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Economy of Belarus vs Zimbabwe compared: GDP & Debt

Updated on by Georank team

Belarus has a GDP of $76B compared to $44.2B for Zimbabwe, ranking 83/197 and 99/197 by economy size, respectively.

Belarus has $33.7B in government debt (42.9% of GDP), compared to $41.8B (58.6% of GDP) in Zimbabwe.

The chart below compares the two countries' GDP growth in both current (nominal) and constant dollars, accounting for inflation over time.

Belarus
GDP, current $

GDP, constant 2015 $
Zimbabwe
GDP, current $

GDP, constant 2015 $
Year GDP
Belarus Zimbabwe
Current $ Constant $ Current $ Constant $
1960 - - $1,052,990,485 $4,350,191,359
1961 - - $1,096,646,688 $4,624,956,287
1962 - - $1,117,601,690 $4,691,299,938
1963 - - $1,159,511,793 $4,984,240,868
1964 - - $1,217,138,098 $4,929,106,598
1965 - - $1,311,435,906 $5,171,153,857
1966 - - $1,281,749,603 $5,249,917,254
1967 - - $1,397,002,112 $5,689,178,300
1968 - - $1,479,600,019 $5,801,262,791
1969 - - $1,747,998,941 $6,522,257,412
1970 - - $1,884,206,452 $7,994,014,635
1971 - - $2,178,716,475 $8,706,887,816
1972 - - $2,677,729,616 $9,432,151,957
1973 - - $3,309,353,866 $9,677,832,605
1974 - - $3,982,161,721 $10,319,003,882
1975 - - $4,371,301,052 $10,119,720,881
1976 - - $4,318,372,348 $10,166,761,281
1977 - - $4,364,382,451 $9,469,249,965
1978 - - $4,351,600,850 $9,212,924,709
1979 - - $5,177,459,817 $9,516,678,098
1980 - - $6,678,868,738 $10,889,048,165
1981 - - $8,011,374,445 $12,252,947,710
1982 - - $8,539,701,388 $12,575,726,762
1983 - - $7,764,067,625 $12,775,090,445
1984 - - $6,352,126,411 $12,531,423,466
1985 - - $5,637,259,754 $13,401,654,104
1986 - - $6,217,524,201 $13,682,958,727
1987 - - $6,741,215,643 $13,840,413,624
1988 - - $7,814,784,729 $14,885,693,494
1989 - - $8,286,323,367 $15,659,714,790
1990 $17,389,558,233 $29,435,120,618 $8,783,817,407 $16,754,102,247
1991 $18,404,907,975 $29,081,900,435 $8,641,482,396 $17,680,902,722
1992 $16,939,790,094 $26,290,037,656 $6,751,472,744 $16,086,868,547
1993 $16,275,073,527 $24,291,994,261 $6,563,813,829 $16,256,015,317
1994 $14,931,435,232 $21,449,829,995 $6,890,675,555 $17,757,290,653
1995 $13,972,683,274 $19,219,047,590 $7,111,271,273 $17,785,351,734
1996 $14,756,846,154 $19,757,181,802 $8,553,147,289 $19,628,038,096
1997 $14,130,585,516 $22,009,501,596 $8,529,572,287 $20,154,186,142
1998 $15,221,352,699 $23,858,297,858 $6,401,968,715 $20,735,677,098
1999 $12,138,243,081 $24,669,479,794 $6,858,013,652 $20,566,096,369
2000 $12,736,780,455 $26,100,310,428 $6,689,958,139 $19,936,940,457
2001 $12,354,820,144 $27,333,629,973 $6,777,385,246 $20,223,955,722
2002 $14,594,900,945 $28,712,684,737 $6,342,116,911 $18,425,232,321
2003 $17,825,444,724 $30,734,974,395 $5,727,592,261 $15,293,850,319
2004 $23,141,566,293 $34,254,050,014 $5,805,598,867 $14,405,654,147
2005 $30,210,091,837 $37,473,931,238 $5,755,215,663 $13,582,935,180
2006 $36,961,894,281 $41,221,322,382 $5,443,896,938 $13,112,762,532
2007 $45,275,711,996 $44,766,358,828 $5,291,950,526 $12,633,710,460
2008 $60,752,106,347 $49,332,527,214 $4,415,703,156 $10,401,466,939
2009 $50,873,167,326 $49,431,189,908 $9,665,815,601 $11,781,957,805
2010 $57,231,904,543 $53,262,115,562 $12,041,602,762 $14,100,106,033
2011 $61,762,382,328 $56,218,149,512 $14,101,801,031 $16,101,463,201
2012 $65,685,890,439 $57,178,272,623 $17,114,762,914 $18,784,841,116
2013 $75,527,558,966 $57,749,323,055 $19,091,004,042 $19,158,562,814
2014 $78,813,069,121 $58,702,836,384 $19,495,547,523 $19,613,959,113
2015 $56,454,769,845 $56,454,769,845 $19,963,058,858 $19,963,058,858
2016 $47,723,545,321 $55,028,470,324 $20,548,759,858 $20,113,938,470
2017 $54,725,405,751 $56,421,892,170 $51,074,726,484 $21,066,215,031
2018 $60,031,026,576 $58,198,729,041 $34,156,057,417 $22,121,615,842
2019 $64,410,170,653 $59,040,547,745 $25,715,657,177 $20,720,775,635
2020 $61,371,673,345 $58,643,356,622 $26,868,564,055 $19,101,046,520
2021 $69,673,747,132 $60,073,587,235 $27,240,507,842 $20,718,530,621
2022 $73,775,179,925 $57,275,121,700 $32,789,657,378 $21,990,477,716
2023 $72,478,760,370 $59,638,602,548 $35,231,369,343 $23,164,059,016
2024 $75,961,865,472 $62,030,020,173 $44,187,704,410 $23,634,169,921

Economic indicators

Belarus Zimbabwe
Gross domestic product
$76B
2024
$44.2B
2024
GDP rank
83/197
2024
99/197
2024
GDP growth
4.81%
2023-2024
25.4%
2023-2024
GDP per capita
$8,317
2024
$2,656
2024
GDP per capita rank
95/197
2024
144/197
2024
GDP per capita, PPP
$33,006
2024
$3,922
2024
Government debt
$33.7B
2024
$41.8B
2024
Debt-to-GDP ratio
42.9%
2025
58.6%
2025
Government debt per person
$3,691
2024
$2,513
2024
Government debt per person rank
94/185
2024
111/185
2024
Average annual personal income after taxes
$6,343
2025
$2,797
2025
Market capitalization of domestic companies
$6.01B
2024
$2.46B
1999
Number of billionaires n/a
1
2025
Income share by richest 10%
20.7%
2020
40.5%
2019
Income share by poorest 10%
4.5%
2020
1.9%
2019
Government expenditure, % of GDP
41.3%
2025
19.1%
2025
Consumer prices inflation
7%
2024-2025
89%
2024-2025
Central bank interest rate
9.75%
2025
35%
2024
Unemployment rate
3.46%
2023
9.29%
2023
Population
9074112
17210092

GDP per capita in Belarus vs Zimbabwe

Belarus' GDP per capita is $8,317, ranking 95/197, compared to $2,656 in Zimbabwe, ranking 144/197. Adjusted for purchasing power (GDP per capita PPP), Belarus ranks 68th at $33,006, while Zimbabwe ranks 167th at $3,922.

Belarus
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
Zimbabwe
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
Year Current $
Belarus Zimbabwe
GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP
1960 - - $276.4 -
1961 - - $279 -
1962 - - $275.5 -
1963 - - $277 -
1964 - - $281.7 -
1965 - - $294.1 -
1966 - - $278.6 -
1967 - - $294.2 -
1968 - - $302 -
1969 - - $346 -
1970 - - $361 -
1971 - - $405 -
1972 - - $483 -
1973 - - $579 -
1974 - - $674 -
1975 - - $717 -
1976 - - $687 -
1977 - - $677 -
1978 - - $665 -
1979 - - $779 -
1980 - - $949 -
1981 - - $1,068 -
1982 - - $1,095 -
1983 - - $959 -
1984 - - $757 -
1985 - - $649 -
1986 - - $692 -
1987 - - $726 -
1988 - - $815 -
1989 - - $840 -
1990 $1,707 $5,220 $866 $1,803
1991 $1,805 $5,330 $831 $1,917
1992 $1,658 $4,917 $631 $1,734
1993 $1,590 $4,641 $604 $1,768
1994 $1,460 $4,190 $634 $1,970
1995 $1,371 $3,846 $648 $1,996
1996 $1,453 $4,039 $767 $2,206
1997 $1,397 $4,596 $750 $2,261
1998 $1,511 $5,061 $552 $2,307
1999 $1,211 $5,331 $582 $2,284
2000 $1,276 $5,796 $563 $2,243
2001 $1,244 $6,238 $566 $2,311
2002 $1,479 $6,697 $525 $2,118
2003 $1,820 $7,362 $468 $1,771
2004 $2,378 $8,483 $469 $1,695
2005 $3,126 $9,637 $461 $1,633
2006 $3,848 $10,995 $431 $1,605
2007 $4,735 $12,320 $413 $1,568
2008 $6,376 $13,886 $341 $1,300
2009 $5,352 $14,034 $735 $1,461
2010 $6,035 $15,339 $902 $1,741
2011 $6,528 $16,563 $1,037 $1,993
2012 $6,953 $18,115 $1,239 $2,272
2013 $7,998 $19,014 $1,362 $2,475
2014 $8,341 $19,038 $1,372 $2,553
2015 $5,967 $18,134 $1,386 $2,647
2016 $5,040 $17,832 $1,407 $2,797
2017 $5,786 $18,414 $3,448 $7,045
2018 $6,360 $20,026 $2,272 $2,614
2019 $6,838 $22,302 $1,684 $3,211
2020 $6,543 $24,872 $1,730 $3,511
2021 $7,490 $27,611 $1,724 $3,185
2022 $7,995 $28,429 $2,041 $3,560
2023 $7,897 $30,834 $2,156 $3,820
2024 $8,317 $33,006 $2,656 $3,922

Spending and national debt comparison

In 2024, Belarus' government spending was $31.1B, accounting for 41.3% of its GDP, while Zimbabwe's spent $8.24B, or 19.1% of GDP.

Debt-to-GDP ratio is 42.9% in Belarus and 58.6% in Zimbabwe, ranking 127/185 and 86/185, respectively.

Belarus
Government spending

Government debt
Zimbabwe
Government spending

Government debt
Year % of GDP
Belarus Zimbabwe
Government spending Government debt Government spending Government debt
2001 42.4% - - -
2002 43.8% - - -
2003 43.5% - - -
2004 44% 9.22% - -
2005 45% 8.12% 15.5% 33.1%
2006 47.2% 12.3% 8.46% 39.4%
2007 49.2% 15.8% 5.06% 44.7%
2008 60% 20.3% 3.75% 61.1%
2009 51.7% 32.5% 11.7% 58.7%
2010 44.3% 36.8% 18.4% 47.6%
2011 40.3% 58.2% 23.2% 42.9%
2012 38.9% 36.9% 20.6% 38.4%
2013 40.8% 36.9% 20.6% 37%
2014 38.8% 38.8% 20.4% 42.3%
2015 41.8% 53% 20.8% 48%
2016 40.7% 53.5% 23.6% 49.9%
2017 39% 53.2% 27.9% 68.9%
2018 37.8% 47.5% 20.3% 48.1%
2019 37.4% 41% 14.3% 82.3%
2020 38% 47.5% 13.8% 84.5%
2021 36.7% 41.2% 18.6% 58.2%
2022 38% 40.8% 21.5% 99.5%
2023 40.3% 40.7% 20% 96.6%
2024 41% 44.4% 18.6% 94.6%
2025 41.3% 42.9% 19.1% 58.6%

Government deficit by year

In 2024, Belarus' government surplus, the difference between spending and revenue, was $567M, equivalent to 0.75% of GDP. This compares to Zimbabwe's deficit of -$910M, or -2.06% of GDP.

Over the past 20 years, Belarus recorded a fiscal deficit in 14 of those years, while Zimbabwe ran a deficit in 20 years. On average, Belarus posted an annual deficit equal to -2.69% of GDP, compared to deficit of -3.07% of GDP for Zimbabwe.

Deficit/surplus
Belarus

Zimbabwe
Year Deficit/surplus, % of GDP
Belarus Zimbabwe
2001 -4.74% -
2002 -7.81% -
2003 -6.74% -
2004 -7.06% -
2005 -6.71% -5.12%
2006 -7.71% -2.07%
2007 -7.82% -2.47%
2008 -10.9% -1.77%
2009 -7.23% -2.06%
2010 -4.19% -0.15%
2011 -2.81% -2.45%
2012 0.36% -0.18%
2013 -0.98% -0.97%
2014 0.09% -1.02%
2015 -2.96% -2.04%
2016 -1.66% -6.59%
2017 -0.34% -10.4%
2018 1.8% -5.57%
2019 0.91% -2.64%
2020 -2.87% -0.49%
2021 -0.22% -3.22%
2022 -2.04% -4.88%
2023 0.71% -5.32%
2024 0.75% -2.06%
2025 0.24% -0.5%

Inflation comparison by year

Over the past 30 years, Belarus has recorded an average annual inflation rate of 36.7%, compared with 90.3% in Zimbabwe. In 2025, inflation was 7% in Belarus and 89% in Zimbabwe.

Inflation
Belarus

Zimbabwe
Year Inflation
Belarus Zimbabwe Belarus Zimbabwe
1996 52.7% 6%
1997 63.8% -1%
1998 73% -28%
1999 293.7% -13.4%
2000 168.6% 4.5%
2001 61.1% -37.2%
2002 42.6% -34.4%
2003 28.4% -8.6%
2004 18.1% 113.6%
2005 10.3% -31.5%
2006 7% 33%
2007 8.4% -72.7%
2008 14.8% 157%
2009 13% 6.2%
2010 7.7% 3%
2011 53.2% 3.5%
2012 59.2% 3.7%
2013 18.3% 1.6%
2014 18.1% -0.2%
2015 13.5% -2.4%
2016 11.8% -1.6%
2017 6% 0.9%
2018 4.9% 10.6%
2019 5.6% 255.3%
2020 5.5% 557%
2021 9.5% 98.5%
2022 15.2% 193.4%
2023 5% 667%
2024 5.7% 736%
2025 7% 89%

Top exports between countries

Belarus
Export category Export value
Transport & tourism services $3.22M
Machinery & equipment $2.89M
Raw materials & minerals $2.21M
Wood & paper products $68K
Metals $47K
Textiles & consumer goods $43K
Business & finance services $13K
IT & IP services $8K
Chemicals & pharma $3K
Zimbabwe
Export category Export value
Processed food, beverages & tobacco $329K

Balance of trade

Belarus Zimbabwe
Current account balance
-$1.94B
2024
$134M
2023
Current account balance ranking
141/189
2024
64/189
2023
Current account balance, % of GDP
-2.56%
2024
+0.38%
2023
Goods imports
$44.2B
2024
$8.66B
2023
Goods exports
$39.5B
2024
$7.2B
2023
Service imports
$6.82B
2024
$1.64B
2023
Service exports
$10.1B
2024
$399M
2023
Imports of goods and services, % of GDP
66.9%
2024
30.6%
2024
Exports of goods and services, % of GDP
65.1%
2024
22.1%
2024

Economic freedom indices

The indices of economic freedom below are issued by the Heritage Foundation. Higher scores indicate stronger economic health.

Belarus Zimbabwe
Economic freedom 48.9 35.1
Economic freedom ranking 168/197 191/197
Property rights 20.9 20.7
Government integrity 28.8 20.7
Judicial effectiveness 10.5 15.8
Tax burden 89.3 73.6
Government spending 55.6 87.6
Fiscal health 96.2 44.4
Business freedom 50.9 39.3
Labor freedom 48 33.2
Monetary freedom 67.2 0
Trade freedom 69.2 50.4
Investment freedom 30 25
Financial freedom 20 10

Economic freedom by year comparison

The Economic Freedom Index for Belarus is 48.9, ranking 168/197, compared to 35.1 for Zimbabwe, ranking 191/197. The chart below displays a comparison of annual changes in economic freedom indexes.

Belarus
Zimbabwe
Year Economic freedom index
Belarus Zimbabwe
1995 40.4 48.5
1996 38.7 46.7
1997 39.8 48
1998 38 44.6
1999 35.4 47.2
2000 41.3 48.7
2001 38 38.8
2002 39 36.7
2003 39.7 36.7
2004 43.1 34.4
2005 46.7 35.2
2006 47.5 33.5
2007 47 32
2008 45.3 29.5
2009 45 22.7
2010 48.7 21.4
2011 47.9 22.1
2012 49 26.3
2013 48 28.6
2014 50.1 35.5
2015 49.8 37.6
2016 48.8 38.2
2017 58.6 44
2018 58.1 44
2019 57.9 40.4
2020 61.7 43.1
2021 61 39.5
2022 53 33.1
2023 51 39
2024 48.4 38.2
2025 48.9 35.1

More economic indicators

Belarus Zimbabwe
Services, % of GDP
49.7%
2024
55.8%
2024
Industry, % of GDP
30.7%
2024
31.8%
2024
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, % of GDP
6.87%
2024
5.44%
2024
GNI, Atlas method
$75.2B
2024
$37.6B
2024
GNI per capita, PPP
$32,220
2024
$3,880
2024
Total reserves including gold
$8.91B
2024
$485M
2024
Total reserves ranking
82/177
2024
157/177
2024
Net foreign direct investment
-$1.57B
2024
-$558M
2023
Net inflows of foreign direct investment
$1.74B
2024
$597M
2024
Net outflows of foreign direct investment
$170M
2024
$131M
2024
Servicing debt to the IMF, % of GNI
11.3%
2023
3.34%
2023
Poverty at national poverty lines
3.9%
2022
38.3%
2019
Gross capital formation, % of GDP
25.8%
2024
4.47%
2024

GDP per capita map

GDP per capita

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The current account balance is the sum of net trade in goods and services, net earnings from cross-border investments, and net transfer payments. It reflects a country's economic transactions with the rest of the world and is a fundamental component of the balance of payments. A surplus indicates that a country exports more than it imports, while a deficit shows the opposite.

Gross National Income (GNI) measures a country's total income. It encompasses income earned by residents, businesses, and foreign sources, defined as employee compensation and investment profits. GNI adds product taxes not included elsewhere and subtracts subsidies. It accounts for income from residents working abroad but excludes earnings from foreigners within the country.

A negative value for Net Foreign Direct Investment indicates a country is a net receiver of investments, as foreign inflows exceed outflows after Balance of Payments adjustments. A positive value indicates a net provider, with outflows exceeding inflows. Inflows are credits (increasing foreign claims on domestic assets), while outflows are debits (increasing domestic assets abroad).

Foreign direct investment (FDI, net inflows) shows how much capital foreign investors bring into a country after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of overseas companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in the reporting country. A positive number means more capital entered the country than was withdrawn, while a negative number means foreign investors pulled out more than they invested.

Foreign direct investment (FDI, net outflows) shows how much capital residents of a country invest abroad after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of domestic companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in other countries. A positive number means more capital was invested abroad than withdrawn, while a negative number means residents pulled back more than they invested.

Principal and interest payments to the IMF in currency, goods, or services on long-term debt expressed as a share of GNI.

Formerly gross domestic investment, gross capital formation measures the share of a country’s economic output invested in fixed assets, including buildings, machinery, and infrastructure. It indicates how much of the economy is devoted to building productive capacity.