External balance on goods and services in Cameroon
Cameroon: External balance on goods and services was -4.25 billion current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-4.25 billion current US$
Change on year
down 160.7%
World rank
150th
of 193 countries
All-time high
1.07 billion current US$
in 1993
All-time low
-4.25 billion current US$
in 2025
Years of data
61
1965–2025
External balance on goods and services in Cameroon, 1965–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for external balance on goods and services in Cameroon is -4.25 billion current US$, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 61 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 160.7% on the previous year and down 270.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in Cameroon peaked at 1.07 billion current US$ in 1993 and was at its lowest, -4.25 billion current US$, in 2025.
That places Cameroon 150th out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External balance on goods and services in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | -4.08 million current US$ | — |
| 1966 | -21.98 million current US$ | +438.6% |
| 1967 | -18.29 million current US$ | -16.8% |
| 1968 | -26.26 million current US$ | +43.5% |
| 1969 | 5.77 million current US$ | -122.0% |
| 1970 | 17.73 million current US$ | +207.2% |
| 1971 | -51.21 million current US$ | -388.9% |
| 1972 | -85.31 million current US$ | +66.6% |
| 1973 | -62.81 million current US$ | -26.4% |
| 1974 | 56.92 million current US$ | -190.6% |
| 1975 | -81.66 million current US$ | -243.5% |
| 1976 | -136.85 million current US$ | +67.6% |
| 1977 | -93.21 million current US$ | -31.9% |
| 1978 | -208.28 million current US$ | +123.5% |
| 1979 | -424.03 million current US$ | +103.6% |
| 1980 | 50.28 million current US$ | -111.9% |
| 1981 | -432.82 million current US$ | -960.8% |
| 1982 | 284.50 million current US$ | -165.7% |
| 1983 | 75.16 million current US$ | -73.6% |
| 1984 | 181.71 million current US$ | +141.8% |
| 1985 | 160.04 million current US$ | -11.9% |
| 1986 | 66.04 million current US$ | -58.7% |
| 1987 | -513.08 million current US$ | -877.0% |
| 1988 | 8.73 million current US$ | -101.7% |
| 1989 | 323.50 million current US$ | +3606.0% |
| 1990 | 353.35 million current US$ | +9.2% |
| 1991 | 634.51 million current US$ | +79.6% |
| 1992 | 269.38 million current US$ | -57.5% |
| 1993 | 1.07 billion current US$ | +297.8% |
| 1994 | 534.23 million current US$ | -50.1% |
| 1995 | 712.15 million current US$ | +33.3% |
| 1996 | 378.22 million current US$ | -46.9% |
| 1997 | 521.31 million current US$ | +37.8% |
| 1998 | 187.97 million current US$ | -63.9% |
| 1999 | 187.23 million current US$ | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 188.69 million current US$ | +0.8% |
| 2001 | -114.99 million current US$ | -160.9% |
| 2002 | -311.60 million current US$ | +171.0% |
| 2003 | -218.69 million current US$ | -29.8% |
| 2004 | -139.80 million current US$ | -36.1% |
| 2005 | -98.87 million current US$ | -29.3% |
| 2006 | 262.17 million current US$ | -365.2% |
| 2007 | 177.45 million current US$ | -32.3% |
| 2008 | -805.87 million current US$ | -554.1% |
| 2009 | -841.14 million current US$ | +4.4% |
| 2010 | -687.91 million current US$ | -18.2% |
| 2011 | -938.11 million current US$ | +36.4% |
| 2012 | -688.31 million current US$ | -26.6% |
| 2013 | -808.25 million current US$ | +17.4% |
| 2014 | -1.31 billion current US$ | +62.6% |
| 2015 | -1.15 billion current US$ | -12.7% |
| 2016 | -926.06 million current US$ | -19.3% |
| 2017 | -901.32 million current US$ | -2.7% |
| 2018 | -1.24 billion current US$ | +38.1% |
| 2019 | -1.46 billion current US$ | +17.2% |
| 2020 | -1.33 billion current US$ | -8.7% |
| 2021 | -1.67 billion current US$ | +25.5% |
| 2022 | -1.17 billion current US$ | -29.9% |
| 2023 | -2.04 billion current US$ | +74.3% |
| 2024 | -1.63 billion current US$ | -20.3% |
| 2025 | -4.25 billion current US$ | +160.7% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's -4.25 billion current US$ is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is -1.67 billion current US$, 2.5× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's -4.25 billion current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -545.92 million current US$, 7.8× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services in Cameroon changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | +3606.0% | 8.73 million current US$ | 323.50 million current US$ |
| 1981 | -960.8% | 50.28 million current US$ | -432.82 million current US$ |
| 1987 | -877.0% | 66.04 million current US$ | -513.08 million current US$ |
| 2008 | -554.1% | 177.45 million current US$ | -805.87 million current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -12.97 million current US$ | -26.26 million current US$ | 5.77 million current US$ | 5 |
| 1970s | -106.87 million current US$ | -424.03 million current US$ | 56.92 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 20.41 million current US$ | -513.08 million current US$ | 323.50 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 485.00 million current US$ | 187.23 million current US$ | 1.07 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | -190.27 million current US$ | -841.14 million current US$ | 262.17 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.01 billion current US$ | -1.46 billion current US$ | -687.91 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | -2.02 billion current US$ | -4.25 billion current US$ | -1.17 billion current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More economy & growth data for Cameroon
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.05 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 4.53 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 63.42 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0012 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 2.18 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 888.22 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 8.12 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0167 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 30.5 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 3.68 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in Cameroon?
- External balance on goods and services in Cameroon was -4.25 billion current US$ 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 Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 1.07 billion current US$ in 1993.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was -4.25 billion current US$ in 2025.
- How does Cameroon rank for external balance on goods and services?
- Cameroon ranks 150th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 270.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Cameroon 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 US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 61 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 indicator is expressed in United States dollars.