Malta: Net trade in goods (current US$, BoP)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Malta's net trade in goods (current US$, BoP) rose US$162.6 million on 2023 (from −US$3.14 billion to −US$2.98 billion).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −US$85.88 million and a typical year strayed about US$415.32 million from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was US$675.19 million in 2017 and the biggest yearly fall was US$1.37 billion in 2022. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is downward, about US$167.42 million a year. A straight line explains 35% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, Malta had the 21st highest value of the 29 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Malta in the 2024 ranking

• Fiji — 18th of 29: −US$1.73 billion
• Namibia — 19th of 29: −US$2.1 billion
• Rwanda — 20th of 29: −US$2.34 billion
• Nicaragua — 22nd of 29: −US$3.29 billion
• Haiti — 23rd of 29: −US$3.5 billion
• Bahamas, The — 24th of 29: −US$3.72 billion

What this measures

The balance of international trade in goods is the difference between the exports and imports of goods. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.

All 54 values

Net trade in goods (current US$, BoP) in nearby economies

• Afghanistan — −US$5.1 billion (2020)
• Algeria — −US$17.41 billion (2025)
• Bahrain — US$3.08 billion (2025)
• Djibouti — US$41.45 million (2024)
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — −US$43.08 billion (2025)
• Iraq — US$20.97 billion (2025)
• Israel — −US$17.9 billion (2025)
• Jordan — −US$10.66 billion (2024)
• Kuwait — US$33.18 billion (2025)
• Lebanon — −US$12.84 billion (2023)
• Libya

More economic policy & debt data for Malta

• Total reserves, including gold (current US$) — US$1.54 billion (2025)
• Total reserves, excluding gold (current US$) — US$1.49 billion (2025)
• Other manufacturing (% of value added in manufacturing) — 46.54% (2023)
• Textiles and clothing (% of value added in manufacturing) — 1.23% (2023)
• Chemicals (% of value added in manufacturing) — 6.47% (2023)
• Machinery and transport equipment (% of value added in manufacturing) — 30.86% (2023)
• Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) — US$14.36 billion (2025)
• Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) — 51.71% (2025)
• General government final consumption expenditure (current US$)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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Questions people ask

What is Malta's net trade in goods (current US$, BoP)?

−US$2.98 billion in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1971?

It is down 3,186% from −US$90.64 million in 1971. The highest value was −US$74.43 million in 1972 and the lowest −US$3.73 billion in 2022.

How does Malta rank?

21st highest of 29 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in net trade in goods (current US$, BoP) unusual for Malta?

In 2024, Malta's net trade in goods (current US$, BoP) rose US$162.6 million on 2023 (from −US$3.14 billion to −US$2.98 billion). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −US$85.88 million and a typical year strayed about US$415.32 million from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator BN.GSR.MRCH.CD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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