External balance on goods and services (% of GDP) - NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS

Data - WDI

Author

François Geerolf

Info

Last observation: 2025 (N = 177)

First observation: 1960 (N = 74)

Last data update: 16 aoû 2026, 19:55. Last compile: 17 aoû 2026, 23:05

Nobs - Javascript

Code 
NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  group_by(iso2c, Iso2c) |>
  mutate(value = round(value, 2)) |>
  summarise(Nobs = n(),
            `Year 1` = first(year),
            `NX 1 (%)` = first(value),
            `Year 2` = last(year),
            `NX 2 (%)` = last(value)) |>
  arrange(-Nobs) |>
  mutate(Flag = gsub(" ", "-", str_to_lower(Iso2c)),
         Flag = paste0('<img src="../../bib/flags/vsmall/', Flag, '.png" alt="Flag">')) |>
  select(Flag, everything()) %>%
  {if (is_html_output()) datatable(., filter = 'top', rownames = F, escape = F) else .}

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

1982: Southern Cone - Argentina, Chile, Uruguay

Code 
NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS |>
  year_to_date() |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("AR", "CL", "UY"),
         date >= as.Date("1976-01-01"),
         date <= as.Date("1987-01-01")) |>
  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, 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("Net Exports (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

1994: Mexico

Code 
WDI |>
  left_join(iso3c, by = "iso3c") |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("MX"),
         INDICATOR %in% c("NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS", "BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS"),
         date <= as.Date("1999-01-01"),
         date >= as.Date("1989-01-01")) |>
  left_join(INDICATOR, by = "INDICATOR") |>
  ggplot() + xlab("") + ylab("Net Exports (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value/100, color = Indicator, linetype = Indicator)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_manual(values = viridis(3)[1:2]) +
  theme(legend.title = element_blank(),
        legend.position = c(0.3, 0.9)) +
  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)) +
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

1997: Russia

Code 
WDI |>
  left_join(iso3c, by = "iso3c") |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("RU"),
         INDICATOR %in% c("NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS", "BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS"),
         date <= as.Date("2002-01-01"),
         date >= as.Date("1980-01-01")) |>
  left_join(INDICATOR, by = "INDICATOR") |>
  ggplot() + xlab("") + ylab("Net Exports (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value/100, color = Indicator, linetype = Indicator)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_manual(values = viridis(3)[1:2]) +
  theme(legend.title = element_blank(),
        legend.position = c(0.3, 0.9)) +
  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)) +
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

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

Code 
NE.RSB.GNFS.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) |>
  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("Net Exports (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

2001: Turkey

Code 
WDI |>
  left_join(iso3c, by = "iso3c") |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("TR"),
         INDICATOR %in% c("NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS", "BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS"),
         date <= as.Date("2006-01-01"),
         date >= as.Date("1996-01-01")) |>
  left_join(INDICATOR, by = "INDICATOR") |>
  ggplot() + xlab("") + ylab("Net Exports (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value/100, color = Indicator, linetype = Indicator)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_manual(values = viridis(3)[1:2]) +
  theme(legend.title = element_blank(),
        legend.position = c(0.3, 0.9)) +
  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)) +
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

Israel

All

Code 
WDI |>
  left_join(iso3c, by = "iso3c") |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("IL"),
         INDICATOR %in% c("NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS", "BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS")) |>
  left_join(INDICATOR, by = "INDICATOR") |>
  ggplot() + xlab("") + ylab("Net Exports (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value/100, color = Indicator, linetype = Indicator)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_manual(values = viridis(3)[1:2]) +
  theme(legend.title = element_blank(),
        legend.position = c(0.7, 0.2)) +
  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)) +
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

1990

Code 
WDI |>
  left_join(iso3c, by = "iso3c") |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("IL"),
         INDICATOR %in% c("NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS", "BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS"),
         date >= as.Date("1990-01-01")) |>
  left_join(INDICATOR, by = "INDICATOR") |>
  ggplot() + xlab("") + ylab("Net Exports (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value/100, color = Indicator, linetype = Indicator)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_manual(values = viridis(3)[1:2]) +
  theme(legend.title = element_blank(),
        legend.position = c(0.7, 0.2)) +
  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)) +
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

2000

Code 
WDI |>
  left_join(iso3c, by = "iso3c") |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("IL"),
         INDICATOR %in% c("NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS", "BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS"),
         date >= as.Date("2000-01-01")) |>
  left_join(INDICATOR, by = "INDICATOR") |>
  ggplot() + xlab("") + ylab("Net Exports (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value/100, color = Indicator, linetype = Indicator)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_manual(values = viridis(3)[1:2]) +
  theme(legend.title = element_blank(),
        legend.position = c(0.7, 0.2)) +
  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)) +
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

1989-1999

Code 
WDI |>
  left_join(iso3c, by = "iso3c") |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("IL"),
         INDICATOR %in% c("NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS", "BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS"),
         date <= as.Date("1999-01-01"),
         date >= as.Date("1989-01-01")) |>
  left_join(INDICATOR, by = "INDICATOR") |>
  ggplot() + xlab("") + ylab("Net Exports (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value/100, color = Indicator, linetype = Indicator)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_manual(values = viridis(3)[1:2]) +
  theme(legend.title = element_blank(),
        legend.position = c(0.3, 0.9)) +
  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)) +
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

Vietnam

Code 
WDI |>
  left_join(iso3c, by = "iso3c") |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("VN"),
         INDICATOR %in% c("NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS", "BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS")) |>
  left_join(INDICATOR, by = "INDICATOR") |>
  ggplot() + xlab("") + ylab("Net Exports (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value/100, color = Indicator, linetype = Indicator)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_manual(values = viridis(3)[1:2]) +
  theme(legend.title = element_blank(),
        legend.position = c(0.3, 0.95)) +
  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)) +
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

Afghanistan

All

Code 
WDI |>
  left_join(iso3c, by = "iso3c") |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("AF"),
         INDICATOR %in% c("NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS", "BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS")) |>
  left_join(INDICATOR, by = "INDICATOR") |>
  ggplot() + xlab("") + ylab("Net Exports (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value/100, color = Indicator, linetype = Indicator)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_manual(values = viridis(3)[1:2]) +
  theme(legend.title = element_blank(),
        legend.position = c(0.3, 0.95)) +
  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)) +
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

2008-

Code 
WDI |>
  left_join(iso3c, by = "iso3c") |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("AF"),
         INDICATOR %in% c("NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS", "BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS")) |>
  filter(date >= as.Date("2008-01-01")) |>
  left_join(INDICATOR, by = "INDICATOR") |>
  ggplot() + xlab("") + ylab("External Balance, Current Account (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value/100, color = Indicator, linetype = Indicator)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_manual(values = viridis(3)[1:2]) +
  theme(legend.title = element_blank(),
        legend.position = c(0.7, 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, 5),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

China

Code 
WDI |>
  left_join(iso3c, by = "iso3c") |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("VN"),
         INDICATOR %in% c("NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS", "BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS")) |>
  left_join(INDICATOR, by = "INDICATOR") |>
  ggplot() + xlab("") + ylab("Net Exports (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value/100, color = Indicator, linetype = Indicator)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_manual(values = viridis(3)[1:2]) +
  theme(legend.title = element_blank(),
        legend.position = c(0.3, 0.95)) +
  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)) +
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

Sweden

Code 
WDI |>
  left_join(iso3c, by = "iso3c") |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("SE"),
         INDICATOR %in% c("NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS", "BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS")) |>
  left_join(INDICATOR, by = "INDICATOR") |>
  ggplot() + xlab("") + ylab("Net Exports (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value/100, color = Indicator, linetype = Indicator)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_manual(values = viridis(3)[1:2]) +
  theme(legend.title = element_blank(),
        legend.position = c(0.3, 0.95)) +
  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)) +
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

Germany

Code 
WDI |>
  left_join(iso3c, by = "iso3c") |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("DE"),
         INDICATOR %in% c("NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS", "BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS")) |>
  left_join(INDICATOR, by = "INDICATOR") |>
  ggplot() + xlab("") + ylab("Net Exports (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_line(aes(x = date, y = value/100, color = Indicator, linetype = Indicator)) + 
  theme_minimal() + scale_color_manual(values = viridis(3)[1:2]) +
  theme(legend.title = element_blank(),
        legend.position = c(0.3, 0.95)) +
  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)) +
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

France, New Zealand, Switzerland

Code 
NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("NZ", "FR", "CH")) |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  year_to_date() |>
  filter(date >= as.Date("1990-01-01")) |>
  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("Net Exports (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

France, Germany, Italy

Viridis

Code 
NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("IT", "FR", "DE")) |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  year_to_date() |>
  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("Net Exports (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

Flags

Code 
NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("IT", "FR", "DE")) |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  year_to_date() |>
  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)) +
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

Germany, France, Switzerland

Code 
NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  year_to_date() |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("CH", "FR", "DE"),
         date >= as.Date("1970-01-01")) |>
  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),
                     limits = c(-0.05, 0.14)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Exportations Nettes (% du PIB)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "grey")

Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic

Code 
NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  year_to_date() |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("PL", "HU", "CZ"),
         date >= as.Date("1970-01-01")) |>
  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("Exportations Nettes (% du PIB)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "grey")

France, Spain, Portugal

Code 
NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  year_to_date() |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("ES", "FR", "DE", "PT"),
         date >= as.Date("1970-01-01")) |>
  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("Exportations Nettes (% du PIB)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "grey")

Germany, France, China

Code 
NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  year_to_date() |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("CN", "FR", "DE"),
         date >= as.Date("1970-01-01")) |>
  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),
                     limits = c(-0.05, 0.09)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("External balance on goods and services (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "grey")

Germany, France, China, United States

Code 
NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  year_to_date() |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("CN", "FR", "DE", "US"),
         date >= as.Date("1970-01-01")) |>
  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("External balance on goods and services (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "grey")

Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait

Code 
NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("SA", "JO", "KW")) |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  year_to_date() |>
  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(-200, 200, 10),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("Net Exports (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

Lebanon, Barbados, Italy

Code 
NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("LB", "BB", "IT"),
         year >= 2000) |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  year_to_date() |>
  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, 5),
                     labels = scales::percent_format(accuracy = 1),
                     limits = c(-0.35, 0.05)) +
  xlab("") + ylab("External balance on goods and services (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

Canada, Israel, The Netherlands

Code 
NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("CA", "IL", "NL")) |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  year_to_date() |>
  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("Net Exports (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

Argentina, Chile, Uruguay

Code 
NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("AR", "CL", "UY")) |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  year_to_date() |>
  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("Net Exports (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

China, Germany, United States

Viridis

Code 
NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("CN", "US", "DE")) |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  year_to_date() |>
  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("Net Exports (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")

Flags

Code 
NE.RSB.GNFS.ZS |>
  filter(iso2c %in% c("CN", "US", "DE")) |>
  left_join(iso2c, by = "iso2c") |>
  year_to_date() |>
  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("Net Exports (% of GDP)") + 
  geom_hline(yintercept = 0, linetype = "dashed",  color = "black")