External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) in Laos
Laos: External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) was 19.41 billion DOD, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
19.41 billion DOD, current US$
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
51st
of 123 countries
All-time high
20.43 billion DOD, current US$
in 2020
All-time low
8.35 million DOD, current US$
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
External debt stocks, total in Laos, 1970–2025
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in DOD, current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for external debt stocks, total in Laos is 19.41 billion DOD, current US$, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 68.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external debt stocks, total in Laos peaked at 20.43 billion DOD, current US$ in 2020 and was at its lowest, 8.35 million DOD, current US$, in 1970.
That places Laos 51st out of 123 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) in Laos, year by year
| Year | DOD, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 8.35 million DOD, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 15.63 million DOD, current US$ | +87.3% |
| 1972 | 18.80 million DOD, current US$ | +20.3% |
| 1973 | 32.60 million DOD, current US$ | +73.4% |
| 1974 | 41.03 million DOD, current US$ | +25.9% |
| 1975 | 44.23 million DOD, current US$ | +7.8% |
| 1976 | 108.23 million DOD, current US$ | +144.7% |
| 1977 | 172.95 million DOD, current US$ | +59.8% |
| 1978 | 255.35 million DOD, current US$ | +47.6% |
| 1979 | 310.87 million DOD, current US$ | +21.7% |
| 1980 | 352.95 million DOD, current US$ | +13.5% |
| 1981 | 392.65 million DOD, current US$ | +11.3% |
| 1982 | 431.29 million DOD, current US$ | +9.8% |
| 1983 | 453.21 million DOD, current US$ | +5.1% |
| 1984 | 520.89 million DOD, current US$ | +14.9% |
| 1985 | 621.36 million DOD, current US$ | +19.3% |
| 1986 | 870.92 million DOD, current US$ | +40.2% |
| 1987 | 1.16 billion DOD, current US$ | +33.7% |
| 1988 | 1.33 billion DOD, current US$ | +14.1% |
| 1989 | 1.47 billion DOD, current US$ | +11.0% |
| 1990 | 1.77 billion DOD, current US$ | +20.0% |
| 1991 | 1.87 billion DOD, current US$ | +5.9% |
| 1992 | 1.92 billion DOD, current US$ | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 1.99 billion DOD, current US$ | +3.6% |
| 1994 | 2.07 billion DOD, current US$ | +4.3% |
| 1995 | 2.16 billion DOD, current US$ | +4.2% |
| 1996 | 2.26 billion DOD, current US$ | +4.6% |
| 1997 | 2.33 billion DOD, current US$ | +3.0% |
| 1998 | 2.46 billion DOD, current US$ | +5.7% |
| 1999 | 2.56 billion DOD, current US$ | +4.1% |
| 2000 | 2.53 billion DOD, current US$ | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 2.54 billion DOD, current US$ | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 3.10 billion DOD, current US$ | +22.4% |
| 2003 | 2.44 billion DOD, current US$ | -21.3% |
| 2004 | 2.79 billion DOD, current US$ | +14.1% |
| 2005 | 3.10 billion DOD, current US$ | +11.4% |
| 2006 | 3.62 billion DOD, current US$ | +16.5% |
| 2007 | 4.79 billion DOD, current US$ | +32.6% |
| 2008 | 5.45 billion DOD, current US$ | +13.7% |
| 2009 | 6.18 billion DOD, current US$ | +13.4% |
| 2010 | 6.35 billion DOD, current US$ | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 6.87 billion DOD, current US$ | +8.3% |
| 2012 | 7.21 billion DOD, current US$ | +5.0% |
| 2013 | 7.98 billion DOD, current US$ | +10.6% |
| 2014 | 9.43 billion DOD, current US$ | +18.2% |
| 2015 | 11.49 billion DOD, current US$ | +21.8% |
| 2016 | 13.53 billion DOD, current US$ | +17.8% |
| 2017 | 15.07 billion DOD, current US$ | +11.4% |
| 2018 | 15.96 billion DOD, current US$ | +5.8% |
| 2019 | 19.04 billion DOD, current US$ | +19.3% |
| 2020 | 20.43 billion DOD, current US$ | +7.3% |
| 2021 | 18.71 billion DOD, current US$ | -8.4% |
| 2022 | 18.49 billion DOD, current US$ | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 18.36 billion DOD, current US$ | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 19.44 billion DOD, current US$ | +5.9% |
| 2025 | 19.41 billion DOD, current US$ | -0.1% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 19.41 billion DOD, current US$ is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 16.63 billion DOD, current US$, 1.2× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Laos's 19.41 billion DOD, current US$ is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 15.83 billion DOD, current US$, 1.2× the median. (16 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) in Laos 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | +144.7% | 44.23 million DOD, current US$ | 108.23 million DOD, current US$ |
| 1971 | +87.3% | 8.35 million DOD, current US$ | 15.63 million DOD, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 100.80 million DOD, current US$ | 8.35 million DOD, current US$ | 310.87 million DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 760.94 million DOD, current US$ | 352.95 million DOD, current US$ | 1.47 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.14 billion DOD, current US$ | 1.77 billion DOD, current US$ | 2.56 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.65 billion DOD, current US$ | 2.44 billion DOD, current US$ | 6.18 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.29 billion DOD, current US$ | 6.35 billion DOD, current US$ | 19.04 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.14 billion DOD, current US$ | 18.36 billion DOD, current US$ | 20.43 billion DOD, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Laos
- 48 Mauritius 22.47 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 49 Honduras 21.67 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 50 Cambodia 19.60 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 52 Armenia 18.73 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 53 Iraq 18.72 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 54 Cameroon 17.58 billion DOD, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Laos
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate 11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.39 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 4.6 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 60.62 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0083 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 19.21 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 52.95 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.006 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 14.03 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external debt stocks, total in Laos?
- External debt stocks, total in Laos was 19.41 billion DOD, current US$ in 2025, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest external debt stocks, total recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 20.43 billion DOD, current US$ in 2020.
- What is the lowest external debt stocks, total recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.35 million DOD, current US$ in 1970.
- How does Laos rank for external debt stocks, total?
- Laos ranks 51st out of 123 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external debt stocks, total rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 68.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Laos 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.