Trade in services in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Trade in services was 11.4% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Trade in services in Africa Western and Central, 1977–2024
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Africa Western and Central recorded 11.4% for trade in services in 2024.
That represents a change of up 31.4% on the previous year and up 49.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, trade in services in Africa Western and Central peaked at 12.6% in 1978 and was at its lowest, 3.4%, in 1998.
Africa Western and Central ranks 24th of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Trade in services in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 11.8% | — |
| 1978 | 12.6% | +6.4% |
| 1979 | 11.5% | -8.9% |
| 1980 | 12.0% | +4.4% |
| 1981 | 6.0% | -50.3% |
| 1982 | 5.4% | -8.6% |
| 1983 | 6.4% | +18.3% |
| 1984 | 6.9% | +7.3% |
| 1985 | 7.2% | +3.9% |
| 1986 | 7.8% | +8.8% |
| 1987 | 7.7% | -1.3% |
| 1988 | 8.2% | +6.2% |
| 1989 | 9.8% | +19.9% |
| 1990 | 10.0% | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 9.7% | -2.8% |
| 1992 | 9.9% | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 10.0% | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 8.4% | -16.2% |
| 1995 | 4.5% | -46.2% |
| 1996 | 4.0% | -11.1% |
| 1997 | 3.5% | -13.4% |
| 1998 | 3.4% | -3.7% |
| 1999 | 10.6% | +217.8% |
| 2000 | 10.8% | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 11.7% | +8.3% |
| 2002 | 10.7% | -8.5% |
| 2003 | 10.8% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 9.9% | -7.5% |
| 2005 | 8.7% | -12.6% |
| 2006 | 9.6% | +10.4% |
| 2007 | 9.9% | +3.6% |
| 2008 | 10.3% | +3.1% |
| 2009 | 10.0% | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 9.1% | -8.3% |
| 2011 | 9.3% | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 8.6% | -7.5% |
| 2013 | 7.8% | -9.7% |
| 2014 | 7.6% | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 8.5% | +11.5% |
| 2016 | 8.1% | -4.5% |
| 2017 | 9.7% | +20.5% |
| 2018 | 11.0% | +12.5% |
| 2019 | 9.7% | -11.7% |
| 2020 | 7.5% | -22.9% |
| 2021 | 7.1% | -5.5% |
| 2022 | 7.1% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 8.7% | +21.3% |
| 2024 | 11.4% | +31.4% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Trade in services in Africa Western and Central 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | +217.8% | 3.4% | 10.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 12.0% | 11.5% | 12.6% | 3 |
| 1980s | 7.7% | 5.4% | 12.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.4% | 3.4% | 10.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.2% | 8.7% | 11.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.9% | 7.6% | 11.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.3% | 7.1% | 11.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
More economy & growth data for Africa Western and Central
- GDP per capita growth 2.2% (2025)
- GDP 852.53 billion current US$ (2025)
- GDP 991.22 billion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- GDP growth 4.6% (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.1083 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- GDP per capita 1,600 current US$ (2025)
- GDP per capita 1,860 constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), per 0.2325 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- GNI 818.50 billion current US$ (2025)
- GNI, Atlas method 832.67 billion current US$ (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is trade in services in Africa Western and Central?
- Trade in services in Africa Western and Central was 11.4% in 2024, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest trade in services recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 12.6% in 1978.
- What is the lowest trade in services recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.4% in 1998.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for trade in services?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 24th out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is trade in services rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 49.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Trade in services (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Total trade in services includes services provided by residents to non-residents plus services provided by non-residents to residents. 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.