Zambia Current Account to GDP
Current account balance (trade, income and transfers) as a percentage of GDP.
Current Account to GDP in Zambia decreased to -5.46 percent of GDP in 2025 from -4.41 percent of GDP in 2024.
Zambia Current Account to GDP — History
Drag or pinch to zoom. Dashed line: IMF World Economic Outlook projection. Other sources can be switched on in the legend.
Zambia Current Account to GDP — analysis in simple words
Latest reading
Current Account to GDP in Zambia decreased to -5.46 percent of GDP in 2025 from -4.41 percent of GDP in 2024.
It has fallen in each of the last three years.
Recent trend
A year earlier (2024) it was -4.4%, so the latest figure is 1.1 percentage points lower.
Over the past five years the average was 0.5%, with a range from -5.5% to 11.9%. The latest value is below that five-year average.
Historical context
This data series starts in 1978 and has 43 annual observations. The latest reading is higher than 44% of all of them.
The highest value on record is 11.9% (2021) and the lowest is -20.9% (1986). The long-run average is -5.5%.
Compared with other countries
Among 198 economies with recent data, Zambia ranks 145th from the top. The median across all these economies is -1.1%, so Zambia is below the typical country.
Within Sub-Saharan Africa (48 economies with data) it ranks 31st; the regional median is -3.8%.
IMF outlook
The IMF World Economic Outlook projects 2.3% in 2026 and 3.9% in 2027 for Zambia. Projections are forecasts, not actual data, and are revised as new information arrives.
Statistics
- Latest
- -5.5%2025
- Previous
- -4.4%
- 5-year average
- 0.5%
- Long-run average
- -5.5%since 1978
- All-time high
- 11.9%2021
- All-time low
- -20.9%1986
- Observations
- 43Annual
Recent Data
| Period | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | -5.5% | ▼ −1.1 pp |
| 2024 | -4.4% | ▼ −1.4 pp |
| 2023 | -3.0% | ▼ −6.8 pp |
| 2022 | 3.7% | ▼ −8.2 pp |
| 2021 | 11.9% | ▲ +0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 11.8% | ▲ +11.2 pp |
| 2019 | 0.6% | ▲ +1.9 pp |
| 2018 | -1.3% | ▲ +0.4 pp |
| 2017 | -1.7% | ▲ +2.9 pp |
| 2016 | -4.6% | ▼ −0.9 pp |
| 2015 | -3.6% | ▼ −2.2 pp |
| 2014 | -1.4% | ▼ −0.9 pp |
| 2013 | -0.6% | ▼ −6.0 pp |
| 2012 | 5.4% | ▲ +0.7 pp |
| 2011 | 4.7% | ▼ −2.9 pp |
| 2010 | 7.5% | ▲ +1.6 pp |
| 2009 | 6.0% | ▲ +9.3 pp |
| 2008 | -3.3% | ▼ −2.1 pp |
| 2007 | -1.2% | ▼ −5.9 pp |
| 2006 | 4.6% | ▲ +7.4 pp |
| 2005 | -2.8% | ▲ +4.4 pp |
| 2004 | -7.1% | ▲ +6.4 pp |
| 2003 | -13.5% | ▲ +2.3 pp |
| 2002 | -15.8% | ▲ +2.2 pp |
| 2001 | -18.0% | ▲ +0.4 pp |
| 2000 | -18.4% | ▼ −7.0 pp |
| 1999 | -11.4% | ▲ +4.8 pp |
| 1998 | -16.1% | ▼ −11.9 pp |
| 1997 | -4.2% | ▲ +4.8 pp |
| 1991 | -9.1% |
Current Account to GDP — Zambia vs Peers
Latest available reading for each economy (periods may differ). Zambia highlighted.
More Zambia indicators
Understanding Current Account to GDP — a simple guide
What it measures
The current account balance — trade in goods and services plus net income and transfers from abroad — as a percentage of GDP.
How it is calculated
Current account balance (trade in goods and services + income from abroad + transfers such as remittances) ÷ GDP × 100.
If a country’s current account deficit is $40 billion and GDP is $4,000 billion, the ratio is −1%.
A surplus means the country earns more from the world than it spends and lends the difference abroad.
A deficit must be financed by foreign investment or borrowing. Large deficits can make a currency more sensitive to global capital flows.
Why it matters for the economy and markets
It shows whether a country is a net lender to or borrower from the rest of the world. Large deficits must be financed by foreign capital, which can make a currency sensitive to shifts in global risk appetite.
How to read it
Deficits of around 3% of GDP or more are commonly watched by markets, especially when financed by short-term flows rather than direct investment.
What to look at alongside it
Foreign direct investment, foreign exchange reserves, exchange rate and oil prices.
Key terms
- Remittances
- Money sent home by people working abroad.
- CAD
- Current account deficit.
Data source
World Bank — World Development Indicators (series BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS), annual data from 1978 to 2025. Values are shown exactly as published by the source and may be revised later.
How to use the chart
Use the 5Y / 10Y / 25Y / Max buttons to change the time range, or drag the slider under the chart. Hover (or tap) on the line to see the exact value for any period. Dashed lines and hatched bars are IMF projections, not actual data. The “Download CSV” button gives you the full data series.
Frequently asked questions
What is the current current account to gdp of Zambia?
What is the highest and lowest current account to gdp of Zambia?
What is the IMF projection for Zambia current account to gdp?
What does current account to gdp measure?
Data are sourced from official international organisations (IMF, World Bank, BIS) and national authorities, and are shown for educational and informational purposes only. They are not investment advice and no recommendation is made. Figures may be revised by the source; IMF figures for the current and future years are projections. This page was last updated on Saturday, October 17, 2026.