External debt stocks in Low & middle income
Low & middle income: External debt stocks was 23.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
External debt stocks in Low & middle income, 1970–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of GNI.
Analysis
The most recent figure for external debt stocks in Low & middle income is 23.4%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.5% on the previous year and down 5.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external debt stocks in Low & middle income peaked at 40.6% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 13.0%, in 1970.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
External debt stocks in Low & middle income, year by year
| Year | % of GNI | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 13.0% | — |
| 1971 | 13.9% | +7.0% |
| 1972 | 14.4% | +3.4% |
| 1973 | 13.7% | -4.9% |
| 1974 | 13.5% | -1.3% |
| 1975 | 14.8% | +9.8% |
| 1976 | 16.8% | +13.3% |
| 1977 | 19.8% | +18.1% |
| 1978 | 21.7% | +9.8% |
| 1979 | 22.1% | +1.7% |
| 1980 | 23.4% | +5.8% |
| 1981 | 25.3% | +8.2% |
| 1982 | 29.1% | +14.9% |
| 1983 | 31.7% | +9.1% |
| 1984 | 31.7% | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 33.7% | +6.5% |
| 1986 | 36.1% | +7.1% |
| 1987 | 40.6% | +12.3% |
| 1988 | 38.1% | -6.0% |
| 1989 | 37.0% | -3.1% |
| 1990 | 35.4% | -4.3% |
| 1991 | 38.4% | +8.6% |
| 1992 | 38.1% | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 38.2% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 37.9% | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 37.3% | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 34.9% | -6.5% |
| 1997 | 33.8% | -3.2% |
| 1998 | 36.5% | +8.1% |
| 1999 | 37.7% | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 34.1% | -9.7% |
| 2001 | 34.5% | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 34.8% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 33.5% | -3.8% |
| 2004 | 30.8% | -7.9% |
| 2005 | 25.7% | -16.8% |
| 2006 | 23.2% | -9.8% |
| 2007 | 21.8% | -5.9% |
| 2008 | 19.6% | -10.2% |
| 2009 | 21.2% | +8.2% |
| 2010 | 21.3% | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 21.0% | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 21.9% | +4.6% |
| 2013 | 23.6% | +7.8% |
| 2014 | 24.7% | +4.3% |
| 2015 | 23.8% | -3.6% |
| 2016 | 24.4% | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 25.1% | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 25.3% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 25.9% | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 28.2% | +8.7% |
| 2021 | 25.8% | -8.5% |
| 2022 | 24.3% | -5.8% |
| 2023 | 24.0% | -1.3% |
| 2024 | 23.4% | -2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 16.4% | 13.0% | 22.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 32.7% | 23.4% | 40.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 36.8% | 33.8% | 38.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 27.9% | 19.6% | 34.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.7% | 21.0% | 25.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.2% | 23.4% | 28.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Low & middle income
More economy & growth data for Low & middle income
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 3.4% (2025)
- Imports of goods and services 10.10 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Imports of goods and services 24.3% (2025)
- External balance on goods and services 0.9% (2025)
- Trade 48.5% (2025)
- GDP (current US$), annual growth rate 5.03 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 3.45 trillion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added 32.3% (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added 4.2% (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added 12.99 trillion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external debt stocks in Low & middle income?
- External debt stocks in Low & middle income was 23.4% in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest external debt stocks recorded in Low & middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 40.6% in 1987.
- What is the lowest external debt stocks recorded in Low & middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.0% in 1970.
- How does Low & middle income rank for external debt stocks?
- Low & middle income ranks 8th out of 12 groups with data for 2024.
- Is external debt stocks rising or falling in Low & middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Low & middle income 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.