Current account balance (% of GDP) - BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS

Data - WDI

Author

François Geerolf

Info

Last observation: 2025 (N = 97)

First observation: 1960 (N = 3)

Last data update: 16 aoû 2026, 19:37. Last compile: 17 aoû 2026, 21:55

Frugal Four

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  year_to_date() |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("SE", "AT", "NL","DK")) |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  left_join(colors, by = c("Iso2c" = "country")) |>
  mutate(value = value/100) |>
  ggplot() + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value, color = color)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_identity() + add_flags +
  scale_x_date(breaks = seq(1950, 2100, 5) |> paste0("-01-01") |> as.Date(),
               labels = date_format("%Y")) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = 0.01*seq(-60, 60, 2),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

Nobs - Javascript

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  group_by(iso2c, Iso2c) |>
  mutate(value = round(value, 2)) |>
  summarise(Nobs = n(),
            `Year 1` = first(year),
            `CA 1 (%)` = first(value),
            `Year 2` = last(year),
            `CA 2 (%)` = last(value)) |>
  arrange(-Nobs) %>%
  {if (is_html_output()) datatable(., filter = 'top', rownames = F) else .}

Crises in Emerging Markets (Source: Vegh (2013))

1982: Southern Cone - Argentina, Chile, Uruguay

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  year_to_date() |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("AR", "CL", "UY"),
            date <= as.Date("1986-01-01")) |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  left_join(colors, by = c("Iso2c" = "country")) |>
  mutate(value = value/100) |>
  ggplot() + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value, color = color)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_identity() + add_flags +
  scale_x_date(breaks = seq(1950, 2100, 1) |> paste0("-01-01") |> as.Date(),
               labels = date_format("%Y")) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = 0.01*seq(-60, 60, 2),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

1994: Mexico

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  year_to_date() |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("MX"),
         date >= as.Date("1989-01-01")) |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  left_join(colors, by = c("Iso2c" = "country")) |>
  mutate(value = value/100) |>
  ggplot() + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value, color = color)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_identity() +
  scale_x_date(breaks = seq(1950, 2100, 1) |> paste0("-01-01") |> as.Date(),
               labels = date_format("%Y")) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = 0.01*seq(-60, 60, 1),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

1995: Hungary

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  year_to_date() |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("HU"),
         date >= as.Date("1995-01-01")) |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  ggplot() + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value/100)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_manual(values = viridis(5)[1:4]) +
  theme(legend.title = element_blank(),
        legend.position = c(0.2, 0.8)) +
  scale_x_date(breaks = seq(1950, 2100, 1) |> paste0("-01-01") |> as.Date(),
               labels = date_format("%Y")) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = 0.01*seq(-60, 60, 1),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

1997: Russia

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  year_to_date() |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("RU"),
         date <= as.Date("2002-01-01"),
         date >= as.Date("1980-01-01")) |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  ggplot() + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value/100, color = Iso2c, linetype = Iso2c)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_manual(values = viridis(5)[1:4]) +
  theme(legend.title = element_blank(),
        legend.position = c(0.2, 0.8)) +
  scale_x_date(breaks = seq(1950, 2100, 1) |> paste0("-01-01") |> as.Date(),
               labels = date_format("%Y")) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = 0.01*seq(-60, 60, 2),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

1997: East Asia - Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  year_to_date() |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("ID", "KR", "MY", "TH"),
         date <= as.Date("2002-01-01"),
         date >= as.Date("1992-01-01")) |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  left_join(colors, by = c("Iso2c" = "country")) |>
  mutate(value = value/100,
         Iso2c = ifelse(iso2c == "KR", "South Korea", Iso2c)) |>
  ggplot() + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value, color = color)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_identity() + add_flags +
  scale_x_date(breaks = seq(1950, 2100, 1) |> paste0("-01-01") |> as.Date(),
               labels = date_format("%Y")) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = 0.01*seq(-60, 60, 2),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

2001: Turkey

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  year_to_date() |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("TR"),
         date <= as.Date("2006-01-01"),
         date >= as.Date("1996-01-01")) |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  ggplot() + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value/100)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_manual(values = viridis(5)[1:4]) +
  theme(legend.title = element_blank(),
        legend.position = c(0.2, 0.8)) +
  scale_x_date(breaks = seq(1950, 2100, 1) |> paste0("-01-01") |> as.Date(),
               labels = date_format("%Y")) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = 0.01*seq(-60, 60, 1),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

2002: Uruguay Crisis

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  year_to_date() |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("UY"),
         date <= as.Date("2006-01-01"),
         date >= as.Date("1996-01-01")) |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  ggplot() + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value/100)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_manual(values = viridis(5)[1:4]) +
  theme(legend.title = element_blank(),
        legend.position = c(0.2, 0.8)) +
  scale_x_date(breaks = seq(1950, 2100, 1) |> paste0("-01-01") |> as.Date(),
               labels = date_format("%Y")) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = 0.01*seq(-60, 60, 1),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

Israel

All

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  year_to_date() |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("IL")) |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  ggplot() + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value/100)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_manual(values = viridis(5)[1:4]) +
  theme(legend.title = element_blank(),
        legend.position = c(0.2, 0.8)) +
  scale_x_date(breaks = seq(1950, 2100, 2) |> paste0("-01-01") |> as.Date(),
               labels = date_format("%Y")) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = 0.01*seq(-60, 60, 2),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

2000-

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  year_to_date() |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("IL"),
         date >= as.Date("2000-01-01")) |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  ggplot() + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value/100)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_manual(values = viridis(5)[1:4]) +
  theme(legend.title = element_blank(),
        legend.position = c(0.2, 0.8)) +
  scale_x_date(breaks = seq(1950, 2100, 2) |> paste0("-01-01") |> as.Date(),
               labels = date_format("%Y")) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = 0.01*seq(-60, 60, 1),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

2010-

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  year_to_date() |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("IL"),
         date >= as.Date("2010-01-01")) |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  ggplot() + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value/100)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_manual(values = viridis(5)[1:4]) +
  theme(legend.title = element_blank(),
        legend.position = c(0.2, 0.8)) +
  scale_x_date(breaks = seq(1950, 2100, 1) |> paste0("-01-01") |> as.Date(),
               labels = date_format("%Y")) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = 0.01*seq(-60, 60, 1),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

Lebanon

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  year_to_date() |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("LB")) |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  ggplot() + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value/100)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_manual(values = viridis(5)[1:4]) +
  theme(legend.title = element_blank(),
        legend.position = c(0.2, 0.8)) +
  scale_x_date(breaks = seq(1950, 2100, 2) |> paste0("-01-01") |> as.Date(),
               labels = date_format("%Y")) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = 0.01*seq(-60, 60, 2),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

Vietnam

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  year_to_date() |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("VN"),
         date >= as.Date("1995-01-01")) |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  ggplot() + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value/100)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_manual(values = viridis(5)[1:4]) +
  theme(legend.title = element_blank(),
        legend.position = c(0.2, 0.8)) +
  scale_x_date(breaks = seq(1950, 2100, 2) |> paste0("-01-01") |> as.Date(),
               labels = date_format("%Y")) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = 0.01*seq(-60, 60, 2),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

Russia

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  year_to_date() |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("RU"),
         date >= as.Date("1995-01-01")) |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  ggplot() + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value/100)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_manual(values = viridis(5)[1:4]) +
  theme(legend.title = element_blank(),
        legend.position = c(0.2, 0.8)) +
  scale_x_date(breaks = seq(1950, 2100, 2) |> paste0("-01-01") |> as.Date(),
               labels = date_format("%Y")) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = 0.01*seq(-60, 60, 2),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

Iceland

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  year_to_date() |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("IS"),
         date >= as.Date("1995-01-01")) |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  ggplot() + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value/100)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_manual(values = viridis(5)[1:4]) +
  theme(legend.title = element_blank(),
        legend.position = c(0.2, 0.8)) +
  scale_x_date(breaks = seq(1950, 2100, 2) |> paste0("-01-01") |> as.Date(),
               labels = date_format("%Y")) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = 0.01*seq(-60, 60, 2),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

Lebanon, Greece

French

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("LB", "GR")) |>
  year_to_date() |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  left_join(colors, by = c("Iso2c" = "country")) |>
  mutate(value = value/100) |>
  ggplot() + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value, color = color)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_identity() + add_flags +
  scale_x_date(breaks = seq(1950, 2100, 5) |> paste0("-01-01") |> as.Date(),
               labels = date_format("%Y")) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = 0.01*seq(-60, 60, 2),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

Costa Rica, Philippines

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("CR", "PH")) |>
  year_to_date() |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  left_join(colors, by = c("Iso2c" = "country")) |>
  mutate(value = value/100) |>
  ggplot() + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value, color = color)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_identity() + add_flags +
  scale_x_date(breaks = seq(1950, 2100, 5) |> paste0("-01-01") |> as.Date(),
               labels = date_format("%Y")) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = 0.01*seq(-60, 60, 2),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

France, Germany, Italy

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("IT", "FR", "DE")) |>
  year_to_date() |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  left_join(colors, by = c("Iso2c" = "country")) |>
  mutate(value = value/100) |>
  ggplot() + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value, color = color)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_identity() + add_flags +
  scale_x_date(breaks = seq(1950, 2100, 5) |> paste0("-01-01") |> as.Date(),
               labels = date_format("%Y")) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = 0.01*seq(-60, 60, 1),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

United States, Europe

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("US", "U2")) |>
  year_to_date() |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  left_join(colors, by = c("Iso2c" = "country")) |>
  mutate(value = value/100,
         Iso2c = ifelse(iso2c == "U2", "Europe", Iso2c)) |>
  ggplot() + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value, color = color)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_identity() + add_flags +
  scale_x_date(breaks = seq(1950, 2100, 5) |> paste0("-01-01") |> as.Date(),
               labels = date_format("%Y")) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = 0.01*seq(-60, 60, 1),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

France, Germany, Italy, China

All

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("IT", "FR", "DE", "CN")) |>
  year_to_date() |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  left_join(colors, by = c("Iso2c" = "country")) |>
  mutate(value = value/100) |>
  ggplot() + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value, color = color)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_identity() + add_flags +
  scale_x_date(breaks = seq(1950, 2100, 5) |> paste0("-01-01") |> as.Date(),
               labels = date_format("%Y")) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = 0.01*seq(-60, 60, 1),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

1982-

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("IT", "FR", "DE", "CN")) |>
  year_to_date() |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  left_join(colors, by = c("Iso2c" = "country")) |>
  mutate(value = value/100) |>
  filter(date >= as.Date("1982-01-01")) |>
  ggplot() + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value, color = color)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_identity() + add_flags +
  scale_x_date(breaks = seq(1950, 2100, 5) |> paste0("-01-01") |> as.Date(),
               labels = date_format("%Y")) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = 0.01*seq(-60, 60, 1),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("SA", "JO", "KW")) |>
  year_to_date() |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  left_join(colors, by = c("Iso2c" = "country")) |>
  mutate(color = ifelse(iso2c == "KW", color2, color)) |>
  mutate(value = value/100) |>
  ggplot() + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value, color = color)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_identity() + add_flags +
  scale_x_date(breaks = seq(1950, 2100, 5) |> paste0("-01-01") |> as.Date(),
               labels = date_format("%Y")) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = 0.01*seq(-60, 60, 5),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1),
                     limits = c(-0.25, 0.6)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

Canada, Israel, The Netherlands

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("CA", "IL", "NL")) |>
  year_to_date() |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  left_join(colors, by = c("Iso2c" = "country")) |>
  mutate(value = value/100) |>
  ggplot() + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value, color = color)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_identity() + add_flags +
  scale_x_date(breaks = seq(1950, 2100, 5) |> paste0("-01-01") |> as.Date(),
               labels = date_format("%Y")) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = 0.01*seq(-60, 60, 2),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

Argentina, Chile, Uruguay

Code 
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("AR", "CL", "UY")) |>
  year_to_date() |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  left_join(colors, by = c("Iso2c" = "country")) |>
  mutate(value = value/100) |>
  ggplot() + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value, color = color)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_identity() + add_flags +
  scale_x_date(breaks = seq(1950, 2100, 5) |> paste0("-01-01") |> as.Date(),
               labels = date_format("%Y")) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = 0.01*seq(-60, 60, 2),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")