External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Uganda
Uganda: External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP was -7.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-7.3%
Change on year
up 19.9%
World rank
123rd
of 191 countries
All-time high
6.8%
in 1964
All-time low
-15.5%
in 1992
Years of data
66
1960–2025
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Uganda, 1960–2025
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
Uganda recorded -7.3% for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in 2025.
That represents a change of up 19.9% on the previous year and up 38.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Uganda peaked at 6.8% in 1964 and was at its lowest, -15.5%, in 1992.
That places Uganda 123rd out of 191 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 Uganda, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 5.5% | — |
| 1961 | 2.8% | -49.7% |
| 1962 | 2.7% | -4.1% |
| 1963 | 4.4% | +65.8% |
| 1964 | 6.8% | +54.2% |
| 1965 | 1.2% | -82.1% |
| 1966 | 0.2% | -80.1% |
| 1967 | 0.9% | +276.7% |
| 1968 | 1.3% | +45.0% |
| 1969 | 1.2% | -10.3% |
| 1970 | 3.2% | +172.7% |
| 1971 | -4.1% | -228.0% |
| 1972 | 2.6% | -163.1% |
| 1973 | 3.4% | +30.2% |
| 1974 | -0.3% | -109.6% |
| 1975 | -2.3% | +594.7% |
| 1976 | 1.8% | -178.7% |
| 1977 | 1.4% | -24.0% |
| 1978 | -5.2% | -484.7% |
| 1979 | 1.9% | -135.9% |
| 1980 | -6.6% | -452.3% |
| 1981 | -6.0% | -9.2% |
| 1982 | -9.1% | +52.8% |
| 1983 | -5.0% | -45.5% |
| 1984 | -1.6% | -67.2% |
| 1985 | -1.3% | -22.2% |
| 1986 | -2.4% | +91.2% |
| 1987 | -9.8% | +303.4% |
| 1988 | -10.2% | +4.2% |
| 1989 | -10.1% | -0.6% |
| 1990 | -12.1% | +19.6% |
| 1991 | -14.5% | +19.3% |
| 1992 | -15.5% | +7.3% |
| 1993 | -14.1% | -9.1% |
| 1994 | -10.4% | -26.6% |
| 1995 | -9.0% | -12.7% |
| 1996 | -11.5% | +26.8% |
| 1997 | -7.4% | -35.1% |
| 1998 | -10.8% | +44.7% |
| 1999 | -11.5% | +7.0% |
| 2000 | -11.4% | -0.7% |
| 2001 | -12.3% | +7.4% |
| 2002 | -13.9% | +12.7% |
| 2003 | -13.8% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | -10.1% | -27.1% |
| 2005 | -10.6% | +5.6% |
| 2006 | -13.1% | +23.0% |
| 2007 | -13.3% | +1.9% |
| 2008 | -7.7% | -42.2% |
| 2009 | -9.8% | +27.8% |
| 2010 | -10.6% | +8.0% |
| 2011 | -14.0% | +32.2% |
| 2012 | -12.5% | -10.9% |
| 2013 | -10.1% | -19.5% |
| 2014 | -6.1% | -39.3% |
| 2015 | -11.9% | +95.1% |
| 2016 | -6.4% | -46.8% |
| 2017 | -3.5% | -44.7% |
| 2018 | -6.5% | +83.9% |
| 2019 | -5.1% | -20.4% |
| 2020 | -6.2% | +20.0% |
| 2021 | -10.2% | +64.5% |
| 2022 | -10.5% | +3.1% |
| 2023 | -10.1% | -3.1% |
| 2024 | -9.1% | -9.9% |
| 2025 | -7.3% | -19.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.7% | 0.2% | 6.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.2% | -5.2% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | -6.2% | -10.2% | -1.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | -11.7% | -15.5% | -7.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | -11.6% | -13.9% | -7.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | -8.7% | -14.0% | -3.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | -8.9% | -10.5% | -6.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
- 120 Cameroon -7.2% compare
- 121 Pakistan -7.2% compare
- 122 Sierra Leone -7.3% compare
- 124 Tunisia -8.1% compare
- 125 Antigua and Barbuda -8.3% compare
- 126 Lao People's Democratic Republic -8.7% compare
More economy & growth data for Uganda
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 4.29 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 6.99 Percent per annum (2029)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), annual growth rate -11.58 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0646 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), per capita 69.64 current US$ per person (2024)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) 33.86 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 0.1167 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 140.74 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 30.23 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU), per 428.92 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Uganda?
- External balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Uganda was -7.3% 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 Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 6.8% in 1964.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was -15.5% in 1992.
- How does Uganda rank for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp?
- Uganda ranks 123rd out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Uganda 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 — 66 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.