Zambia's external balance on goods and services (current LCU) was 49.19 billion in 2024, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is up 1,929% from 2.42 billion in 2014 (35.12% a year on average, compounded).
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 49.19 billion | 2024 |
| Five years earlier | 1.45 billion | 2019 |
| Ten years earlier | 2.42 billion | 2014 |
| Highest | 80.61 billion | 2021 |
| Lowest | -10.25 billion | 2015 |
| Average since 2015 | 23.41 billion | 2015–2024 |
| First recorded | -18.35 million |
What the numbers say
In 2024, Zambia's external balance on goods and services (current LCU) rose 29.95 billion on 2023 (from 19.23 billion to 49.19 billion).
Across the 29 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2023), the average change was +663.82 million and a typical year strayed about 13.97 billion from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.
On record, the biggest yearly rise was 45.91 billion in 2020 and the biggest yearly fall was 35.55 billion in 2023. 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 upward, about 7.83 billion a year. A straight line explains 55% 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, Zambia had the 3rd highest value of the 34 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 Zambia in the 2024 ranking
- Iraq — 1st of 34: 8.68 trillion
- Kazakhstan — 2nd of 34: 8.22 trillion
- Ghana — 4th of 34: 13.54 billion
- Kuwait — 5th of 34: 8.65 billion
- Oman — 6th of 34: 7.12 billion
What this measures
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 in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.
All 31 values
| Year | External balance on goods and services (current LCU) |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 49,186,005,100 |
| 2023 | 19,232,523,900 |
| 2022 | 54,784,000,000 |
| 2021 | 80,610,000,000 |
| 2020 | 47,357,900,000 |
| 2019 | 1,445,700,000 |
| 2018 | 2,824,500,000 |
| 2017 | -3,939,980,600 |
| 2016 | -7,151,136,100 |
| 2015 | -10,247,728,500 |
External balance on goods and services (current LCU) in nearby economies
- Angola — 14.62 trillion (2025)
- Benin — -430.6 billion (2025)
- Botswana — -14.74 billion (2025)
- Burkina Faso — 800.13 billion (2025)
- Cabo Verde — -34.03 billion (2025)
- Cameroon — -2.47 trillion (2025)
- Central African Republic — -253.67 billion (2025)
- Chad — 1.59 trillion (2025)
- Comoros — -176.53 billion (2025)
More economic policy & debt data for Zambia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$) — US$1.19 billion (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU) — 29.79 billion (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (% of GDP) — 4.11% (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$) — US$2.53 billion (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current LCU) — 63.49 billion (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (% of GDP) — 8.75% (2025)
- Industry, including construction, value added (current US$) — US$10.2 billion (2025)
- Industry, including construction, value added (current LCU) — 256.39 billion (2025)
- Industry, including construction, value added (% of GDP)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is Zambia's external balance on goods and services (current LCU)?
- 49.19 billion in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1994?
- It is up 268,094% from -18.35 million in 1994. The highest value was 80.61 billion in 2021 and the lowest -10.25 billion in 2015.
- How does Zambia rank?
- 3rd highest of 34 economies with data for 2024.
- Is the latest change in external balance on goods and services (current LCU) unusual for Zambia?
- In 2024, Zambia's external balance on goods and services (current LCU) rose 29.95 billion on 2023 (from 19.23 billion to 49.19 billion). Across the 29 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2023), the average change was +663.82 million and a typical year strayed about 13.97 billion from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator NE.RSB.GNFS.CN, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks; National Accounts data files, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); Staff estimates, World Bank (WB) 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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