External balance on goods and services in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: External balance on goods and services was 4.4% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
External balance on goods and services in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 1990–2023
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan recorded 4.4% for external balance on goods and services in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 46.4% on the previous year and down 61.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 13.6% in 2006 and was at its lowest, -8.1%, in 1991.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 4th of 44 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
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, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | -2.4% | — |
| 1991 | -8.1% | +232.9% |
| 1992 | -5.3% | -34.1% |
| 1993 | -4.0% | -25.0% |
| 1994 | 0.8% | -119.2% |
| 1995 | 0.2% | -70.8% |
| 1996 | 1.5% | +583.7% |
| 1997 | 2.3% | +49.2% |
| 1998 | -2.9% | -227.6% |
| 1999 | 2.4% | -181.2% |
| 2000 | 7.9% | +230.8% |
| 2001 | 3.9% | -50.6% |
| 2002 | 4.6% | +19.7% |
| 2003 | 6.3% | +35.5% |
| 2004 | 8.0% | +27.2% |
| 2005 | 12.3% | +54.1% |
| 2006 | 13.6% | +10.3% |
| 2007 | 10.4% | -23.4% |
| 2008 | 11.5% | +10.6% |
| 2009 | 2.6% | -77.3% |
| 2010 | 8.5% | +225.5% |
| 2011 | 13.2% | +55.0% |
| 2012 | 12.5% | -5.5% |
| 2013 | 11.3% | -10.0% |
| 2014 | 7.1% | -36.9% |
| 2015 | -0.9% | -112.5% |
| 2016 | -1.0% | +8.3% |
| 2017 | 1.3% | -237.7% |
| 2018 | 5.1% | +282.0% |
| 2019 | 2.5% | -50.9% |
| 2020 | -1.8% | -172.8% |
| 2021 | 3.8% | -309.3% |
| 2022 | 8.2% | +116.0% |
| 2023 | 4.4% | -46.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | -1.6% | -8.1% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.1% | 2.6% | 13.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.0% | -1.0% | 13.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.6% | -1.8% | 8.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
More economy & growth data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 0.1741 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 4.65 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 1,005 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 0.162 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 59.93 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 0.4665 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 1,080 current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0162 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -56.43 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 83.25 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- External balance on goods and services in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 4.4% in 2023, 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?
- The highest recorded value was 13.6% in 2006.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was -8.1% in 1991.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for external balance on goods and services?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 4th out of 44 groups with data for 2023.
- Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 61.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 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.