External debt stocks in Colombia
Colombia: External debt stocks was 49.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
External debt stocks in Colombia, 1970–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of GNI.
Analysis
In 2024, external debt stocks in Colombia stood at 49.2%.
The figure is down 10.5% on the previous year and up 74.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external debt stocks in Colombia peaked at 58.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 20.1%, in 2008.
That places Colombia 46th out of 122 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
External debt stocks in Colombia, year by year
| Year | % of GNI | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 33.3% | — |
| 1971 | 34.5% | +3.6% |
| 1972 | 35.0% | +1.5% |
| 1973 | 32.9% | -5.9% |
| 1974 | 28.8% | -12.4% |
| 1975 | 30.8% | +6.8% |
| 1976 | 27.5% | -10.6% |
| 1977 | 27.3% | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 23.1% | -15.6% |
| 1979 | 21.9% | -5.0% |
| 1980 | 21.5% | -1.8% |
| 1981 | 24.9% | +15.5% |
| 1982 | 27.7% | +11.4% |
| 1983 | 31.0% | +12.1% |
| 1984 | 33.5% | +7.9% |
| 1985 | 43.6% | +30.2% |
| 1986 | 46.9% | +7.7% |
| 1987 | 50.1% | +6.8% |
| 1988 | 45.9% | -8.4% |
| 1989 | 45.9% | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 38.2% | -16.6% |
| 1991 | 36.6% | -4.3% |
| 1992 | 31.3% | -14.5% |
| 1993 | 29.8% | -4.7% |
| 1994 | 27.7% | -7.1% |
| 1995 | 27.9% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 30.7% | +10.1% |
| 1997 | 30.9% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 34.5% | +11.6% |
| 1999 | 41.0% | +18.8% |
| 2000 | 35.1% | -14.4% |
| 2001 | 38.2% | +8.8% |
| 2002 | 35.2% | -7.8% |
| 2003 | 40.8% | +15.9% |
| 2004 | 33.8% | -17.1% |
| 2005 | 26.4% | -21.9% |
| 2006 | 24.5% | -7.2% |
| 2007 | 22.2% | -9.6% |
| 2008 | 20.1% | -9.4% |
| 2009 | 23.8% | +18.4% |
| 2010 | 23.3% | -2.1% |
| 2011 | 23.7% | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 22.2% | -6.4% |
| 2013 | 25.1% | +13.0% |
| 2014 | 28.3% | +12.5% |
| 2015 | 39.2% | +38.6% |
| 2016 | 43.2% | +10.4% |
| 2017 | 41.2% | -4.8% |
| 2018 | 40.9% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 44.0% | +7.5% |
| 2020 | 58.2% | +32.2% |
| 2021 | 54.6% | -6.2% |
| 2022 | 55.3% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 55.0% | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 49.2% | -10.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 29.5% | 21.9% | 35.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 37.1% | 21.5% | 50.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 32.9% | 27.7% | 41.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 30.0% | 20.1% | 40.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.1% | 22.2% | 44.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.4% | 49.2% | 58.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Colombia
- 43 Saint Lucia 51.3% compare
- 44 Liberia 50.5% compare
- 45 Ecuador 49.7% compare
- 47 Bosnia and Herzegovina 49.2% compare
- 48 Côte d'Ivoire 48.8% compare
- 49 Burkina Faso 48.8% compare
More economy & growth data for Colombia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.41 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3 Percent per annum (2029)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 8.42 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.1998 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 1,711 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current US$), annual growth -41.32 % change on previous year (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current LCU), annual growth -40.58 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), annual 13.34 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 403.12 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 3.45 million current LCU per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external debt stocks in Colombia?
- External debt stocks in Colombia was 49.2% in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest external debt stocks recorded in Colombia?
- The highest recorded value was 58.2% in 2020.
- What is the lowest external debt stocks recorded in Colombia?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.1% in 2008.
- How does Colombia rank for external debt stocks?
- Colombia ranks 46th out of 122 countries with data for 2024.
- Is external debt stocks rising or falling in Colombia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 74.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Colombia 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.
Download this data
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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.