External balance on goods and services (current US$) (US current) in Somalia
Somalia: External balance on goods and services (current US$) (US current) was -9.04 billion current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
External balance on goods and services in Somalia, 1960–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
In 2025, external balance on goods and services in Somalia stood at -9.04 billion current US$. That is the lowest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of down 11.3% on the previous year and down 243.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in Somalia peaked at -7.99 million current US$ in 1960 and was at its lowest, -9.04 billion current US$, in 2025.
Somalia ranks 169th of 193 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External balance on goods and services (current US$) (US current) in Somalia, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -7.99 million current US$ | — |
| 1961 | -13.58 million current US$ | +69.9% |
| 1962 | -29.96 million current US$ | +120.6% |
| 1963 | -21.84 million current US$ | -27.1% |
| 1964 | -33.18 million current US$ | +51.9% |
| 1965 | -8.50 million current US$ | -74.4% |
| 1966 | -19.60 million current US$ | +130.6% |
| 1967 | -23.38 million current US$ | +19.3% |
| 1968 | -19.00 million current US$ | -18.7% |
| 1969 | -23.47 million current US$ | +23.5% |
| 1970 | -16.86 million current US$ | -28.2% |
| 1971 | -22.02 million current US$ | +30.7% |
| 1972 | -20.06 million current US$ | -8.9% |
| 1973 | -65.75 million current US$ | +227.8% |
| 1974 | -105.32 million current US$ | +60.2% |
| 1975 | -102.49 million current US$ | -2.7% |
| 1976 | -111.48 million current US$ | +8.8% |
| 1977 | -194.20 million current US$ | +74.2% |
| 1978 | -170.99 million current US$ | -12.0% |
| 1979 | -302.43 million current US$ | +76.9% |
| 1980 | -333.83 million current US$ | +10.4% |
| 1981 | -304.47 million current US$ | -8.8% |
| 1982 | -325.89 million current US$ | +7.0% |
| 1983 | -360.03 million current US$ | +10.5% |
| 1984 | -366.49 million current US$ | +1.8% |
| 1985 | -113.73 million current US$ | -69.0% |
| 1986 | -208.68 million current US$ | +83.5% |
| 1987 | -247.64 million current US$ | +18.7% |
| 1988 | -180.27 million current US$ | -27.2% |
| 1989 | -406.52 million current US$ | +125.5% |
| 1990 | -256.36 million current US$ | -36.9% |
| 2012 | -2.16 billion current US$ | +742.2% |
| 2013 | -2.33 billion current US$ | +8.1% |
| 2014 | -2.48 billion current US$ | +6.4% |
| 2015 | -2.63 billion current US$ | +5.8% |
| 2016 | -2.78 billion current US$ | +5.9% |
| 2017 | -3.25 billion current US$ | +16.6% |
| 2018 | -3.57 billion current US$ | +10.1% |
| 2019 | -3.82 billion current US$ | +7.0% |
| 2020 | -4.17 billion current US$ | +9.2% |
| 2021 | -4.44 billion current US$ | +6.3% |
| 2022 | -5.65 billion current US$ | +27.4% |
| 2023 | -6.49 billion current US$ | +14.9% |
| 2024 | -8.13 billion current US$ | +25.2% |
| 2025 | -9.04 billion current US$ | +11.3% |
Somalia compared with similar countries
- Somalia's -9.04 billion current US$ is below the median for low income countries, which is -1.17 billion current US$, 7.7× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Somalia's -9.04 billion current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -545.92 million current US$, 16.6× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services (current US$) (US current) in Somalia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | -742.2% | -256.36 million current US$ | -2.16 billion current US$ |
| 1973 | -227.8% | -20.06 million current US$ | -65.75 million current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -20.05 million current US$ | -33.18 million current US$ | -7.99 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | -111.16 million current US$ | -302.43 million current US$ | -16.86 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | -284.76 million current US$ | -406.52 million current US$ | -113.73 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | -256.36 million current US$ | -256.36 million current US$ | -256.36 million current US$ | 1 |
| 2010s | -2.88 billion current US$ | -3.82 billion current US$ | -2.16 billion current US$ | 8 |
| 2020s | -6.32 billion current US$ | -9.04 billion current US$ | -4.17 billion current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
- 166 Ethiopia -8.71 billion current US$ compare
- 167 Kyrgyzstan -8.77 billion current US$ compare
- 168 El Salvador -8.83 billion current US$ compare
- 170 Lebanon -9.25 billion current US$ compare
- 171 Afghanistan -9.31 billion current US$ compare
- 172 Nepal -11.33 billion current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Somalia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.52 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 4.5 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 25.66 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0238 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 15.71 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 19.66 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0174 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 11.47 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 0.0172 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in Somalia?
- External balance on goods and services in Somalia was -9.04 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 Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was -7.99 million current US$ in 1960.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was -9.04 billion current US$ in 2025.
- How does Somalia rank for external balance on goods and services?
- Somalia ranks 169th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 243.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Somalia 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.
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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 indicator is expressed in United States dollars.