External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Uruguay
Uruguay: External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP was 4.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Uruguay, 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
In 2025, external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Uruguay stood at 4.4%.
That represents a change of down 11.7% on the previous year and up 1,288.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Uruguay peaked at 7.6% in 2021 and was at its lowest, -5.6%, in 1980.
Uruguay ranks 45th of 191 countries on this measure, in the top 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 Uruguay, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -4.8% | — |
| 1961 | -0.6% | -88.2% |
| 1962 | -3.1% | +444.3% |
| 1963 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 1964 | 0.6% | — |
| 1965 | 6.9% | +1059.4% |
| 1966 | 5.6% | -18.5% |
| 1967 | 1.4% | -74.6% |
| 1968 | 3.0% | +108.0% |
| 1969 | 1.3% | -57.4% |
| 1970 | -1.3% | -204.2% |
| 1971 | -1.1% | -13.0% |
| 1972 | 0.5% | -147.2% |
| 1973 | 0.9% | +68.3% |
| 1974 | -2.5% | -375.0% |
| 1975 | -3.5% | +39.4% |
| 1976 | -0.5% | -85.2% |
| 1977 | -2.8% | +431.8% |
| 1978 | -2.3% | -16.5% |
| 1979 | -4.3% | +87.8% |
| 1980 | -5.6% | +29.2% |
| 1981 | -3.8% | -31.6% |
| 1982 | -3.0% | -22.5% |
| 1983 | 2.1% | -170.3% |
| 1984 | 5.2% | +149.6% |
| 1985 | 5.7% | +8.7% |
| 1986 | 5.9% | +5.1% |
| 1987 | 2.4% | -58.9% |
| 1988 | 4.3% | +76.9% |
| 1989 | 5.8% | +34.1% |
| 1990 | 5.4% | -6.2% |
| 1991 | 2.8% | -47.9% |
| 1992 | 0.8% | -71.0% |
| 1993 | -0.4% | -152.7% |
| 1994 | -0.6% | +42.1% |
| 1995 | -0.1% | -83.1% |
| 1996 | -0.2% | +81.1% |
| 1997 | -2.8% | +1380.7% |
| 1998 | -2.8% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | -3.2% | +14.0% |
| 2000 | -3.3% | +4.0% |
| 2001 | -2.7% | -18.6% |
| 2002 | 1.2% | -145.0% |
| 2003 | 3.1% | +155.8% |
| 2004 | 2.7% | -11.5% |
| 2005 | 1.9% | -29.8% |
| 2006 | -1.4% | -171.3% |
| 2007 | -1.0% | -25.2% |
| 2008 | -4.8% | +366.5% |
| 2009 | 0.8% | -116.7% |
| 2010 | 1.0% | +22.8% |
| 2011 | -0.4% | -140.8% |
| 2012 | -3.2% | +700.0% |
| 2013 | -3.0% | -6.5% |
| 2014 | -2.0% | -33.5% |
| 2015 | -0.4% | -81.4% |
| 2016 | 5.4% | -1547.6% |
| 2017 | 5.5% | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 5.1% | -7.9% |
| 2019 | 6.1% | +20.1% |
| 2020 | 4.6% | -23.4% |
| 2021 | 7.6% | +63.1% |
| 2022 | 5.6% | -26.3% |
| 2023 | 3.6% | -34.9% |
| 2024 | 5.0% | +37.9% |
| 2025 | 4.4% | -11.7% |
Uruguay compared with similar countries
- Uruguay's 4.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.2%, 2.0× the median. (72 countries reporting)
- Uruguay's 4.4% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is -2.1%. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Uruguay 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | +1547.6% | -0.4% | 5.4% |
| 1997 | -1380.7% | -0.2% | -2.8% |
| 1965 | +1059.4% | 0.6% | 6.9% |
| 2012 | -700.0% | -0.4% | -3.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.0% | -4.8% | 6.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | -1.7% | -4.3% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.9% | -5.6% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.1% | -3.2% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.3% | -4.8% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.4% | -3.2% | 6.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.1% | 3.6% | 7.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Uruguay
More economy & growth data for Uruguay
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.2 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.2 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.46 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0102 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 258.23 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 0.4283 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0075 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 188.56 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.03 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0051 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Uruguay?
- External balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Uruguay was 4.4% 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 Uruguay?
- The highest recorded value was 7.6% in 2021.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp recorded in Uruguay?
- The lowest recorded value was -5.6% in 1980.
- How does Uruguay rank for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp?
- Uruguay ranks 45th out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp rising or falling in Uruguay?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1,288.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Uruguay 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.