External debt stocks, total in Rwanda
Rwanda: External debt stocks, total was 13.05 billion DOD, current US$ in 2024. ◆ Volatile
External debt stocks, total in Rwanda, 1970–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in DOD, current US$.
Analysis
Rwanda recorded 13.05 billion DOD, current US$ for external debt stocks, total in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 14.6% on the previous year and up 348.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external debt stocks, total in Rwanda peaked at 13.05 billion DOD, current US$ in 2024 and was at its lowest, 2.00 million DOD, current US$, in 1971.
That places Rwanda 61st out of 122 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External debt stocks, total in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | DOD, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 4.88 million DOD, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 2.00 million DOD, current US$ | -59.0% |
| 1972 | 3.38 million DOD, current US$ | +69.3% |
| 1973 | 7.91 million DOD, current US$ | +133.8% |
| 1974 | 12.31 million DOD, current US$ | +55.5% |
| 1975 | 24.07 million DOD, current US$ | +95.6% |
| 1976 | 47.68 million DOD, current US$ | +98.0% |
| 1977 | 87.49 million DOD, current US$ | +83.5% |
| 1978 | 126.80 million DOD, current US$ | +44.9% |
| 1979 | 156.08 million DOD, current US$ | +23.1% |
| 1980 | 189.83 million DOD, current US$ | +21.6% |
| 1981 | 196.58 million DOD, current US$ | +3.6% |
| 1982 | 218.31 million DOD, current US$ | +11.1% |
| 1983 | 240.50 million DOD, current US$ | +10.2% |
| 1984 | 290.10 million DOD, current US$ | +20.6% |
| 1985 | 365.60 million DOD, current US$ | +26.0% |
| 1986 | 451.26 million DOD, current US$ | +23.4% |
| 1987 | 605.11 million DOD, current US$ | +34.1% |
| 1988 | 653.57 million DOD, current US$ | +8.0% |
| 1989 | 623.30 million DOD, current US$ | -4.6% |
| 1990 | 711.73 million DOD, current US$ | +14.2% |
| 1991 | 809.90 million DOD, current US$ | +13.8% |
| 1992 | 857.06 million DOD, current US$ | +5.8% |
| 1993 | 908.96 million DOD, current US$ | +6.1% |
| 1994 | 955.15 million DOD, current US$ | +5.1% |
| 1995 | 1.03 billion DOD, current US$ | +8.1% |
| 1996 | 1.05 billion DOD, current US$ | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 1.11 billion DOD, current US$ | +6.5% |
| 1998 | 1.23 billion DOD, current US$ | +10.3% |
| 1999 | 1.31 billion DOD, current US$ | +6.8% |
| 2000 | 1.29 billion DOD, current US$ | -1.7% |
| 2001 | 1.30 billion DOD, current US$ | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 1.45 billion DOD, current US$ | +11.8% |
| 2003 | 1.56 billion DOD, current US$ | +7.1% |
| 2004 | 1.67 billion DOD, current US$ | +7.4% |
| 2005 | 1.53 billion DOD, current US$ | -8.6% |
| 2006 | 433.57 million DOD, current US$ | -71.6% |
| 2007 | 619.22 million DOD, current US$ | +42.8% |
| 2008 | 928.91 million DOD, current US$ | +50.0% |
| 2009 | 1.10 billion DOD, current US$ | +18.6% |
| 2010 | 1.23 billion DOD, current US$ | +12.0% |
| 2011 | 1.46 billion DOD, current US$ | +18.4% |
| 2012 | 1.81 billion DOD, current US$ | +24.2% |
| 2013 | 2.31 billion DOD, current US$ | +27.6% |
| 2014 | 2.91 billion DOD, current US$ | +25.7% |
| 2015 | 3.45 billion DOD, current US$ | +18.6% |
| 2016 | 4.32 billion DOD, current US$ | +25.1% |
| 2017 | 5.08 billion DOD, current US$ | +17.5% |
| 2018 | 5.68 billion DOD, current US$ | +11.9% |
| 2019 | 6.51 billion DOD, current US$ | +14.7% |
| 2020 | 8.19 billion DOD, current US$ | +25.8% |
| 2021 | 9.32 billion DOD, current US$ | +13.7% |
| 2022 | 9.69 billion DOD, current US$ | +4.0% |
| 2023 | 11.38 billion DOD, current US$ | +17.5% |
| 2024 | 13.05 billion DOD, current US$ | +14.6% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 13.05 billion DOD, current US$ is above the median for low income countries, which is 4.76 billion DOD, current US$, 2.7× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 13.05 billion DOD, current US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 6.69 billion DOD, current US$, 2.0× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External debt stocks, total in Rwanda changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | +133.8% | 3.38 million DOD, current US$ | 7.91 million DOD, current US$ |
| 2006 | -71.6% | 1.53 billion DOD, current US$ | 433.57 million DOD, current US$ |
| 1976 | +98.0% | 24.07 million DOD, current US$ | 47.68 million DOD, current US$ |
| 1975 | +95.6% | 12.31 million DOD, current US$ | 24.07 million DOD, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 47.26 million DOD, current US$ | 2.00 million DOD, current US$ | 156.08 million DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 383.42 million DOD, current US$ | 189.83 million DOD, current US$ | 653.57 million DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 997.32 million DOD, current US$ | 711.73 million DOD, current US$ | 1.31 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.19 billion DOD, current US$ | 433.57 million DOD, current US$ | 1.67 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.48 billion DOD, current US$ | 1.23 billion DOD, current US$ | 6.51 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.33 billion DOD, current US$ | 8.19 billion DOD, current US$ | 13.05 billion DOD, current US$ | 5 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
- 58 Honduras 14.30 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 59 Benin 14.16 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 60 Bosnia and Herzegovina 13.89 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 62 Papua New Guinea 12.85 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
More economy & growth data for Rwanda
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 5.1 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 7.3 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 13.15 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0009 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 0.9225 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 572.93 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 25.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0379 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 40.19 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate -18.44 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external debt stocks, total in Rwanda?
- External debt stocks, total in Rwanda was 13.05 billion DOD, current US$ in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest external debt stocks, total recorded in Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 13.05 billion DOD, current US$ in 2024.
- What is the lowest external debt stocks, total recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.00 million DOD, current US$ in 1971.
- How does Rwanda rank for external debt stocks, total?
- Rwanda ranks 61st out of 122 countries with data for 2024.
- Is external debt stocks, total rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 348.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Rwanda 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
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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.