Net foreign assets in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Net foreign assets was 1.55 billion current LCU in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Net foreign assets in Zimbabwe, 1975–2023
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
Zimbabwe recorded 1.55 billion current LCU for net foreign assets in 2023. That is the highest value across all 46 years on record.
That represents a change of up 712.9% on the previous year and up 533,336.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net foreign assets in Zimbabwe peaked at 1.55 billion current LCU in 2023 and was at its lowest, -134.20 million current LCU, in 2020.
That places Zimbabwe 165th out of 187 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Net foreign assets in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 13.93 million current LCU | — |
| 1976 | 1.72 million current LCU | -87.6% |
| 1977 | -4.08 million current LCU | -337.2% |
| 1978 | 40.22 million current LCU | -1085.3% |
| 1979 | 63,432 current LCU | -99.8% |
| 1980 | 69,235 current LCU | +9.1% |
| 1981 | -1,847 current LCU | -102.7% |
| 1982 | 2.02 million current LCU | -109349.1% |
| 1983 | -119,938 current LCU | -105.9% |
| 1984 | -63,346 current LCU | -47.2% |
| 1985 | -29,292 current LCU | -53.8% |
| 1986 | -21,582 current LCU | -26.3% |
| 1987 | 18,719 current LCU | -186.7% |
| 1988 | 90,446 current LCU | +383.2% |
| 1989 | 74,091 current LCU | -18.1% |
| 1990 | -4,316 current LCU | -105.8% |
| 1991 | -195,925 current LCU | +4439.5% |
| 1992 | -213,919 current LCU | +9.2% |
| 1993 | -225,190 current LCU | +5.3% |
| 1994 | -100,489 current LCU | -55.4% |
| 1995 | -150,222 current LCU | +49.5% |
| 1996 | -135,735 current LCU | -9.6% |
| 1997 | -450,493 current LCU | +231.9% |
| 1998 | -529,861 current LCU | +17.6% |
| 1999 | -136,012 current LCU | -74.3% |
| 2000 | -85,055 current LCU | -37.5% |
| 2001 | -92,254 current LCU | +8.5% |
| 2002 | -95,040 current LCU | +3.0% |
| 2003 | -102,582 current LCU | +7.9% |
| 2004 | -128,245 current LCU | +25.0% |
| 2005 | -176,477 current LCU | +37.6% |
| 2009 | -37,870 current LCU | -78.5% |
| 2010 | -34,435 current LCU | -9.1% |
| 2011 | -95,738 current LCU | +178.0% |
| 2012 | -149,824 current LCU | +56.5% |
| 2013 | -291,587 current LCU | +94.6% |
| 2014 | -276,648 current LCU | -5.1% |
| 2015 | -257,598 current LCU | -6.9% |
| 2016 | -222,574 current LCU | -13.6% |
| 2017 | -531,277 current LCU | +138.7% |
| 2018 | -751,302 current LCU | +41.4% |
| 2019 | -16.27 million current LCU | +2066.0% |
| 2020 | -134.20 million current LCU | +724.7% |
| 2021 | 27.95 million current LCU | -120.8% |
| 2022 | 191.28 million current LCU | +584.4% |
| 2023 | 1.55 billion current LCU | +712.9% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 1.55 billion current LCU is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 256.19 billion current LCU, 1% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 1.55 billion current LCU is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 241.93 billion current LCU, 1% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Net foreign assets in Zimbabwe changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | +109349.1% | -1,847 current LCU | 2.02 million current LCU |
| 1991 | -4439.5% | -4,316 current LCU | -195,925 current LCU |
| 2019 | -2066.0% | -751,302 current LCU | -16.27 million current LCU |
| 1978 | +1085.3% | -4.08 million current LCU | 40.22 million current LCU |
| 2023 | +712.9% | 191.28 million current LCU | 1.55 billion current LCU |
| 2020 | -724.7% | -16.27 million current LCU | -134.20 million current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 10.37 million current LCU | -4.08 million current LCU | 40.22 million current LCU | 5 |
| 1980s | 203,455 current LCU | -119,938 current LCU | 2.02 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | -214,216 current LCU | -529,861 current LCU | -4,316 current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | -102,503 current LCU | -176,477 current LCU | -37,870 current LCU | 7 |
| 2010s | -1.89 million current LCU | -16.27 million current LCU | -34,435 current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 409.97 million current LCU | -134.20 million current LCU | 1.55 billion current LCU | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
- 162 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1.68 billion current LCU compare
- 163 Belize 1.64 billion current LCU compare
- 164 Sao Tome and Principe 1.56 billion current LCU compare
- 166 Bahrain 1.34 billion current LCU compare
- 167 Georgia 1.10 billion current LCU compare
- 168 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.07 billion current LCU compare
More financial sector data for Zimbabwe
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 0.0265 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 0.0194 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 0.0265 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is net foreign assets in Zimbabwe?
- Net foreign assets in Zimbabwe was 1.55 billion current LCU in 2023, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest net foreign assets recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 1.55 billion current LCU in 2023.
- What is the lowest net foreign assets recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was -134.20 million current LCU in 2020.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for net foreign assets?
- Zimbabwe ranks 165th out of 187 countries with data for 2023.
- Is net foreign assets rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 533,336.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zimbabwe data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Net foreign assets (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net foreign assets are the sum of foreign assets held by monetary authorities and deposit money banks, less their foreign liabilities. 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.