External debt stocks, total in Bhutan
Bhutan: External debt stocks, total was 3.40 billion DOD, current US$ in 2024. ◆ Volatile
External debt stocks, total in Bhutan, 1981–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in DOD, current US$.
Analysis
Bhutan recorded 3.40 billion DOD, current US$ for external debt stocks, total in 2024. That is the highest value across all 44 years on record.
The figure is up 4.1% on the previous year and up 75.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external debt stocks, total in Bhutan peaked at 3.40 billion DOD, current US$ in 2024 and was at its lowest, 325,909 DOD, current US$, in 1981.
That places Bhutan 94th out of 122 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External debt stocks, total in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | DOD, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 325,909 DOD, current US$ | — |
| 1982 | 1.14 million DOD, current US$ | +251.0% |
| 1983 | 1.76 million DOD, current US$ | +54.2% |
| 1984 | 2.73 million DOD, current US$ | +54.9% |
| 1985 | 8.83 million DOD, current US$ | +223.3% |
| 1986 | 20.95 million DOD, current US$ | +137.2% |
| 1987 | 40.24 million DOD, current US$ | +92.1% |
| 1988 | 67.08 million DOD, current US$ | +66.7% |
| 1989 | 73.86 million DOD, current US$ | +10.1% |
| 1990 | 83.55 million DOD, current US$ | +13.1% |
| 1991 | 86.34 million DOD, current US$ | +3.3% |
| 1992 | 89.20 million DOD, current US$ | +3.3% |
| 1993 | 96.62 million DOD, current US$ | +8.3% |
| 1994 | 104.51 million DOD, current US$ | +8.2% |
| 1995 | 105.77 million DOD, current US$ | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 113.04 million DOD, current US$ | +6.9% |
| 1997 | 119.62 million DOD, current US$ | +5.8% |
| 1998 | 171.04 million DOD, current US$ | +43.0% |
| 1999 | 192.03 million DOD, current US$ | +12.3% |
| 2000 | 211.57 million DOD, current US$ | +10.2% |
| 2001 | 272.71 million DOD, current US$ | +28.9% |
| 2002 | 386.05 million DOD, current US$ | +41.6% |
| 2003 | 493.63 million DOD, current US$ | +27.9% |
| 2004 | 601.32 million DOD, current US$ | +21.8% |
| 2005 | 656.60 million DOD, current US$ | +9.2% |
| 2006 | 721.11 million DOD, current US$ | +9.8% |
| 2007 | 801.24 million DOD, current US$ | +11.1% |
| 2008 | 693.08 million DOD, current US$ | -13.5% |
| 2009 | 786.55 million DOD, current US$ | +13.5% |
| 2010 | 934.63 million DOD, current US$ | +18.8% |
| 2011 | 1.07 billion DOD, current US$ | +14.5% |
| 2012 | 1.45 billion DOD, current US$ | +35.4% |
| 2013 | 1.63 billion DOD, current US$ | +12.3% |
| 2014 | 1.94 billion DOD, current US$ | +19.2% |
| 2015 | 2.11 billion DOD, current US$ | +8.8% |
| 2016 | 2.39 billion DOD, current US$ | +13.2% |
| 2017 | 2.71 billion DOD, current US$ | +13.3% |
| 2018 | 2.65 billion DOD, current US$ | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 2.80 billion DOD, current US$ | +5.7% |
| 2020 | 3.24 billion DOD, current US$ | +15.4% |
| 2021 | 3.27 billion DOD, current US$ | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 3.16 billion DOD, current US$ | -3.3% |
| 2023 | 3.27 billion DOD, current US$ | +3.4% |
| 2024 | 3.40 billion DOD, current US$ | +4.1% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 3.40 billion DOD, current US$ is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 14.40 billion DOD, current US$, 24% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 3.40 billion DOD, current US$ is below the median for South Asia, which is 33.49 billion DOD, current US$, 10% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External debt stocks, total in Bhutan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | +251.0% | 325,909 DOD, current US$ | 1.14 million DOD, current US$ |
| 1985 | +223.3% | 2.73 million DOD, current US$ | 8.83 million DOD, current US$ |
| 1986 | +137.2% | 8.83 million DOD, current US$ | 20.95 million DOD, current US$ |
| 1987 | +92.1% | 20.95 million DOD, current US$ | 40.24 million DOD, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 24.10 million DOD, current US$ | 325,909 DOD, current US$ | 73.86 million DOD, current US$ | 9 |
| 1990s | 116.17 million DOD, current US$ | 83.55 million DOD, current US$ | 192.03 million DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 562.39 million DOD, current US$ | 211.57 million DOD, current US$ | 801.24 million DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.97 billion DOD, current US$ | 934.63 million DOD, current US$ | 2.80 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.27 billion DOD, current US$ | 3.16 billion DOD, current US$ | 3.40 billion DOD, current US$ | 5 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
More economy & growth data for Bhutan
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 4.5 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 5.11 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 2.82 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -72.36 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0008 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 3.56 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 26.59 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per unit of GDP 0.3328 includes gold, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per capita 1,495 includes gold, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), annual growth rate 24.21 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external debt stocks, total in Bhutan?
- External debt stocks, total in Bhutan was 3.40 billion DOD, current US$ in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest external debt stocks, total recorded in Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 3.40 billion DOD, current US$ in 2024.
- What is the lowest external debt stocks, total recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 325,909 DOD, current US$ in 1981.
- How does Bhutan rank for external debt stocks, total?
- Bhutan ranks 94th out of 122 countries with data for 2024.
- Is external debt stocks, total rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 75.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bhutan data come from?
- The figures come from International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB), published as part of External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 44 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
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. Data are in current U.S. dollars.