External debt stocks in South Asia
South Asia: External debt stocks was 20.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising
External debt stocks in South Asia, 1970–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of GNI.
Analysis
South Asia recorded 20.0% for external debt stocks in 2024.
The figure is up 1.1% on the previous year and down 14.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external debt stocks in South Asia peaked at 35.4% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 12.5%, in 1970.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
External debt stocks in South Asia, year by year
| Year | % of GNI | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 12.5% | — |
| 1971 | 12.9% | +3.3% |
| 1972 | 13.2% | +2.5% |
| 1973 | 12.5% | -5.3% |
| 1974 | 12.7% | +1.6% |
| 1975 | 13.4% | +5.2% |
| 1976 | 15.0% | +12.2% |
| 1977 | 14.0% | -6.8% |
| 1978 | 13.5% | -3.6% |
| 1979 | 13.1% | -2.5% |
| 1980 | 12.6% | -4.1% |
| 1981 | 13.2% | +5.0% |
| 1982 | 15.4% | +16.6% |
| 1983 | 16.2% | +5.0% |
| 1984 | 17.5% | +8.0% |
| 1985 | 18.9% | +8.0% |
| 1986 | 20.7% | +9.4% |
| 1987 | 22.1% | +7.0% |
| 1988 | 22.9% | +3.7% |
| 1989 | 27.4% | +19.2% |
| 1990 | 28.6% | +4.7% |
| 1991 | 34.2% | +19.4% |
| 1992 | 33.2% | -2.8% |
| 1993 | 35.4% | +6.4% |
| 1994 | 33.1% | -6.4% |
| 1995 | 29.2% | -11.9% |
| 1996 | 26.4% | -9.7% |
| 1997 | 24.7% | -6.3% |
| 1998 | 25.7% | +4.0% |
| 1999 | 24.5% | -4.7% |
| 2000 | 23.9% | -2.4% |
| 2001 | 22.6% | -5.3% |
| 2002 | 23.0% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 22.0% | -4.5% |
| 2004 | 19.9% | -9.5% |
| 2005 | 16.8% | -15.2% |
| 2006 | 18.7% | +11.1% |
| 2007 | 18.3% | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 20.2% | +10.8% |
| 2009 | 20.4% | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 18.5% | -9.5% |
| 2011 | 19.3% | +4.1% |
| 2012 | 22.7% | +17.6% |
| 2013 | 24.1% | +6.4% |
| 2014 | 23.5% | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 23.7% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 20.7% | -12.6% |
| 2017 | 20.4% | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 20.4% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 20.9% | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 22.5% | +7.7% |
| 2021 | 21.0% | -6.7% |
| 2022 | 20.2% | -4.0% |
| 2023 | 19.8% | -1.9% |
| 2024 | 20.0% | +1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 13.3% | 12.5% | 15.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 18.7% | 12.6% | 27.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 29.5% | 24.5% | 35.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.6% | 16.8% | 23.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.4% | 18.5% | 24.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.7% | 19.8% | 22.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
More economy & growth data for South Asia
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 6.66 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added 49.8% (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 0.2544 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added 1.19 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added 1.16 trillion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added 8.2% (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added 25.9% (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 688.36 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Services, value added 2.28 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Services, value added 2.10 trillion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external debt stocks in South Asia?
- External debt stocks in South Asia was 20.0% in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest external debt stocks recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 35.4% in 1993.
- What is the lowest external debt stocks recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.5% in 1970.
- How does South Asia rank for external debt stocks?
- South Asia ranks 11th out of 12 groups with data for 2024.
- Is external debt stocks rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Asia 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.