External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) in Botswana
Botswana: External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) was 2.47 billion DOD, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
2.47 billion DOD, current US$
Change on year
up 6.9%
World rank
100th
of 123 countries
All-time high
2.52 billion DOD, current US$
in 2012
All-time low
17.36 million DOD, current US$
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
External debt stocks, total in Botswana, 1970–2025
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in DOD, current US$.
Analysis
In 2025, external debt stocks, total in Botswana stood at 2.47 billion DOD, current US$.
The figure is up 6.9% on the previous year and up 10.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external debt stocks, total in Botswana peaked at 2.52 billion DOD, current US$ in 2012 and was at its lowest, 17.36 million DOD, current US$, in 1970.
Botswana ranks 100th of 123 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) in Botswana, year by year
| Year | DOD, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 17.36 million DOD, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 33.20 million DOD, current US$ | +91.3% |
| 1972 | 74.76 million DOD, current US$ | +125.2% |
| 1973 | 114.92 million DOD, current US$ | +53.7% |
| 1974 | 134.06 million DOD, current US$ | +16.6% |
| 1975 | 147.98 million DOD, current US$ | +10.4% |
| 1976 | 166.35 million DOD, current US$ | +12.4% |
| 1977 | 185.56 million DOD, current US$ | +11.5% |
| 1978 | 125.54 million DOD, current US$ | -32.3% |
| 1979 | 130.02 million DOD, current US$ | +3.6% |
| 1980 | 135.63 million DOD, current US$ | +4.3% |
| 1981 | 159.54 million DOD, current US$ | +17.6% |
| 1982 | 204.81 million DOD, current US$ | +28.4% |
| 1983 | 228.12 million DOD, current US$ | +11.4% |
| 1984 | 266.92 million DOD, current US$ | +17.0% |
| 1985 | 345.66 million DOD, current US$ | +29.5% |
| 1986 | 407.04 million DOD, current US$ | +17.8% |
| 1987 | 543.40 million DOD, current US$ | +33.5% |
| 1988 | 532.60 million DOD, current US$ | -2.0% |
| 1989 | 549.84 million DOD, current US$ | +3.2% |
| 1990 | 552.92 million DOD, current US$ | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 612.56 million DOD, current US$ | +10.8% |
| 1992 | 606.35 million DOD, current US$ | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 663.98 million DOD, current US$ | +9.5% |
| 1994 | 700.40 million DOD, current US$ | +5.5% |
| 1995 | 717.15 million DOD, current US$ | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 626.53 million DOD, current US$ | -12.6% |
| 1997 | 574.73 million DOD, current US$ | -8.3% |
| 1998 | 532.17 million DOD, current US$ | -7.4% |
| 1999 | 510.19 million DOD, current US$ | -4.1% |
| 2000 | 452.44 million DOD, current US$ | -11.3% |
| 2001 | 400.35 million DOD, current US$ | -11.5% |
| 2002 | 491.35 million DOD, current US$ | +22.7% |
| 2003 | 514.13 million DOD, current US$ | +4.6% |
| 2004 | 515.80 million DOD, current US$ | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 460.54 million DOD, current US$ | -10.7% |
| 2006 | 364.73 million DOD, current US$ | -20.8% |
| 2007 | 425.19 million DOD, current US$ | +16.6% |
| 2008 | 448.51 million DOD, current US$ | +5.5% |
| 2009 | 1.64 billion DOD, current US$ | +266.4% |
| 2010 | 1.81 billion DOD, current US$ | +10.0% |
| 2011 | 2.40 billion DOD, current US$ | +32.6% |
| 2012 | 2.52 billion DOD, current US$ | +5.1% |
| 2013 | 2.38 billion DOD, current US$ | -5.5% |
| 2014 | 2.49 billion DOD, current US$ | +4.7% |
| 2015 | 2.22 billion DOD, current US$ | -10.7% |
| 2016 | 2.12 billion DOD, current US$ | -4.6% |
| 2017 | 1.73 billion DOD, current US$ | -18.3% |
| 2018 | 1.77 billion DOD, current US$ | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 1.56 billion DOD, current US$ | -11.8% |
| 2020 | 1.60 billion DOD, current US$ | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 2.00 billion DOD, current US$ | +24.6% |
| 2022 | 2.00 billion DOD, current US$ | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 2.18 billion DOD, current US$ | +9.1% |
| 2024 | 2.31 billion DOD, current US$ | +5.6% |
| 2025 | 2.47 billion DOD, current US$ | +6.9% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 2.47 billion DOD, current US$ is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 18.73 billion DOD, current US$, 13% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 2.47 billion DOD, current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7.71 billion DOD, current US$, 32% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) in Botswana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | +266.4% | 448.51 million DOD, current US$ | 1.64 billion DOD, current US$ |
| 1972 | +125.2% | 33.20 million DOD, current US$ | 74.76 million DOD, current US$ |
| 1971 | +91.3% | 17.36 million DOD, current US$ | 33.20 million DOD, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 112.97 million DOD, current US$ | 17.36 million DOD, current US$ | 185.56 million DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 337.36 million DOD, current US$ | 135.63 million DOD, current US$ | 549.84 million DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 609.70 million DOD, current US$ | 510.19 million DOD, current US$ | 717.15 million DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 571.63 million DOD, current US$ | 364.73 million DOD, current US$ | 1.64 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.10 billion DOD, current US$ | 1.56 billion DOD, current US$ | 2.52 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.09 billion DOD, current US$ | 1.60 billion DOD, current US$ | 2.47 billion DOD, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
- 97 Turkmenistan 2.85 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 98 Cape Verde 2.66 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 99 Liberia 2.47 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 101 Sierra Leone 2.37 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 102 Lesotho 1.98 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 103 Gambia 1.79 billion DOD, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Botswana
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate -193.2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.52 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.98 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0175 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 136.3 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 0.6918 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0128 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 99.52 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.04 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external debt stocks, total in Botswana?
- External debt stocks, total in Botswana was 2.47 billion DOD, current US$ in 2025, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest external debt stocks, total recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 2.52 billion DOD, current US$ in 2012.
- What is the lowest external debt stocks, total recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.36 million DOD, current US$ in 1970.
- How does Botswana rank for external debt stocks, total?
- Botswana ranks 100th out of 123 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external debt stocks, total rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Botswana 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 — 56 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.