External balance on goods and services (current LCU) in Ghana
Ghana: External balance on goods and services (current LCU) was 13.54 billion current LCU in 2024. ◆ Volatile
External balance on goods and services in Ghana, 1960–2024
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 Ghana is 13.54 billion current LCU, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 65 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 280.2% on the previous year and up 215.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in Ghana peaked at 13.54 billion current LCU in 2024 and was at its lowest, -16.26 billion current LCU, in 2015.
Ghana ranks 51st of 193 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 (current LCU) in Ghana, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -6,300 current LCU | — |
| 1961 | -9,600 current LCU | +52.4% |
| 1962 | -4,200 current LCU | -56.2% |
| 1963 | -6,900 current LCU | +64.3% |
| 1964 | -4,900 current LCU | -29.0% |
| 1965 | -14,100 current LCU | +187.8% |
| 1966 | -7,600 current LCU | -46.1% |
| 1967 | -3,800 current LCU | -50.0% |
| 1968 | -800 current LCU | -78.9% |
| 1969 | -1,200 current LCU | +50.0% |
| 1970 | -3,100 current LCU | +158.3% |
| 1971 | -11,200 current LCU | +261.3% |
| 1972 | 15,500 current LCU | -238.4% |
| 1973 | 17,700 current LCU | +14.2% |
| 1974 | -16,200 current LCU | -191.5% |
| 1975 | 4,900 current LCU | -130.2% |
| 1976 | -2,200 current LCU | -144.9% |
| 1977 | -11,700 current LCU | +431.8% |
| 1978 | -27,900 current LCU | +138.5% |
| 1979 | 2,000 current LCU | -107.2% |
| 1980 | -29,500 current LCU | -1575.0% |
| 1981 | -41,200 current LCU | +39.7% |
| 1982 | 30,800 current LCU | -174.8% |
| 1983 | -79,700 current LCU | -358.8% |
| 1984 | -737,700 current LCU | +825.6% |
| 1985 | -1.01 million current LCU | +36.5% |
| 1986 | -1.82 million current LCU | +80.8% |
| 1987 | -4.87 million current LCU | +167.3% |
| 1988 | -6.18 million current LCU | +27.0% |
| 1989 | -10.77 million current LCU | +74.3% |
| 1990 | -17.23 million current LCU | +60.0% |
| 1991 | -20.78 million current LCU | +20.6% |
| 1992 | -32.35 million current LCU | +55.7% |
| 1993 | -62.58 million current LCU | +93.4% |
| 1994 | -59.88 million current LCU | -4.3% |
| 1995 | -65.35 million current LCU | +9.1% |
| 1996 | -90.49 million current LCU | +38.5% |
| 1997 | -290.47 million current LCU | +221.0% |
| 1998 | -222.37 million current LCU | -23.4% |
| 1999 | -361.14 million current LCU | +62.4% |
| 2000 | -500.80 million current LCU | +38.7% |
| 2001 | -745.42 million current LCU | +48.8% |
| 2002 | -598.89 million current LCU | -19.7% |
| 2003 | -1.05 billion current LCU | +76.0% |
| 2004 | -1.68 billion current LCU | +59.7% |
| 2005 | -2.46 billion current LCU | +46.1% |
| 2006 | -2.91 billion current LCU | +18.2% |
| 2007 | -3.78 billion current LCU | +29.9% |
| 2008 | -5.87 billion current LCU | +55.5% |
| 2009 | -4.76 billion current LCU | -18.9% |
| 2010 | -7.56 billion current LCU | +58.8% |
| 2011 | -7.43 billion current LCU | -1.7% |
| 2012 | -9.38 billion current LCU | +26.2% |
| 2013 | -12.30 billion current LCU | +31.1% |
| 2014 | -11.70 billion current LCU | -4.8% |
| 2015 | -16.26 billion current LCU | +39.0% |
| 2016 | -12.06 billion current LCU | -25.8% |
| 2017 | -7.34 billion current LCU | -39.1% |
| 2018 | -3.24 billion current LCU | -55.9% |
| 2019 | -6.87 billion current LCU | +112.1% |
| 2020 | -13.81 billion current LCU | +101.2% |
| 2021 | -11.99 billion current LCU | -13.2% |
| 2022 | -4.84 billion current LCU | -59.7% |
| 2023 | -7.51 billion current LCU | +55.3% |
| 2024 | 13.54 billion current LCU | -280.2% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 13.54 billion current LCU is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is -57.12 billion current LCU. (45 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 13.54 billion current LCU is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -68.31 billion current LCU. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services (current LCU) in Ghana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | -1575.0% | 2,000 current LCU | -29,500 current LCU |
| 1984 | -825.6% | -79,700 current LCU | -737,700 current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -5,940 current LCU | -14,100 current LCU | -800 current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | -3,220 current LCU | -27,900 current LCU | 17,700 current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | -2.55 million current LCU | -10.77 million current LCU | 30,800 current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | -122.26 million current LCU | -361.14 million current LCU | -17.23 million current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | -2.44 billion current LCU | -5.87 billion current LCU | -500.80 million current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | -9.41 billion current LCU | -16.26 billion current LCU | -3.24 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | -4.92 billion current LCU | -13.81 billion current LCU | 13.54 billion current LCU | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More economy & growth data for Ghana
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.15 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 5 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 457.43 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 0.374 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 430.83 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 0.2731 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 0.0077 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in Ghana?
- External balance on goods and services in Ghana was 13.54 billion current LCU in 2024, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest external balance on goods and services recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 13.54 billion current LCU in 2024.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was -16.26 billion current LCU in 2015.
- How does Ghana rank for external balance on goods and services?
- Ghana ranks 51st out of 193 countries with data for 2024.
- Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 215.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana 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 — 65 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.