External balance on goods and services in Malaysia
Malaysia: External balance on goods and services was 5.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
External balance on goods and services in Malaysia, 1960–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, external balance on goods and services in Malaysia stood at 5.5%.
That represents a change of up 4.1% on the previous year and down 26.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in Malaysia peaked at 25.1% in 1999 and was at its lowest, -8.7%, in 1982.
That places Malaysia 36th out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External balance on goods and services in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 13.8% | — |
| 1961 | 6.9% | -50.1% |
| 1962 | 2.9% | -57.8% |
| 1963 | 1.7% | -40.4% |
| 1964 | 1.7% | +0.2% |
| 1965 | 4.5% | +158.0% |
| 1966 | 3.9% | -11.8% |
| 1967 | 2.4% | -38.3% |
| 1968 | 3.5% | +44.4% |
| 1969 | 10.2% | +189.6% |
| 1970 | 4.2% | -58.5% |
| 1971 | 1.4% | -66.1% |
| 1972 | -1.4% | -194.0% |
| 1973 | 5.6% | -517.3% |
| 1974 | 0.2% | -95.8% |
| 1975 | 0.5% | +91.4% |
| 1976 | 10.4% | +2209.9% |
| 1977 | 7.5% | -28.1% |
| 1978 | 5.6% | -25.9% |
| 1979 | 8.9% | +59.5% |
| 1980 | 2.5% | -71.8% |
| 1981 | -6.2% | -347.1% |
| 1982 | -8.7% | +40.9% |
| 1983 | -5.0% | -43.1% |
| 1984 | 1.9% | -138.5% |
| 1985 | 5.1% | +169.0% |
| 1986 | 6.1% | +18.8% |
| 1987 | 13.9% | +127.5% |
| 1988 | 10.2% | -26.4% |
| 1989 | 6.1% | -40.6% |
| 1990 | 2.0% | -66.3% |
| 1991 | -3.7% | -279.1% |
| 1992 | 1.4% | -137.1% |
| 1993 | -0.1% | -107.4% |
| 1994 | -1.6% | +1505.2% |
| 1995 | -3.9% | +145.4% |
| 1996 | 1.4% | -135.2% |
| 1997 | 0.9% | -34.0% |
| 1998 | 22.0% | +2307.0% |
| 1999 | 25.1% | +13.9% |
| 2000 | 19.2% | -23.3% |
| 2001 | 17.4% | -9.2% |
| 2002 | 17.3% | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 19.7% | +14.1% |
| 2004 | 20.4% | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 21.9% | +7.7% |
| 2006 | 21.8% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 19.9% | -8.8% |
| 2008 | 22.3% | +12.4% |
| 2009 | 20.3% | -9.2% |
| 2010 | 15.9% | -21.5% |
| 2011 | 15.6% | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 10.8% | -30.9% |
| 2013 | 8.5% | -20.6% |
| 2014 | 9.3% | +8.6% |
| 2015 | 7.5% | -18.8% |
| 2016 | 6.7% | -11.6% |
| 2017 | 6.9% | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 6.7% | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 7.5% | +12.2% |
| 2020 | 6.4% | -15.4% |
| 2021 | 7.2% | +13.5% |
| 2022 | 7.2% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 4.8% | -33.7% |
| 2024 | 5.3% | +11.7% |
| 2025 | 5.5% | +4.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.2% | 1.7% | 13.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.3% | -1.4% | 10.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.6% | -8.7% | 13.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.3% | -3.9% | 25.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.0% | 17.3% | 22.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.5% | 6.7% | 15.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.1% | 4.8% | 7.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More economy & growth data for Malaysia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.04 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.97 Percent per annum (2029)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 6.19 % change on previous year (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 2.64 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 34,655 current LCU per person (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 5.15 % change on previous year (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 0.5708 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 7,491 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure (current US$), annual growth rate 13.79 % change on previous year (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.74 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in Malaysia?
- External balance on goods and services in Malaysia was 5.5% 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 25.1% in 1999.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was -8.7% in 1982.
- How does Malaysia rank for external balance on goods and services?
- Malaysia ranks 36th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malaysia 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.