External balance on goods and services in Rwanda
Rwanda: External balance on goods and services was -3.17 trillion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-3.17 trillion current LCU
Change on year
down 7.3%
World rank
176th
of 193 countries
All-time high
10.32 million current LCU
in 1960
All-time low
-3.35 trillion current LCU
in 2023
Years of data
66
1960–2025
External balance on goods and services in Rwanda, 1960–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
In 2025, external balance on goods and services in Rwanda stood at -3.17 trillion current LCU.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.3% on the previous year and down 175.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in Rwanda peaked at 10.32 million current LCU in 1960 and was at its lowest, -3.35 trillion current LCU, in 2023.
Rwanda ranks 176th of 193 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External balance on goods and services in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 10.32 million current LCU | — |
| 1961 | -28.55 million current LCU | -376.7% |
| 1962 | -381.43 million current LCU | +1236.0% |
| 1963 | -587.59 million current LCU | +54.1% |
| 1964 | -210.70 million current LCU | -64.1% |
| 1965 | -613.86 million current LCU | +191.3% |
| 1966 | -1.38 billion current LCU | +124.8% |
| 1967 | -1.28 billion current LCU | -7.6% |
| 1968 | -1.62 billion current LCU | +26.8% |
| 1969 | -1.79 billion current LCU | +10.8% |
| 1970 | -1.50 billion current LCU | -16.4% |
| 1971 | -2.22 billion current LCU | +48.4% |
| 1972 | -2.53 billion current LCU | +13.9% |
| 1973 | -1.12 billion current LCU | -55.6% |
| 1974 | -3.84 billion current LCU | +241.3% |
| 1975 | -6.33 billion current LCU | +64.9% |
| 1976 | -5.41 billion current LCU | -14.5% |
| 1977 | -5.01 billion current LCU | -7.4% |
| 1978 | -11.15 billion current LCU | +122.4% |
| 1979 | -6.18 billion current LCU | -44.6% |
| 1980 | -18.51 billion current LCU | +199.5% |
| 1981 | -19.81 billion current LCU | +7.0% |
| 1982 | -22.66 billion current LCU | +14.4% |
| 1983 | -18.87 billion current LCU | -16.7% |
| 1984 | -17.43 billion current LCU | -7.6% |
| 1985 | -22.61 billion current LCU | +29.7% |
| 1986 | -19.72 billion current LCU | -12.7% |
| 1987 | -26.35 billion current LCU | +33.6% |
| 1988 | -26.30 billion current LCU | -0.2% |
| 1989 | -27.87 billion current LCU | +6.0% |
| 1990 | -23.83 billion current LCU | -14.5% |
| 1991 | -34.02 billion current LCU | +42.8% |
| 1992 | -43.93 billion current LCU | +29.1% |
| 1993 | -54.58 billion current LCU | +24.2% |
| 1994 | -116.75 billion current LCU | +113.9% |
| 1995 | -86.47 billion current LCU | -25.9% |
| 1996 | -106.40 billion current LCU | +23.0% |
| 1997 | -127.00 billion current LCU | +19.4% |
| 1998 | -136.62 billion current LCU | +7.6% |
| 1999 | -148.65 billion current LCU | +8.8% |
| 2000 | -167.71 billion current LCU | +12.8% |
| 2001 | -162.12 billion current LCU | -3.3% |
| 2002 | -179.45 billion current LCU | +10.7% |
| 2003 | -208.14 billion current LCU | +16.0% |
| 2004 | -237.83 billion current LCU | +14.3% |
| 2005 | -289.09 billion current LCU | +21.6% |
| 2006 | -206.00 billion current LCU | -28.7% |
| 2007 | -191.00 billion current LCU | -7.3% |
| 2008 | -426.00 billion current LCU | +123.0% |
| 2009 | -517.00 billion current LCU | +21.4% |
| 2010 | -566.00 billion current LCU | +9.5% |
| 2011 | -596.00 billion current LCU | +5.3% |
| 2012 | -777.00 billion current LCU | +30.4% |
| 2013 | -794.00 billion current LCU | +2.2% |
| 2014 | -908.00 billion current LCU | +14.4% |
| 2015 | -1.15 trillion current LCU | +27.0% |
| 2016 | -1.28 trillion current LCU | +10.7% |
| 2017 | -971.00 billion current LCU | -23.9% |
| 2018 | -391.54 billion current LCU | -59.7% |
| 2019 | -457.12 billion current LCU | +16.7% |
| 2020 | -693.90 billion current LCU | +51.8% |
| 2021 | -2.36 trillion current LCU | +240.4% |
| 2022 | -2.46 trillion current LCU | +4.1% |
| 2023 | -3.35 trillion current LCU | +36.2% |
| 2024 | -2.96 trillion current LCU | -11.7% |
| 2025 | -3.17 trillion current LCU | +7.3% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's -3.17 trillion current LCU is below the median for low income countries, which is -480.38 billion current LCU, 6.6× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's -3.17 trillion current LCU is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -68.31 billion current LCU, 46.4× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services in Rwanda 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | -1236.0% | -28.55 million current LCU | -381.43 million current LCU |
| 1961 | -376.7% | 10.32 million current LCU | -28.55 million current LCU |
| 1974 | -241.3% | -1.12 billion current LCU | -3.84 billion current LCU |
| 2021 | -240.4% | -693.90 billion current LCU | -2.36 trillion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -787.61 million current LCU | -1.79 billion current LCU | 10.32 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | -4.53 billion current LCU | -11.15 billion current LCU | -1.12 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | -22.01 billion current LCU | -27.87 billion current LCU | -17.43 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | -87.83 billion current LCU | -148.65 billion current LCU | -23.83 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | -258.43 billion current LCU | -517.00 billion current LCU | -162.12 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | -788.97 billion current LCU | -1.28 trillion current LCU | -391.54 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | -2.50 trillion current LCU | -3.35 trillion current LCU | -693.90 billion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
More economy & growth data for Rwanda
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 5.1 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 7.3 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 13.15 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0009 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 0.9225 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 572.93 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 25.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0379 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 40.19 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate -18.44 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in Rwanda?
- External balance on goods and services in Rwanda was -3.17 trillion 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 Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 10.32 million current LCU in 1960.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.35 trillion current LCU in 2023.
- How does Rwanda rank for external balance on goods and services?
- Rwanda ranks 176th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 175.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Rwanda 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.