Papua New Guinea: Taxes on exports (current LCU)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Papua New Guinea's taxes on exports (current LCU) rose 6.5% on 2023 (from 281.41 million to 299.75 million).

Across the 21 yearly changes before that (1991 to 2023), the average change was +26.4% and a typical year strayed about 66.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations below 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 182.9% in 1993 and the biggest yearly fall was 73.2% in 1998. 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 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 2% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

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

How it compares

In 2024, Papua New Guinea had the 16th highest value of the 25 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 Papua New Guinea in the 2024 ranking

• South Africa — 12th of 25: 532.56 million
• Zambia — 13th of 25: 364.76 million
• Solomon Islands — 14th of 25: 347.6 million
• Bahamas, The — 16th of 25: 246.54 million
• Kyrgyz Republic — 17th of 25: 39.6 million
• Thailand — 18th of 25: 23.14 million

What this measures

Export taxes are taxes on goods or services that become payable to government when the goods leave the economic territory or when the services are delivered to non-residents. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.

Limitations: For most countries central government finance data have been consolidated into one account, but for others only budgetary central government accounts are available. Countries reporting budgetary data are noted in the country metadata. Because budgetary accounts may not include all central government units (such as social security funds), they usually provide an incomplete picture. In federal states the central government accounts provide an incomplete view of total public finance. Data on government revenue and expense are collected by the IMF through questionnaires to member countries and by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

All 24 values

Taxes on exports (current LCU) in nearby economies

• Australia — 11 million (2017)
• Cambodia — 131.58 billion (2023)
• Fiji — 10.1 million (2024)
• Lao PDR — 414.42 billion (2022)
• Malaysia — 2.09 billion (2024)
• Mongolia — 21.8 million (2024)
• Solomon Islands — 347.6 million (2024)
• Thailand — 23.14 million (2024)
• Vanuatu — 1.98 million (2023)

More public sector data for Papua New Guinea

• Military expenditure (current USD) — 106.48 million (2025)
• Military expenditure (current LCU) — 441.91 million (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 0.35% (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) — 1.59% (2025)
• Armed forces personnel, total — 4,000 (2020)
• Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) — 0.12% (2020)
• Net acquisition of financial assets (current LCU) — -1.4 billion (2024)
• Net acquisition of financial assets (% of GDP) — -1.18% (2024)
• Central government debt, total (current LCU)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Papua New Guinea's taxes on exports (current LCU)?

299.75 million in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1990?

It is up 2,264% from 12.68 million in 1990 (9.75% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 436.17 million in 2022 and the lowest 12.68 million in 1990.

How does Papua New Guinea rank?

16th highest of 25 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in taxes on exports (current LCU) unusual for Papua New Guinea?

In 2024, Papua New Guinea's taxes on exports (current LCU) rose 6.5% on 2023 (from 281.41 million to 299.75 million). Across the 21 yearly changes before that (1991 to 2023), the average change was +26.4% and a typical year strayed about 66.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations below 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 GC.TAX.EXPT.CN, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Government Finance 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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