External debt stocks, total in Nepal
Nepal: External debt stocks, total was 10.15 billion DOD, current US$ in 2024. ◆ Volatile
External debt stocks, total in Nepal, 1970–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in DOD, current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for external debt stocks, total in Nepal is 10.15 billion DOD, current US$, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.7% on the previous year and up 155.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external debt stocks, total in Nepal peaked at 10.15 billion DOD, current US$ in 2024 and was at its lowest, 3.80 million DOD, current US$, in 1970.
Nepal ranks 71st of 122 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External debt stocks, total in Nepal, year by year
| Year | DOD, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3.80 million DOD, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 9.16 million DOD, current US$ | +140.9% |
| 1972 | 12.30 million DOD, current US$ | +34.4% |
| 1973 | 20.10 million DOD, current US$ | +63.4% |
| 1974 | 27.55 million DOD, current US$ | +37.1% |
| 1975 | 34.02 million DOD, current US$ | +23.5% |
| 1976 | 49.58 million DOD, current US$ | +45.7% |
| 1977 | 100.53 million DOD, current US$ | +102.8% |
| 1978 | 112.58 million DOD, current US$ | +12.0% |
| 1979 | 146.35 million DOD, current US$ | +30.0% |
| 1980 | 204.46 million DOD, current US$ | +39.7% |
| 1981 | 278.43 million DOD, current US$ | +36.2% |
| 1982 | 352.78 million DOD, current US$ | +26.7% |
| 1983 | 452.41 million DOD, current US$ | +28.2% |
| 1984 | 470.29 million DOD, current US$ | +4.0% |
| 1985 | 589.79 million DOD, current US$ | +25.4% |
| 1986 | 743.79 million DOD, current US$ | +26.1% |
| 1987 | 985.84 million DOD, current US$ | +32.5% |
| 1988 | 1.17 billion DOD, current US$ | +18.2% |
| 1989 | 1.36 billion DOD, current US$ | +16.3% |
| 1990 | 1.63 billion DOD, current US$ | +20.0% |
| 1991 | 1.77 billion DOD, current US$ | +8.5% |
| 1992 | 1.80 billion DOD, current US$ | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 2.00 billion DOD, current US$ | +11.4% |
| 1994 | 2.32 billion DOD, current US$ | +15.8% |
| 1995 | 2.41 billion DOD, current US$ | +3.9% |
| 1996 | 2.40 billion DOD, current US$ | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 2.41 billion DOD, current US$ | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 2.67 billion DOD, current US$ | +10.6% |
| 1999 | 3.03 billion DOD, current US$ | +13.5% |
| 2000 | 2.87 billion DOD, current US$ | -5.1% |
| 2001 | 2.74 billion DOD, current US$ | -4.7% |
| 2002 | 3.00 billion DOD, current US$ | +9.4% |
| 2003 | 3.21 billion DOD, current US$ | +7.2% |
| 2004 | 3.37 billion DOD, current US$ | +4.8% |
| 2005 | 3.19 billion DOD, current US$ | -5.3% |
| 2006 | 3.40 billion DOD, current US$ | +6.7% |
| 2007 | 3.61 billion DOD, current US$ | +6.2% |
| 2008 | 3.70 billion DOD, current US$ | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 3.78 billion DOD, current US$ | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 3.79 billion DOD, current US$ | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 3.83 billion DOD, current US$ | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 3.81 billion DOD, current US$ | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 4.01 billion DOD, current US$ | +5.3% |
| 2014 | 3.98 billion DOD, current US$ | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 4.14 billion DOD, current US$ | +4.1% |
| 2016 | 4.30 billion DOD, current US$ | +3.7% |
| 2017 | 4.96 billion DOD, current US$ | +15.5% |
| 2018 | 5.51 billion DOD, current US$ | +11.0% |
| 2019 | 6.52 billion DOD, current US$ | +18.2% |
| 2020 | 7.91 billion DOD, current US$ | +21.3% |
| 2021 | 8.82 billion DOD, current US$ | +11.6% |
| 2022 | 9.18 billion DOD, current US$ | +4.1% |
| 2023 | 9.98 billion DOD, current US$ | +8.7% |
| 2024 | 10.15 billion DOD, current US$ | +1.7% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 10.15 billion DOD, current US$ is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 14.40 billion DOD, current US$, 70% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 10.15 billion DOD, current US$ is below the median for South Asia, which is 33.49 billion DOD, current US$, 30% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External debt stocks, total in Nepal changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | +140.9% | 3.80 million DOD, current US$ | 9.16 million DOD, current US$ |
| 1977 | +102.8% | 49.58 million DOD, current US$ | 100.53 million DOD, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 51.60 million DOD, current US$ | 3.80 million DOD, current US$ | 146.35 million DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 659.88 million DOD, current US$ | 204.46 million DOD, current US$ | 1.36 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.24 billion DOD, current US$ | 1.63 billion DOD, current US$ | 3.03 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.29 billion DOD, current US$ | 2.74 billion DOD, current US$ | 3.78 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.48 billion DOD, current US$ | 3.79 billion DOD, current US$ | 6.52 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.21 billion DOD, current US$ | 7.91 billion DOD, current US$ | 10.15 billion DOD, current US$ | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More economy & growth data for Nepal
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 4.28 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 5.25 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 0 BoP, current US$ (1989)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (1989)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 0 BoP, current US$ per person (1989)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 56.90 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -23.95 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0013 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1.92 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 33.15 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external debt stocks, total in Nepal?
- External debt stocks, total in Nepal was 10.15 billion DOD, current US$ in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest external debt stocks, total recorded in Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 10.15 billion DOD, current US$ in 2024.
- What is the lowest external debt stocks, total recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.80 million DOD, current US$ in 1970.
- How does Nepal rank for external debt stocks, total?
- Nepal ranks 71st out of 122 countries with data for 2024.
- Is external debt stocks, total rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 155.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nepal 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.