External balance on goods and services in Lao People's Democratic Republic

Lao People's Democratic Republic: External balance on goods and services was -8.7% in 2016. ▼ Falling

Latest (2016)
-8.7%
Change on year
up 51.5%
World rank
126th
of 193 countries
All-time high
-3.6%
in 1984
All-time low
-22.4%
in 2012
Years of data
33
1984–2016

External balance on goods and services in Lao People's Democratic Republic, 1984–2016

-20-15-10-51984200020161984: -3.6 % of GDP1985: -5.7 % of GDP1986: -4.1 % of GDP1987: -7.9 % of GDP1988: -18.3 % of GDP1989: -19.9 % of GDP1990: -13.2 % of GDP1991: -12.3 % of GDP1992: -10.1 % of GDP1993: -9.7 % of GDP1994: -14.8 % of GDP1995: -14.1 % of GDP1996: -18.4 % of GDP1997: -17.4 % of GDP1998: -11.4 % of GDP1999: -8.3 % of GDP2000: -7.5 % of GDP2001: -10.2 % of GDP2002: -9.7 % of GDP2003: -13.6 % of GDP2004: -16.3 % of GDP2005: -13.9 % of GDP2006: -5.7 % of GDP2007: -12 % of GDP2008: -15.5 % of GDP2009: -16.8 % of GDP2010: -14 % of GDP2011: -11 % of GDP2012: -22.4 % of GDP2013: -21.8 % of GDP2014: -17.6 % of GDP2015: -17.9 % of GDP2016: -8.7 % of GDP

Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in % of GDP.

Analysis

In 2016, external balance on goods and services in Lao People's Democratic Republic stood at -8.7%.

That represents a change of up 51.5% on the previous year and down 53.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in Lao People's Democratic Republic peaked at -3.6% in 1984 and was at its lowest, -22.4%, in 2012.

That places Lao People's Democratic Republic 126th out of 193 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.

External balance on goods and services in Lao People's Democratic Republic, year by year

Annual values for External balance on goods and services (% of GDP) in Lao People's Democratic Republic, 1984 to 2016.
Year % of GDP Change
1984 -3.6%
1985 -5.7% +60.1%
1986 -4.1% -28.6%
1987 -7.9% +94.0%
1988 -18.3% +130.4%
1989 -19.9% +8.7%
1990 -13.2% -33.6%
1991 -12.3% -6.9%
1992 -10.1% -17.9%
1993 -9.7% -3.7%
1994 -14.8% +52.9%
1995 -14.1% -4.9%
1996 -18.4% +30.1%
1997 -17.4% -5.4%
1998 -11.4% -34.6%
1999 -8.3% -26.9%
2000 -7.5% -9.6%
2001 -10.2% +35.1%
2002 -9.7% -4.0%
2003 -13.6% +39.2%
2004 -16.3% +19.8%
2005 -13.9% -14.7%
2006 -5.7% -59.2%
2007 -12.0% +112.1%
2008 -15.5% +29.7%
2009 -16.8% +7.9%
2010 -14.0% -16.8%
2011 -11.0% -21.1%
2012 -22.4% +103.7%
2013 -21.8% -2.7%
2014 -17.6% -19.6%
2015 -17.9% +2.0%
2016 -8.7% -51.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s -9.9% -19.9% -3.6% 6
1990s -13.0% -18.4% -8.3% 10
2000s -12.1% -16.8% -5.7% 10
2010s -16.2% -22.4% -8.7% 7

Countries ranked near Lao People's Democratic Republic

  1. 123 Uganda -7.3% compare
  2. 124 Tunisia -8.1% compare
  3. 125 Antigua and Barbuda -8.3%
  4. 127 Iran, Islamic Republic of -8.7% compare
  5. 128 Morocco -9.2% compare
  6. 129 Mauritius -9.9% compare

See the full ranking of 237 places →

More economy & growth data for Lao People's Democratic Republic

All data for Lao People's Democratic Republic →

Frequently asked questions

What is external balance on goods and services in Lao People's Democratic Republic?
External balance on goods and services in Lao People's Democratic Republic was -8.7% in 2016, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
What is the highest external balance on goods and services recorded in Lao People's Democratic Republic?
The highest recorded value was -3.6% in 1984.
What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in Lao People's Democratic Republic?
The lowest recorded value was -22.4% in 2012.
How does Lao People's Democratic Republic rank for external balance on goods and services?
Lao People's Democratic Republic ranks 126th out of 193 countries with data for 2016.
Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in Lao People's Democratic Republic?
Over the last ten years it is down 53.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Lao People's Democratic Republic 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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External balance on goods and services in Lao People's Democratic Republic. Statizoid, drawing on Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/external-balance-on-goods-and-services-percent-of-gdp/lao-pdr/

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About this data

Indicator
External balance on goods and services (% of GDP)
Unit
% of GDP
Source
Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
237 places, 11,345 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

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.