External debt stocks, total in Malawi
Malawi: External debt stocks, total was 3.74 billion DOD, current US$ in 2024. ◆ Volatile
External debt stocks, total in Malawi, 1970–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in DOD, current US$.
Analysis
In 2024, external debt stocks, total in Malawi stood at 3.74 billion DOD, current US$. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 3.9% on the previous year and up 125.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external debt stocks, total in Malawi peaked at 3.74 billion DOD, current US$ in 2024 and was at its lowest, 135.21 million DOD, current US$, in 1970.
That places Malawi 91st out of 122 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External debt stocks, total in Malawi, year by year
| Year | DOD, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 135.21 million DOD, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 152.21 million DOD, current US$ | +12.6% |
| 1972 | 175.66 million DOD, current US$ | +15.4% |
| 1973 | 215.02 million DOD, current US$ | +22.4% |
| 1974 | 242.45 million DOD, current US$ | +12.8% |
| 1975 | 270.15 million DOD, current US$ | +11.4% |
| 1976 | 309.34 million DOD, current US$ | +14.5% |
| 1977 | 460.54 million DOD, current US$ | +48.9% |
| 1978 | 594.69 million DOD, current US$ | +29.1% |
| 1979 | 668.98 million DOD, current US$ | +12.5% |
| 1980 | 830.10 million DOD, current US$ | +24.1% |
| 1981 | 821.55 million DOD, current US$ | -1.0% |
| 1982 | 864.82 million DOD, current US$ | +5.3% |
| 1983 | 892.45 million DOD, current US$ | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 879.97 million DOD, current US$ | -1.4% |
| 1985 | 1.02 billion DOD, current US$ | +16.0% |
| 1986 | 1.16 billion DOD, current US$ | +13.4% |
| 1987 | 1.37 billion DOD, current US$ | +18.1% |
| 1988 | 1.36 billion DOD, current US$ | -0.6% |
| 1989 | 1.41 billion DOD, current US$ | +3.8% |
| 1990 | 1.56 billion DOD, current US$ | +10.5% |
| 1991 | 1.66 billion DOD, current US$ | +6.8% |
| 1992 | 1.71 billion DOD, current US$ | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 1.83 billion DOD, current US$ | +6.9% |
| 1994 | 2.02 billion DOD, current US$ | +10.7% |
| 1995 | 2.24 billion DOD, current US$ | +10.8% |
| 1996 | 2.31 billion DOD, current US$ | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 2.23 billion DOD, current US$ | -3.7% |
| 1998 | 2.44 billion DOD, current US$ | +9.6% |
| 1999 | 2.76 billion DOD, current US$ | +13.0% |
| 2000 | 2.72 billion DOD, current US$ | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 2.59 billion DOD, current US$ | -4.6% |
| 2002 | 2.90 billion DOD, current US$ | +11.9% |
| 2003 | 3.11 billion DOD, current US$ | +7.2% |
| 2004 | 3.44 billion DOD, current US$ | +10.7% |
| 2005 | 3.20 billion DOD, current US$ | -7.2% |
| 2006 | 870.59 million DOD, current US$ | -72.8% |
| 2007 | 868.95 million DOD, current US$ | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 994.77 million DOD, current US$ | +14.5% |
| 2009 | 1.14 billion DOD, current US$ | +15.0% |
| 2010 | 1.02 billion DOD, current US$ | -10.8% |
| 2011 | 1.21 billion DOD, current US$ | +18.9% |
| 2012 | 1.33 billion DOD, current US$ | +9.7% |
| 2013 | 1.56 billion DOD, current US$ | +17.4% |
| 2014 | 1.66 billion DOD, current US$ | +6.3% |
| 2015 | 1.72 billion DOD, current US$ | +3.7% |
| 2016 | 1.85 billion DOD, current US$ | +7.3% |
| 2017 | 2.16 billion DOD, current US$ | +17.0% |
| 2018 | 2.27 billion DOD, current US$ | +4.8% |
| 2019 | 2.43 billion DOD, current US$ | +7.1% |
| 2020 | 2.96 billion DOD, current US$ | +22.0% |
| 2021 | 3.20 billion DOD, current US$ | +7.9% |
| 2022 | 3.34 billion DOD, current US$ | +4.5% |
| 2023 | 3.60 billion DOD, current US$ | +7.9% |
| 2024 | 3.74 billion DOD, current US$ | +3.9% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 3.74 billion DOD, current US$ is below the median for low income countries, which is 4.76 billion DOD, current US$, 79% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 3.74 billion DOD, current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 6.69 billion DOD, current US$, 56% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External debt stocks, total in Malawi changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | -72.8% | 3.20 billion DOD, current US$ | 870.59 million DOD, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 322.42 million DOD, current US$ | 135.21 million DOD, current US$ | 668.98 million DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.06 billion DOD, current US$ | 821.55 million DOD, current US$ | 1.41 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.08 billion DOD, current US$ | 1.56 billion DOD, current US$ | 2.76 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.18 billion DOD, current US$ | 868.95 million DOD, current US$ | 3.44 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.72 billion DOD, current US$ | 1.02 billion DOD, current US$ | 2.43 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.37 billion DOD, current US$ | 2.96 billion DOD, current US$ | 3.74 billion DOD, current US$ | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More economy & growth data for Malawi
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.07 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 4.6 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 56.42 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.005 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 2.61 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 257.97 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 20.57 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0228 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 11.91 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate -29.8 % change on previous year (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external debt stocks, total in Malawi?
- External debt stocks, total in Malawi was 3.74 billion DOD, current US$ in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest external debt stocks, total recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 3.74 billion DOD, current US$ in 2024.
- What is the lowest external debt stocks, total recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 135.21 million DOD, current US$ in 1970.
- How does Malawi rank for external debt stocks, total?
- Malawi ranks 91st out of 122 countries with data for 2024.
- Is external debt stocks, total rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 125.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi 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 — 55 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.