External balance on goods and services in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: External balance on goods and services was -38.41 billion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-38.41 billion current LCU
Change on year
down 82.8%
World rank
124th
of 192 countries
All-time high
15.67 billion current LCU
in 2020
All-time low
-38.41 billion current LCU
in 2025
Years of data
56
1970–2025
External balance on goods and services in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1970–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded -38.41 billion current LCU for external balance on goods and services in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 56 years on record.
That represents a change of down 82.8% on the previous year and down 45.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 15.67 billion current LCU in 2020 and was at its lowest, -38.41 billion current LCU, in 2025.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 124th of 192 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 in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 580.80 million current LCU | — |
| 1971 | 966.42 million current LCU | +66.4% |
| 1972 | 79.61 million current LCU | -91.8% |
| 1973 | -1.64 billion current LCU | -2155.5% |
| 1974 | -4.00 billion current LCU | +144.6% |
| 1975 | -1.56 billion current LCU | -61.1% |
| 1976 | -1.05 billion current LCU | -32.5% |
| 1977 | 1.56 billion current LCU | -248.4% |
| 1978 | 2.85 billion current LCU | +83.2% |
| 1979 | 1.39 billion current LCU | -51.2% |
| 1980 | 6.03 billion current LCU | +333.1% |
| 1981 | 8.38 billion current LCU | +39.0% |
| 1982 | 6.46 billion current LCU | -22.9% |
| 1983 | 4.05 billion current LCU | -37.3% |
| 1984 | 876.68 million current LCU | -78.3% |
| 1985 | 5.42 billion current LCU | +518.7% |
| 1986 | -1.31 billion current LCU | -124.1% |
| 1987 | -3.00 billion current LCU | +129.8% |
| 1988 | -15.45 billion current LCU | +414.7% |
| 1989 | -19.23 billion current LCU | +24.5% |
| 1990 | -9.79 billion current LCU | -49.1% |
| 1991 | -807.06 million current LCU | -91.8% |
| 1992 | -3.08 billion current LCU | +282.2% |
| 1993 | -596.86 million current LCU | -80.6% |
| 1994 | 2.01 billion current LCU | -436.7% |
| 1995 | 4.82 billion current LCU | +139.7% |
| 1996 | 4.36 billion current LCU | -9.6% |
| 1997 | 5.11 billion current LCU | +17.4% |
| 1998 | -5.00 billion current LCU | -197.7% |
| 1999 | -10.96 billion current LCU | +119.5% |
| 2000 | -13.54 billion current LCU | +23.5% |
| 2001 | -19.97 billion current LCU | +47.5% |
| 2002 | -28.35 billion current LCU | +42.0% |
| 2003 | -26.90 billion current LCU | -5.1% |
| 2004 | -30.78 billion current LCU | +14.4% |
| 2005 | -29.89 billion current LCU | -2.9% |
| 2006 | -27.77 billion current LCU | -7.1% |
| 2007 | -30.00 billion current LCU | +8.0% |
| 2008 | -26.88 billion current LCU | -10.4% |
| 2009 | -19.32 billion current LCU | -28.1% |
| 2010 | -25.18 billion current LCU | +30.3% |
| 2011 | -13.26 billion current LCU | -47.3% |
| 2012 | -16.70 billion current LCU | +25.9% |
| 2013 | -23.34 billion current LCU | +39.8% |
| 2014 | -32.95 billion current LCU | +41.2% |
| 2015 | -26.35 billion current LCU | -20.0% |
| 2016 | -34.41 billion current LCU | +30.6% |
| 2017 | -26.05 billion current LCU | -24.3% |
| 2018 | -26.07 billion current LCU | +0.1% |
| 2019 | -26.99 billion current LCU | +3.5% |
| 2020 | 15.67 billion current LCU | -158.1% |
| 2021 | 939.00 million current LCU | -94.0% |
| 2022 | -27.75 billion current LCU | -3055.0% |
| 2023 | -32.14 billion current LCU | +15.8% |
| 2024 | -21.01 billion current LCU | -34.6% |
| 2025 | -38.41 billion current LCU | +82.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -81.44 million current LCU | -4.00 billion current LCU | 2.85 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | -776.12 million current LCU | -19.23 billion current LCU | 8.38 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | -1.39 billion current LCU | -10.96 billion current LCU | 5.11 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | -25.34 billion current LCU | -30.78 billion current LCU | -13.54 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | -25.13 billion current LCU | -34.41 billion current LCU | -13.26 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | -17.12 billion current LCU | -38.41 billion current LCU | 15.67 billion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
More economy & growth data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.14 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.42 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), annual growth rate 8.33 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1834 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), per capita 10,562 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross domestic savings (current LCU), annual growth rate 5.16 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross domestic savings (current LCU), per unit of GDP 0.1393 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross domestic savings (current LCU), per capita 8,022 current LCU per person (2025)
- GNI, Atlas method (current US$), annual growth rate 10.93 % change on previous year (2025)
- GNI, Atlas method (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.9471 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- External balance on goods and services in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was -38.41 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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 15.67 billion current LCU in 2020.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was -38.41 billion current LCU in 2025.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for external balance on goods and services?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 124th out of 192 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 45.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 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
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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.