External debt stocks in Bangladesh
Bangladesh: External debt stocks was 22.3% in 2024. ▼ Falling
External debt stocks in Bangladesh, 1973–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of GNI.
Analysis
Bangladesh recorded 22.3% for external debt stocks in 2024.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 16.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external debt stocks in Bangladesh peaked at 44.5% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 6.1%, in 1973.
That places Bangladesh 106th out of 122 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 52 years of available data.
External debt stocks in Bangladesh, year by year
| Year | % of GNI | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 6.1% | — |
| 1974 | 10.0% | +63.5% |
| 1975 | 8.6% | -13.9% |
| 1976 | 19.7% | +128.3% |
| 1977 | 24.3% | +23.0% |
| 1978 | 21.3% | -12.2% |
| 1979 | 19.1% | -10.3% |
| 1980 | 20.9% | +9.6% |
| 1981 | 20.4% | -2.4% |
| 1982 | 26.2% | +28.2% |
| 1983 | 29.5% | +12.5% |
| 1984 | 28.5% | -3.4% |
| 1985 | 28.8% | +1.2% |
| 1986 | 35.6% | +23.7% |
| 1987 | 39.2% | +9.9% |
| 1988 | 37.8% | -3.5% |
| 1989 | 36.4% | -3.8% |
| 1990 | 38.1% | +4.8% |
| 1991 | 41.1% | +7.8% |
| 1992 | 41.3% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 41.5% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 44.5% | +7.3% |
| 1995 | 40.2% | -9.5% |
| 1996 | 31.8% | -20.9% |
| 1997 | 28.7% | -9.7% |
| 1998 | 30.2% | +5.0% |
| 1999 | 31.1% | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 28.3% | -9.1% |
| 2001 | 26.9% | -4.9% |
| 2002 | 29.3% | +8.9% |
| 2003 | 29.5% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 29.0% | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 25.5% | -12.1% |
| 2006 | 26.6% | +4.2% |
| 2007 | 25.4% | -4.4% |
| 2008 | 23.7% | -6.9% |
| 2009 | 22.9% | -3.0% |
| 2010 | 21.3% | -7.1% |
| 2011 | 19.5% | -8.6% |
| 2012 | 20.2% | +3.5% |
| 2013 | 20.0% | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 19.1% | -4.5% |
| 2015 | 18.7% | -2.5% |
| 2016 | 15.0% | -19.8% |
| 2017 | 16.8% | +12.2% |
| 2018 | 17.1% | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 17.1% | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 18.9% | +10.5% |
| 2021 | 20.9% | +10.5% |
| 2022 | 20.3% | -2.9% |
| 2023 | 22.3% | +10.0% |
| 2024 | 22.3% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 15.6% | 6.1% | 24.3% | 7 |
| 1980s | 30.3% | 20.4% | 39.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 36.9% | 28.7% | 44.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.7% | 22.9% | 29.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.5% | 15.0% | 21.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.9% | 18.9% | 22.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Bangladesh
More economy & growth data for Bangladesh
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 6.09 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 7 Percent per annum (2029)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 13.52 % change on previous year (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 87.28 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 226,708 current LCU per person (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 6.57 % change on previous year (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 0.5358 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 1,392 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure (current US$), annual growth rate 4.02 % change on previous year (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.7802 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external debt stocks in Bangladesh?
- External debt stocks in Bangladesh was 22.3% in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest external debt stocks recorded in Bangladesh?
- The highest recorded value was 44.5% in 1994.
- What is the lowest external debt stocks recorded in Bangladesh?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.1% in 1973.
- How does Bangladesh rank for external debt stocks?
- Bangladesh ranks 106th out of 122 countries with data for 2024.
- Is external debt stocks rising or falling in Bangladesh?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bangladesh data come from?
- The figures come from International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB), published as part of External debt stocks (% of GNI). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total external debt stocks to gross national income. Total external debt is debt owed to nonresidents repayable in currency, goods, or services. Total external debt is the sum of public, publicly guaranteed, and private nonguaranteed long-term debt, use of IMF credit, and short-term debt. Short-term debt includes all debt having an original maturity of one year or less and interest in arrears on long-term debt. GNI (formerly GNP) is the sum of value added by all resident producers plus any product taxes (less subsidies) not included in the valuation of output plus net receipts of primary income (compensation of employees and property income) from abroad.