External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: External debt stocks, total was 12.85 billion DOD, current US$ in 2024. ◆ Volatile
External debt stocks, total in Papua New Guinea, 1970–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in DOD, current US$.
Analysis
Papua New Guinea recorded 12.85 billion DOD, current US$ for external debt stocks, total in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 17.0% on the previous year and down 37.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external debt stocks, total in Papua New Guinea peaked at 21.61 billion DOD, current US$ in 2013 and was at its lowest, 208.78 million DOD, current US$, in 1970.
Papua New Guinea ranks 62nd of 122 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External debt stocks, total in Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | DOD, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 208.78 million DOD, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 407.18 million DOD, current US$ | +95.0% |
| 1972 | 495.03 million DOD, current US$ | +21.6% |
| 1973 | 525.58 million DOD, current US$ | +6.2% |
| 1974 | 505.32 million DOD, current US$ | -3.9% |
| 1975 | 506.04 million DOD, current US$ | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 520.75 million DOD, current US$ | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 675.81 million DOD, current US$ | +29.8% |
| 1978 | 583.28 million DOD, current US$ | -13.7% |
| 1979 | 608.64 million DOD, current US$ | +4.3% |
| 1980 | 719.00 million DOD, current US$ | +18.1% |
| 1981 | 1.18 billion DOD, current US$ | +64.7% |
| 1982 | 1.63 billion DOD, current US$ | +37.4% |
| 1983 | 1.87 billion DOD, current US$ | +14.7% |
| 1984 | 2.03 billion DOD, current US$ | +8.7% |
| 1985 | 2.11 billion DOD, current US$ | +4.1% |
| 1986 | 1.98 billion DOD, current US$ | -6.1% |
| 1987 | 2.28 billion DOD, current US$ | +14.7% |
| 1988 | 2.25 billion DOD, current US$ | -1.1% |
| 1989 | 2.32 billion DOD, current US$ | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 2.59 billion DOD, current US$ | +12.0% |
| 1991 | 2.77 billion DOD, current US$ | +6.9% |
| 1992 | 3.79 billion DOD, current US$ | +36.6% |
| 1993 | 3.27 billion DOD, current US$ | -13.7% |
| 1994 | 2.79 billion DOD, current US$ | -14.6% |
| 1995 | 2.51 billion DOD, current US$ | -10.3% |
| 1996 | 2.51 billion DOD, current US$ | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 2.59 billion DOD, current US$ | +3.3% |
| 1998 | 2.71 billion DOD, current US$ | +4.7% |
| 1999 | 2.66 billion DOD, current US$ | -2.0% |
| 2000 | 2.33 billion DOD, current US$ | -12.5% |
| 2001 | 2.05 billion DOD, current US$ | -11.9% |
| 2002 | 1.86 billion DOD, current US$ | -9.3% |
| 2003 | 1.86 billion DOD, current US$ | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 1.77 billion DOD, current US$ | -5.0% |
| 2005 | 1.87 billion DOD, current US$ | +5.7% |
| 2006 | 1.75 billion DOD, current US$ | -6.2% |
| 2007 | 1.53 billion DOD, current US$ | -12.7% |
| 2008 | 1.44 billion DOD, current US$ | -6.2% |
| 2009 | 1.77 billion DOD, current US$ | +23.2% |
| 2010 | 5.99 billion DOD, current US$ | +238.4% |
| 2011 | 12.58 billion DOD, current US$ | +110.2% |
| 2012 | 14.92 billion DOD, current US$ | +18.6% |
| 2013 | 21.61 billion DOD, current US$ | +44.8% |
| 2014 | 20.43 billion DOD, current US$ | -5.5% |
| 2015 | 20.39 billion DOD, current US$ | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 19.25 billion DOD, current US$ | -5.6% |
| 2017 | 17.22 billion DOD, current US$ | -10.5% |
| 2018 | 17.72 billion DOD, current US$ | +2.9% |
| 2019 | 18.74 billion DOD, current US$ | +5.8% |
| 2020 | 18.05 billion DOD, current US$ | -3.7% |
| 2021 | 19.71 billion DOD, current US$ | +9.2% |
| 2022 | 19.61 billion DOD, current US$ | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 15.48 billion DOD, current US$ | -21.0% |
| 2024 | 12.85 billion DOD, current US$ | -17.0% |
Papua New Guinea compared with similar countries
- Papua New Guinea's 12.85 billion DOD, current US$ is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 14.40 billion DOD, current US$, 89% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Papua New Guinea's 12.85 billion DOD, current US$ is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 15.35 billion DOD, current US$, 84% of the median. (16 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External debt stocks, total in Papua New Guinea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | +238.4% | 1.77 billion DOD, current US$ | 5.99 billion DOD, current US$ |
| 2011 | +110.2% | 5.99 billion DOD, current US$ | 12.58 billion DOD, current US$ |
| 1971 | +95.0% | 208.78 million DOD, current US$ | 407.18 million DOD, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 503.64 million DOD, current US$ | 208.78 million DOD, current US$ | 675.81 million DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.84 billion DOD, current US$ | 719.00 million DOD, current US$ | 2.32 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.82 billion DOD, current US$ | 2.51 billion DOD, current US$ | 3.79 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.82 billion DOD, current US$ | 1.44 billion DOD, current US$ | 2.33 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.89 billion DOD, current US$ | 5.99 billion DOD, current US$ | 21.61 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.14 billion DOD, current US$ | 12.85 billion DOD, current US$ | 19.71 billion DOD, current US$ | 5 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
- 59 Benin 14.16 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 60 Bosnia and Herzegovina 13.89 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 61 Rwanda 13.05 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 63 North Macedonia 12.84 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 64 Democratic Republic of Congo 12.48 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 65 Azerbaijan 12.20 billion DOD, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Papua New Guinea
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.47 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.11 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate -52.52 % change on previous year (2024)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 1.09 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -51.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 0.7945 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 40.57 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0269 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external debt stocks, total in Papua New Guinea?
- External debt stocks, total in Papua New Guinea was 12.85 billion DOD, current US$ in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest external debt stocks, total recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 21.61 billion DOD, current US$ in 2013.
- What is the lowest external debt stocks, total recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 208.78 million DOD, current US$ in 1970.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for external debt stocks, total?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 62nd out of 122 countries with data for 2024.
- Is external debt stocks, total rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 37.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea 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.