External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) in Rwanda
Rwanda: External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) was 14.55 billion DOD, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
External debt stocks, total in Rwanda, 1970–2025
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in DOD, current US$.
Analysis
Rwanda recorded 14.55 billion DOD, current US$ for external debt stocks, total in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 11.7% on the previous year and up 321.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external debt stocks, total in Rwanda peaked at 14.55 billion DOD, current US$ in 2025 and was at its lowest, 2.00 million DOD, current US$, in 1971.
That places Rwanda 62nd out of 123 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) in 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 | 5.69 billion DOD, current US$ | +12.1% |
| 2019 | 6.49 billion DOD, current US$ | +14.1% |
| 2020 | 8.19 billion DOD, current US$ | +26.2% |
| 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 | 13.02 billion DOD, current US$ | +14.4% |
| 2025 | 14.55 billion DOD, current US$ | +11.7% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 14.55 billion DOD, current US$ is above the median for low income countries, which is 5.95 billion DOD, current US$, 2.4× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 14.55 billion DOD, current US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7.71 billion DOD, current US$, 1.9× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) 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$ | 6.49 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.03 billion DOD, current US$ | 8.19 billion DOD, current US$ | 14.55 billion DOD, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
- 59 Zimbabwe 15.99 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 60 Democratic Republic of Congo 15.34 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 61 Jamaica 15.30 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 63 North Macedonia 14.33 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 64 Kyrgyzstan 12.53 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 65 Moldova 12.40 billion DOD, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Rwanda
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate -15.81 % change on previous year (2024)
- 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)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate -78.73 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0013 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 1.51 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -79.75 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 1.1 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 Rwanda?
- External debt stocks, total in Rwanda was 14.55 billion DOD, current US$ in 2025, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest external debt stocks, total recorded in Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 14.55 billion DOD, current US$ in 2025.
- 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 62nd out of 123 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external debt stocks, total rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 321.4%. 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.
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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.