External balance on goods and services in IBRD only
IBRD only: External balance on goods and services was 1.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
External balance on goods and services in IBRD only, 1960–2025
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 IBRD only is 1.6%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 25.5% on the previous year and up 53.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in IBRD only peaked at 4.0% in 2006 and was at its lowest, -3.7%, in 1981.
IBRD only ranks 13th of 44 groups 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 IBRD only, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -0.8% | — |
| 1961 | -0.3% | -65.7% |
| 1962 | -0.4% | +44.6% |
| 1963 | -0.1% | -77.0% |
| 1964 | -0.4% | +376.6% |
| 1965 | -0.1% | -84.7% |
| 1966 | -0.3% | +360.0% |
| 1967 | -0.4% | +31.0% |
| 1968 | -0.5% | +21.0% |
| 1969 | -0.3% | -33.2% |
| 1970 | -0.8% | +157.6% |
| 1971 | -1.0% | +20.1% |
| 1972 | -0.4% | -56.8% |
| 1973 | 0.6% | -239.4% |
| 1974 | 0.9% | +53.1% |
| 1975 | -2.2% | -334.5% |
| 1976 | -0.4% | -83.6% |
| 1977 | -1.0% | +185.0% |
| 1978 | -1.2% | +19.2% |
| 1979 | 0.6% | -149.4% |
| 1980 | -1.1% | -281.4% |
| 1981 | -3.7% | +244.5% |
| 1982 | -2.6% | -29.8% |
| 1983 | -0.6% | -75.0% |
| 1984 | 0.4% | -158.5% |
| 1985 | -0.4% | -203.2% |
| 1986 | -1.5% | +291.3% |
| 1987 | 0.4% | -128.1% |
| 1988 | -0.2% | -137.7% |
| 1989 | -0.2% | +35.5% |
| 1990 | -0.4% | +73.5% |
| 1991 | -0.6% | +64.2% |
| 1992 | 0.8% | -226.6% |
| 1993 | -0.8% | -199.2% |
| 1994 | -0.6% | -17.3% |
| 1995 | -0.6% | -15.1% |
| 1996 | -0.5% | -11.9% |
| 1997 | -0.3% | -29.7% |
| 1998 | 0.0% | -108.7% |
| 1999 | 1.2% | +3865.1% |
| 2000 | 1.6% | +40.4% |
| 2001 | 1.1% | -33.0% |
| 2002 | 1.7% | +54.2% |
| 2003 | 1.9% | +9.4% |
| 2004 | 2.0% | +5.1% |
| 2005 | 3.1% | +57.3% |
| 2006 | 4.0% | +29.0% |
| 2007 | 3.4% | -13.8% |
| 2008 | 2.8% | -18.1% |
| 2009 | 1.7% | -40.6% |
| 2010 | 1.7% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 1.4% | -16.7% |
| 2012 | 1.1% | -22.1% |
| 2013 | 0.7% | -33.3% |
| 2014 | 0.7% | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 1.0% | +40.2% |
| 2016 | 0.8% | -26.2% |
| 2017 | 0.6% | -22.0% |
| 2018 | 0.5% | -18.6% |
| 2019 | 0.6% | +16.2% |
| 2020 | 1.2% | +116.9% |
| 2021 | 1.3% | +8.4% |
| 2022 | 1.8% | +35.5% |
| 2023 | 1.1% | -41.3% |
| 2024 | 1.3% | +20.1% |
| 2025 | 1.6% | +25.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -0.4% | -0.8% | -0.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | -0.5% | -2.2% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.9% | -3.7% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.2% | -0.8% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.3% | 1.1% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.9% | 0.5% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.4% | 1.1% | 1.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near IBRD only
More economy & growth data for IBRD only
- Industry (including construction), value added 13.90 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Imports of goods and services 24.5% (2025)
- Trade 49.3% (2025)
- GDP (current US$), annual growth rate 5.62 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 2.96 trillion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 3.4% (2025)
- GDP (current US$), per capita 8,599 current US$ per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added 32.3% (2025)
- Services, value added 25.22 trillion current US$ (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 4.31 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in IBRD only?
- External balance on goods and services in IBRD only was 1.6% 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 IBRD only?
- The highest recorded value was 4.0% in 2006.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in IBRD only?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.7% in 1981.
- How does IBRD only rank for external balance on goods and services?
- IBRD only ranks 13th out of 44 groups with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in IBRD only?
- Over the last ten years it is up 53.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this IBRD only 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.