External balance on goods and services in Germany
Germany: External balance on goods and services was 2.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
External balance on goods and services in Germany, 1970–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for external balance on goods and services in Germany is 2.4%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 37.6% on the previous year and down 68.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in Germany peaked at 7.4% in 2015 and was at its lowest, -4.6%, in 1980.
Germany ranks 60th 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 Germany, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | -1.5% | — |
| 1971 | -1.7% | +18.4% |
| 1972 | -1.6% | -5.6% |
| 1973 | -1.0% | -38.7% |
| 1974 | -0.5% | -51.0% |
| 1975 | -1.7% | +244.8% |
| 1976 | -2.2% | +31.9% |
| 1977 | -2.1% | -3.7% |
| 1978 | -1.9% | -11.0% |
| 1979 | -3.6% | +86.9% |
| 1980 | -4.6% | +28.9% |
| 1981 | -3.9% | -15.1% |
| 1982 | -2.7% | -32.2% |
| 1983 | -3.0% | +12.9% |
| 1984 | -2.8% | -6.7% |
| 1985 | -2.0% | -26.8% |
| 1986 | -0.4% | -81.2% |
| 1987 | -0.3% | -12.3% |
| 1988 | -0.4% | +6.9% |
| 1989 | -0.6% | +74.9% |
| 1990 | -0.2% | -67.0% |
| 1991 | -0.5% | +141.9% |
| 1992 | -0.5% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 0.0% | -101.7% |
| 1994 | 0.1% | +1237.3% |
| 1995 | 0.4% | +208.6% |
| 1996 | 0.7% | +85.1% |
| 1997 | 1.0% | +54.7% |
| 1998 | 1.2% | +13.9% |
| 1999 | 0.5% | -53.6% |
| 2000 | 0.2% | -69.3% |
| 2001 | 1.6% | +842.4% |
| 2002 | 4.0% | +159.3% |
| 2003 | 3.6% | -10.6% |
| 2004 | 5.0% | +37.1% |
| 2005 | 5.0% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 5.2% | +4.6% |
| 2007 | 6.4% | +23.4% |
| 2008 | 5.8% | -9.5% |
| 2009 | 4.8% | -17.5% |
| 2010 | 5.1% | +7.0% |
| 2011 | 4.9% | -4.9% |
| 2012 | 6.0% | +24.4% |
| 2013 | 5.8% | -4.4% |
| 2014 | 6.5% | +13.2% |
| 2015 | 7.4% | +13.4% |
| 2016 | 7.3% | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 7.0% | -4.3% |
| 2018 | 5.9% | -15.6% |
| 2019 | 5.6% | -4.5% |
| 2020 | 5.3% | -5.4% |
| 2021 | 5.1% | -3.5% |
| 2022 | 2.5% | -51.7% |
| 2023 | 4.0% | +60.7% |
| 2024 | 3.8% | -4.9% |
| 2025 | 2.4% | -37.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -1.8% | -3.6% | -0.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | -2.1% | -4.6% | -0.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.3% | -0.5% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.1% | 0.2% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.1% | 4.9% | 7.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.8% | 2.4% | 5.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Germany
More economy & growth data for Germany
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.7761 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 0.6565 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 9.96 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2193 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per capita 13,268 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), annual growth rate 5.33 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per unit of GDP 0.1941 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per capita 11,742 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 3.09 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.1528 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in Germany?
- External balance on goods and services in Germany was 2.4% 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 Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 7.4% in 2015.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was -4.6% in 1980.
- How does Germany rank for external balance on goods and services?
- Germany ranks 60th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is down 68.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Germany 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 (% of GDP). 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 as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.