External balance on goods and services in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income): External balance on goods and services was -9.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
External balance on goods and services in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), 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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) is -9.7%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 41.8% on the previous year and down 16.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) peaked at 11.5% in 1974 and was at its lowest, -14.2%, in 1981.
That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 42nd out of 44 groups with data for 2025, putting it 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 in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -5.9% | — |
| 1961 | -4.9% | -16.3% |
| 1962 | -2.0% | -59.1% |
| 1963 | -3.2% | +58.9% |
| 1964 | -2.7% | -15.4% |
| 1965 | -2.4% | -12.4% |
| 1966 | -1.7% | -28.0% |
| 1967 | -2.0% | +16.8% |
| 1968 | -2.1% | +4.3% |
| 1969 | -1.8% | -14.5% |
| 1970 | -2.6% | +44.8% |
| 1971 | -1.3% | -47.8% |
| 1972 | -0.9% | -31.3% |
| 1973 | 4.4% | -577.4% |
| 1974 | 11.5% | +160.0% |
| 1975 | -2.7% | -123.1% |
| 1976 | 1.7% | -165.4% |
| 1977 | -3.6% | -305.9% |
| 1978 | -3.1% | -13.5% |
| 1979 | 4.3% | -238.3% |
| 1980 | -2.7% | -162.2% |
| 1981 | -14.2% | +433.8% |
| 1982 | -11.4% | -19.9% |
| 1983 | -9.1% | -20.4% |
| 1984 | -7.1% | -21.3% |
| 1985 | -7.2% | +1.3% |
| 1986 | -8.9% | +23.6% |
| 1987 | -4.0% | -55.5% |
| 1988 | -7.4% | +86.9% |
| 1989 | -7.8% | +5.0% |
| 1990 | -5.4% | -31.4% |
| 1991 | -9.5% | +76.8% |
| 1992 | -8.7% | -8.1% |
| 1993 | -6.6% | -24.1% |
| 1994 | -1.5% | -76.7% |
| 1995 | -2.8% | +80.8% |
| 1996 | -2.5% | -9.9% |
| 1997 | -1.9% | -26.1% |
| 1998 | -4.9% | +161.2% |
| 1999 | -1.2% | -75.6% |
| 2000 | 2.2% | -287.3% |
| 2001 | -1.5% | -167.9% |
| 2002 | 0.2% | -115.0% |
| 2003 | -0.3% | -238.0% |
| 2004 | -0.1% | -53.4% |
| 2005 | 2.6% | -1873.5% |
| 2006 | 5.0% | +93.4% |
| 2007 | 4.4% | -10.7% |
| 2008 | 3.2% | -29.0% |
| 2009 | -4.0% | -226.8% |
| 2010 | -0.0% | -99.1% |
| 2011 | 1.5% | -4182.1% |
| 2012 | -1.2% | -179.6% |
| 2013 | -2.5% | +104.4% |
| 2014 | -5.7% | +126.2% |
| 2015 | -8.4% | +46.8% |
| 2016 | -7.7% | -7.4% |
| 2017 | -6.7% | -13.2% |
| 2018 | -4.9% | -27.8% |
| 2019 | -7.2% | +48.4% |
| 2020 | -9.2% | +27.9% |
| 2021 | -4.9% | -47.0% |
| 2022 | -2.6% | -46.7% |
| 2023 | -3.6% | +39.4% |
| 2024 | -6.9% | +89.5% |
| 2025 | -9.7% | +41.8% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | +4182.1% | -0.0% | 1.5% |
| 2005 | +1873.5% | -0.1% | 2.6% |
| 1973 | +577.4% | -0.9% | 4.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -2.9% | -5.9% | -1.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.8% | -3.6% | 11.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | -8.0% | -14.2% | -2.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | -4.5% | -9.5% | -1.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.2% | -4.0% | 5.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | -4.3% | -8.4% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | -6.2% | -9.7% | -2.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
- 39 South Korea 5.2% compare
- 40 Panama 5.0% compare
- 41 Cote d'Ivoire 5.0% compare
- 42 Burkina Faso 5.0% compare
- 43 Venezuela 4.8% compare
- 44 Hungary 4.5% compare
- 45 Uruguay 4.4% compare
More economy & growth data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 2.52 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 390.32 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 3.31 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 0.1599 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 452.38 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 1,931 current US$ per person (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 0.7447 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 4.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 0.138 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 0.6825 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- External balance on goods and services in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) was -9.7% 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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 11.5% in 1974.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was -14.2% in 1981.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) rank for external balance on goods and services?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) ranks 42nd out of 44 groups with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 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.