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

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Zimbabwe's net trade in goods (current US$, BoP) rose US$190.96 million on 2023 (from −US$1.45 billion to −US$1.26 billion).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1979 to 2023), the average change was −US$15.28 million and a typical year strayed about US$572.75 million from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 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$2.11 billion in 2019 and the biggest yearly fall was US$1.09 billion in 2011. 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 5% 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, Zimbabwe had the 18th 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 Zimbabwe in the 2024 ranking

• Bhutan — 14th of 29: −US$624.65 million
• Sierra Leone — 15th of 29: −US$850.37 million
• Cameroon — 16th of 29: −US$983.96 million
• Fiji — 18th of 29: −US$1.73 billion
• Namibia — 19th of 29: −US$2.1 billion
• Rwanda — 20th of 29: −US$2.34 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 34 values

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

• Angola — US$15.1 billion (2025)
• Benin — −US$598.79 million (2023)
• Botswana — −US$597.05 million (2025)
• Burkina Faso — US$294.53 million (2024)
• Burundi — −US$688.51 million (2025)
• Cabo Verde — −US$943.55 million (2025)
• Cameroon — −US$983.96 million (2024)
• Comoros — −US$266.61 million (2023)
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — US$2.91 billion (2025)
• Congo, Rep. — US$4.73 billion (2021)
• Côte d'Ivoire

More economic policy & debt data for Zimbabwe

• Gross Value Added (GVA) at basic prices (current US$) — US$48.51 billion (2025)
• Gross Value Added (GVA) at basic prices (current LCU) — 1.54 trillion (2025)
• GDP (current US$) — US$51.22 billion (2025)
• GDP (current LCU) — 1.63 trillion (2025)
• GDP (constant 2015 US$) — US$25.48 billion (2025)
• GDP (constant LCU) — 74.26 billion (2025)
• GDP per capita (current US$) — US$3,021 (2025)
• GDP per capita (current LCU) — 96,071 (2025)
• GDP per capita (constant 2015 US$) — US$1,503 (2025)
• GDP per capita (constant LCU) — 4,381 (2025)
• GNI (current US$)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

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

−US$1.26 billion in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1977?

It is down 650.15% from US$229.39 million in 1977. The highest value was US$500.68 million in 1988 and the lowest −US$2.93 billion in 2011.

How does Zimbabwe rank?

18th highest of 29 economies with data for 2024.

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

In 2024, Zimbabwe's net trade in goods (current US$, BoP) rose US$190.96 million on 2023 (from −US$1.45 billion to −US$1.26 billion). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1979 to 2023), the average change was −US$15.28 million and a typical year strayed about US$572.75 million from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 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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