External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) in Ghana
Ghana: External debt stocks, total was 37.41 billion DOD, current US$ in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
37.41 billion DOD, current US$
Change on year
down 10.3%
World rank
37th
of 122 countries
All-time high
46.58 billion DOD, current US$
in 2021
All-time low
542.39 million DOD, current US$
in 1971
Years of data
55
1970–2024
External debt stocks, total in Ghana, 1970–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in DOD, current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for external debt stocks, total in Ghana is 37.41 billion DOD, current US$, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 10.3% on the previous year and up 31.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external debt stocks, total in Ghana peaked at 46.58 billion DOD, current US$ in 2021 and was at its lowest, 542.39 million DOD, current US$, in 1971.
That places Ghana 37th out of 122 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External debt stocks, total in Ghana, year by year
| Year | DOD, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 572.14 million DOD, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 542.39 million DOD, current US$ | -5.2% |
| 1972 | 601.81 million DOD, current US$ | +11.0% |
| 1973 | 756.43 million DOD, current US$ | +25.7% |
| 1974 | 730.05 million DOD, current US$ | -3.5% |
| 1975 | 720.59 million DOD, current US$ | -1.3% |
| 1976 | 710.69 million DOD, current US$ | -1.4% |
| 1977 | 1.07 billion DOD, current US$ | +50.1% |
| 1978 | 1.28 billion DOD, current US$ | +19.9% |
| 1979 | 1.28 billion DOD, current US$ | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 1.40 billion DOD, current US$ | +9.1% |
| 1981 | 1.54 billion DOD, current US$ | +10.0% |
| 1982 | 1.48 billion DOD, current US$ | -3.5% |
| 1983 | 1.67 billion DOD, current US$ | +12.3% |
| 1984 | 1.96 billion DOD, current US$ | +17.8% |
| 1985 | 2.26 billion DOD, current US$ | +14.9% |
| 1986 | 2.77 billion DOD, current US$ | +22.6% |
| 1987 | 3.31 billion DOD, current US$ | +19.7% |
| 1988 | 3.13 billion DOD, current US$ | -5.5% |
| 1989 | 3.40 billion DOD, current US$ | +8.7% |
| 1990 | 3.88 billion DOD, current US$ | +14.1% |
| 1991 | 4.38 billion DOD, current US$ | +12.9% |
| 1992 | 4.51 billion DOD, current US$ | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 4.89 billion DOD, current US$ | +8.4% |
| 1994 | 5.47 billion DOD, current US$ | +11.9% |
| 1995 | 5.94 billion DOD, current US$ | +8.5% |
| 1996 | 6.44 billion DOD, current US$ | +8.5% |
| 1997 | 6.35 billion DOD, current US$ | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 6.97 billion DOD, current US$ | +9.8% |
| 1999 | 7.10 billion DOD, current US$ | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 6.74 billion DOD, current US$ | -5.1% |
| 2001 | 6.86 billion DOD, current US$ | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 7.64 billion DOD, current US$ | +11.4% |
| 2003 | 8.30 billion DOD, current US$ | +8.6% |
| 2004 | 7.24 billion DOD, current US$ | -12.7% |
| 2005 | 8.09 billion DOD, current US$ | +11.7% |
| 2006 | 6.06 billion DOD, current US$ | -25.1% |
| 2007 | 8.31 billion DOD, current US$ | +37.2% |
| 2008 | 10.06 billion DOD, current US$ | +21.0% |
| 2009 | 12.96 billion DOD, current US$ | +28.9% |
| 2010 | 17.98 billion DOD, current US$ | +38.7% |
| 2011 | 21.32 billion DOD, current US$ | +18.5% |
| 2012 | 23.15 billion DOD, current US$ | +8.6% |
| 2013 | 28.51 billion DOD, current US$ | +23.1% |
| 2014 | 28.52 billion DOD, current US$ | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 31.31 billion DOD, current US$ | +9.8% |
| 2016 | 34.86 billion DOD, current US$ | +11.4% |
| 2017 | 33.73 billion DOD, current US$ | -3.3% |
| 2018 | 35.10 billion DOD, current US$ | +4.1% |
| 2019 | 32.69 billion DOD, current US$ | -6.9% |
| 2020 | 40.30 billion DOD, current US$ | +23.3% |
| 2021 | 46.58 billion DOD, current US$ | +15.6% |
| 2022 | 43.61 billion DOD, current US$ | -6.4% |
| 2023 | 41.70 billion DOD, current US$ | -4.4% |
| 2024 | 37.41 billion DOD, current US$ | -10.3% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 37.41 billion DOD, current US$ is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 14.40 billion DOD, current US$, 2.6× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 37.41 billion DOD, current US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 6.69 billion DOD, current US$, 5.6× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 826.13 million DOD, current US$ | 542.39 million DOD, current US$ | 1.28 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.29 billion DOD, current US$ | 1.40 billion DOD, current US$ | 3.40 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.59 billion DOD, current US$ | 3.88 billion DOD, current US$ | 7.10 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.23 billion DOD, current US$ | 6.06 billion DOD, current US$ | 12.96 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.72 billion DOD, current US$ | 17.98 billion DOD, current US$ | 35.10 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.92 billion DOD, current US$ | 37.41 billion DOD, current US$ | 46.58 billion DOD, current US$ | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 34 Cote d'Ivoire 40.56 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 35 Tunisia 40.46 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 36 Mongolia 38.02 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 38 Ethiopia 36.55 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 39 Tanzania 36.34 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 40 Belarus 34.22 billion DOD, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Ghana
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.15 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 5 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 457.43 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 0.374 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 430.83 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 0.2731 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0077 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external debt stocks, total in Ghana?
- External debt stocks, total in Ghana was 37.41 billion DOD, current US$ in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest external debt stocks, total recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 46.58 billion DOD, current US$ in 2021.
- What is the lowest external debt stocks, total recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 542.39 million DOD, current US$ in 1971.
- How does Ghana rank for external debt stocks, total?
- Ghana ranks 37th out of 122 countries with data for 2024.
- Is external debt stocks, total rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana 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.
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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.