External balance on goods and services (current LCU) in Australia
Australia: External balance on goods and services (current LCU) was 16.32 billion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
16.32 billion current LCU
Change on year
down 71.0%
World rank
49th
of 193 countries
All-time high
122.18 billion current LCU
in 2022
All-time low
-40.06 billion current LCU
in 2016
Years of data
66
1960–2025
External balance on goods and services in Australia, 1960–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
The most recent figure for external balance on goods and services in Australia is 16.32 billion current LCU, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 71.0% on the previous year and up 165.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in Australia peaked at 122.18 billion current LCU in 2022 and was at its lowest, -40.06 billion current LCU, in 2016.
Australia ranks 49th of 193 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 (current LCU) in Australia, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -177.00 million current LCU | — |
| 1961 | -460.00 million current LCU | +159.9% |
| 1962 | 233.00 million current LCU | -150.7% |
| 1963 | -159.00 million current LCU | -168.2% |
| 1964 | 249.00 million current LCU | -256.6% |
| 1965 | -474.00 million current LCU | -290.4% |
| 1966 | -535.00 million current LCU | +12.9% |
| 1967 | -274.00 million current LCU | -48.8% |
| 1968 | -638.00 million current LCU | +132.8% |
| 1969 | -451.00 million current LCU | -29.3% |
| 1970 | -90.00 million current LCU | -80.0% |
| 1971 | -111.00 million current LCU | +23.3% |
| 1972 | 379.00 million current LCU | -441.4% |
| 1973 | 1.56 billion current LCU | +311.3% |
| 1974 | -39.00 million current LCU | -102.5% |
| 1975 | -323.00 million current LCU | +728.2% |
| 1976 | 116.00 million current LCU | -135.9% |
| 1977 | -606.00 million current LCU | -622.4% |
| 1978 | -1.01 billion current LCU | +67.2% |
| 1979 | -1.24 billion current LCU | +22.7% |
| 1980 | 708.00 million current LCU | -157.0% |
| 1981 | -2.79 billion current LCU | -493.6% |
| 1982 | -5.78 billion current LCU | +107.4% |
| 1983 | -3.84 billion current LCU | -33.5% |
| 1984 | -3.05 billion current LCU | -20.7% |
| 1985 | -4.82 billion current LCU | +58.0% |
| 1986 | -7.99 billion current LCU | +66.0% |
| 1987 | -4.57 billion current LCU | -42.8% |
| 1988 | -2.14 billion current LCU | -53.2% |
| 1989 | -6.74 billion current LCU | +214.9% |
| 1990 | -7.78 billion current LCU | +15.5% |
| 1991 | -550.00 million current LCU | -92.9% |
| 1992 | 1.15 billion current LCU | -309.3% |
| 1993 | -1.42 billion current LCU | -223.6% |
| 1994 | -2.40 billion current LCU | +68.7% |
| 1995 | -9.73 billion current LCU | +305.3% |
| 1996 | -2.40 billion current LCU | -75.4% |
| 1997 | 1.53 billion current LCU | -163.7% |
| 1998 | -5.17 billion current LCU | -438.9% |
| 1999 | -15.17 billion current LCU | +193.4% |
| 2000 | -14.28 billion current LCU | -5.9% |
| 2001 | 608.00 million current LCU | -104.3% |
| 2002 | 32.00 million current LCU | -94.7% |
| 2003 | -16.76 billion current LCU | -52481.2% |
| 2004 | -23.20 billion current LCU | +38.4% |
| 2005 | -25.10 billion current LCU | +8.2% |
| 2006 | -18.52 billion current LCU | -26.2% |
| 2007 | -17.87 billion current LCU | -3.5% |
| 2008 | -30.07 billion current LCU | +68.3% |
| 2009 | 3.55 billion current LCU | -111.8% |
| 2010 | -12.12 billion current LCU | -441.7% |
| 2011 | 14.52 billion current LCU | -219.8% |
| 2012 | -2.67 billion current LCU | -118.4% |
| 2013 | -20.29 billion current LCU | +659.6% |
| 2014 | -4.94 billion current LCU | -75.7% |
| 2015 | -24.88 billion current LCU | +403.7% |
| 2016 | -40.06 billion current LCU | +61.1% |
| 2017 | 5.44 billion current LCU | -113.6% |
| 2018 | 960.00 million current LCU | -82.4% |
| 2019 | 41.51 billion current LCU | +4224.4% |
| 2020 | 67.16 billion current LCU | +61.8% |
| 2021 | 79.49 billion current LCU | +18.4% |
| 2022 | 122.18 billion current LCU | +53.7% |
| 2023 | 112.30 billion current LCU | -8.1% |
| 2024 | 56.22 billion current LCU | -49.9% |
| 2025 | 16.32 billion current LCU | -71.0% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 16.32 billion current LCU is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.18 billion current LCU, 5.1× the median. (72 countries reporting)
- Australia's 16.32 billion current LCU is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is -190.00 million current LCU. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services (current LCU) in Australia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | -52481.2% | 32.00 million current LCU | -16.76 billion current LCU |
| 2019 | +4224.4% | 960.00 million current LCU | 41.51 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -268.60 million current LCU | -638.00 million current LCU | 249.00 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | -137.10 million current LCU | -1.24 billion current LCU | 1.56 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | -4.10 billion current LCU | -7.99 billion current LCU | 708.00 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | -4.20 billion current LCU | -15.17 billion current LCU | 1.53 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | -14.16 billion current LCU | -30.07 billion current LCU | 3.55 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | -4.25 billion current LCU | -40.06 billion current LCU | 41.51 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 75.61 billion current LCU | 16.32 billion current LCU | 122.18 billion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More economy & growth data for Australia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.36 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.26 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 15.83 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0083 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 537.43 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 10.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.006 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 392.43 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 2.82 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0037 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in Australia?
- External balance on goods and services in Australia was 16.32 billion current LCU in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest external balance on goods and services recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 122.18 billion current LCU in 2022.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was -40.06 billion current LCU in 2016.
- How does Australia rank for external balance on goods and services?
- Australia ranks 49th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 165.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of External balance on goods and services (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The balance of international trade in goods and services is the difference between the exports and imports of goods and services. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.