.4% | +2.3% |
| 2005 | -19.2% | +33.0% |
| 2006 | -23.2% | +21.3% |
| 2007 | -24.8% | +6.6% |
| 2008 | -18.2% | -26.7% |
| 2009 | -20.0% | +10.0% |
| 2010 | -23.1% | +15.8% |
| 2011 | -24.8% | +7.2% |
| 2012 | -30.2% | +21.9% |
| 2013 | -21.7% | -28.3% |
| 2014 | -25.3% | +16.8% |
| 2015 | -20.4% | -19.6% |
| 2016 | -17.7% | -13.2% |
| 2017 | -14.7% | -16.8% |
| 2018 | -15.0% | +2.2% |
| 2019 | -13.3% | -11.6% |
| 2020 | -19.1% | +43.9% |
| 2021 | -36.8% | +92.9% |
| 2022 | -37.9% | +2.8% |
| 2023 | -28.4% | -25.0% |
| 2024 | -18.2% | -35.9% |
| 2025 | -15.4% | -15.5% |
Samoa compared with similar countries
- Samoa's -15.4% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is -4.0%, 3.8× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Samoa's -15.4% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is -9.4%, 1.6× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | -19.2% | -24.8% | -14.1% | 8 |
| 2010s | -20.6% | -30.2% | -13.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | -26.0% | -37.9% | -15.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Samoa
- 147 Central African Republic -14.2% compare
- 148 Mauritania -14.3% compare
- 149 Mozambique -14.3% compare
- 151 Guatemala -15.4% compare
- 152 Bhutan -16.4% compare
- 153 New Caledonia -17.0% compare
More economy & growth data for Samoa
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.6345 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 18.44 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0322 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 189.01 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 12.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0235 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 138.02 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 0.0153 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Samoa?
- External balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Samoa was -15.4% 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 Samoa?
- The highest recorded value was -13.3% in 2019.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp recorded in Samoa?
- The lowest recorded value was -37.9% in 2022.
- How does Samoa rank for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp?
- Samoa ranks 150th out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp rising or falling in Samoa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Samoa 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.