External balance on goods and services in Ghana
Ghana: External balance on goods and services was 953.40 million current US$ in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
953.40 million current US$
Change on year
up 239.9%
World rank
64th
of 193 countries
All-time high
953.40 million current US$
in 2024
All-time low
-6.21 billion current US$
in 2013
Years of data
65
1960–2024
External balance on goods and services in Ghana, 1960–2024
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
Ghana recorded 953.40 million current US$ for external balance on goods and services in 2024. That is the highest value across all 65 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 239.9% on the previous year and up 123.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in Ghana peaked at 953.40 million current US$ in 2024 and was at its lowest, -6.21 billion current US$, in 2013.
Ghana ranks 64th of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External balance on goods and services in Ghana, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -88.25 million current US$ | — |
| 1961 | -134.47 million current US$ | +52.4% |
| 1962 | -58.83 million current US$ | -56.3% |
| 1963 | -96.65 million current US$ | +64.3% |
| 1964 | -68.64 million current US$ | -29.0% |
| 1965 | -197.50 million current US$ | +187.8% |
| 1966 | -106.45 million current US$ | -46.1% |
| 1967 | -44.14 million current US$ | -58.5% |
| 1968 | -7.84 million current US$ | -82.2% |
| 1969 | -11.77 million current US$ | +50.0% |
| 1970 | -30.40 million current US$ | +158.3% |
| 1971 | -108.29 million current US$ | +256.2% |
| 1972 | 116.31 million current US$ | -207.4% |
| 1973 | 152.01 million current US$ | +30.7% |
| 1974 | -100.62 million current US$ | -166.2% |
| 1975 | 26.06 million current US$ | -125.9% |
| 1976 | -9.32 million current US$ | -135.8% |
| 1977 | -33.43 million current US$ | +258.6% |
| 1978 | -48.69 million current US$ | +45.7% |
| 1979 | 2.85 million current US$ | -105.9% |
| 1980 | -30.60 million current US$ | -1174.1% |
| 1981 | -23.95 million current US$ | -21.7% |
| 1982 | 14.38 million current US$ | -160.0% |
| 1983 | -17.57 million current US$ | -222.2% |
| 1984 | -120.30 million current US$ | +584.7% |
| 1985 | -132.19 million current US$ | +9.9% |
| 1986 | -204.16 million current US$ | +54.4% |
| 1987 | -331.03 million current US$ | +62.1% |
| 1988 | -305.56 million current US$ | -7.7% |
| 1989 | -399.17 million current US$ | +30.6% |
| 1990 | -528.39 million current US$ | +32.4% |
| 1991 | -565.32 million current US$ | +7.0% |
| 1992 | -740.53 million current US$ | +31.0% |
| 1993 | -964.65 million current US$ | +30.3% |
| 1994 | -626.54 million current US$ | -35.0% |
| 1995 | -544.96 million current US$ | -13.0% |
| 1996 | -553.29 million current US$ | +1.5% |
| 1997 | -1.42 billion current US$ | +156.3% |
| 1998 | -961.96 million current US$ | -32.2% |
| 1999 | -1.35 billion current US$ | +40.8% |
| 2000 | -919.03 million current US$ | -32.1% |
| 2001 | -1.04 billion current US$ | +13.2% |
| 2002 | -755.77 million current US$ | -27.4% |
| 2003 | -1.22 billion current US$ | +60.9% |
| 2004 | -1.87 billion current US$ | +53.9% |
| 2005 | -2.72 billion current US$ | +45.2% |
| 2006 | -3.18 billion current US$ | +17.0% |
| 2007 | -4.05 billion current US$ | +27.5% |
| 2008 | -5.58 billion current US$ | +37.8% |
| 2009 | -3.39 billion current US$ | -39.3% |
| 2010 | -5.29 billion current US$ | +56.0% |
| 2011 | -4.89 billion current US$ | -7.6% |
| 2012 | -5.14 billion current US$ | +5.2% |
| 2013 | -6.21 billion current US$ | +20.8% |
| 2014 | -4.03 billion current US$ | -35.1% |
| 2015 | -4.38 billion current US$ | +8.6% |
| 2016 | -3.08 billion current US$ | -29.6% |
| 2017 | -1.69 billion current US$ | -45.3% |
| 2018 | -705.37 million current US$ | -58.2% |
| 2019 | -1.32 billion current US$ | +86.6% |
| 2020 | -2.47 billion current US$ | +87.5% |
| 2021 | -2.07 billion current US$ | -16.3% |
| 2022 | -582.01 million current US$ | -71.8% |
| 2023 | -681.61 million current US$ | +17.1% |
| 2024 | 953.40 million current US$ | -239.9% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 953.40 million current US$ is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is -1.67 billion current US$. (45 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 953.40 million current US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -545.92 million current US$. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services in Ghana changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | -1174.1% | 2.85 million current US$ | -30.60 million current US$ |
| 1984 | -584.7% | -17.57 million current US$ | -120.30 million current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -81.45 million current US$ | -197.50 million current US$ | -7.84 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | -3.35 million current US$ | -108.29 million current US$ | 152.01 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | -155.02 million current US$ | -399.17 million current US$ | 14.38 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | -825.84 million current US$ | -1.42 billion current US$ | -528.39 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | -2.47 billion current US$ | -5.58 billion current US$ | -755.77 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | -3.67 billion current US$ | -6.21 billion current US$ | -705.37 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | -968.65 million current US$ | -2.47 billion current US$ | 953.40 million current US$ | 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)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 38.84 million BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0003 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1.11 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 1.91 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 8.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0167 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 54.42 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 23.42 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in Ghana?
- External balance on goods and services in Ghana was 953.40 million current US$ 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 953.40 million current US$ in 2024.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was -6.21 billion current US$ in 2013.
- How does Ghana rank for external balance on goods and services?
- Ghana ranks 64th 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 123.7%. 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 US$). 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 indicator is expressed in United States dollars.