External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) in Uganda
Uganda: External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) was 23.90 billion DOD, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
External debt stocks, total in Uganda, 1970–2025
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in DOD, current US$.
Analysis
In 2025, external debt stocks, total in Uganda stood at 23.90 billion DOD, current US$. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 15.9% on the previous year and up 143.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external debt stocks, total in Uganda peaked at 23.90 billion DOD, current US$ in 2025 and was at its lowest, 151.68 million DOD, current US$, in 1970.
Uganda ranks 47th of 123 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) in Uganda, year by year
| Year | DOD, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 151.68 million DOD, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 172.36 million DOD, current US$ | +13.6% |
| 1972 | 177.72 million DOD, current US$ | +3.1% |
| 1973 | 175.54 million DOD, current US$ | -1.2% |
| 1974 | 202.07 million DOD, current US$ | +15.1% |
| 1975 | 209.21 million DOD, current US$ | +3.5% |
| 1976 | 243.89 million DOD, current US$ | +16.6% |
| 1977 | 300.76 million DOD, current US$ | +23.3% |
| 1978 | 426.84 million DOD, current US$ | +41.9% |
| 1979 | 588.28 million DOD, current US$ | +37.8% |
| 1980 | 690.50 million DOD, current US$ | +17.4% |
| 1981 | 707.17 million DOD, current US$ | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 874.41 million DOD, current US$ | +23.6% |
| 1983 | 1.01 billion DOD, current US$ | +15.4% |
| 1984 | 1.07 billion DOD, current US$ | +6.5% |
| 1985 | 1.24 billion DOD, current US$ | +15.3% |
| 1986 | 1.42 billion DOD, current US$ | +14.9% |
| 1987 | 1.94 billion DOD, current US$ | +36.0% |
| 1988 | 1.94 billion DOD, current US$ | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 2.20 billion DOD, current US$ | +13.2% |
| 1990 | 2.61 billion DOD, current US$ | +18.7% |
| 1991 | 2.80 billion DOD, current US$ | +7.6% |
| 1992 | 2.95 billion DOD, current US$ | +5.3% |
| 1993 | 3.05 billion DOD, current US$ | +3.4% |
| 1994 | 3.40 billion DOD, current US$ | +11.3% |
| 1995 | 3.61 billion DOD, current US$ | +6.2% |
| 1996 | 3.71 billion DOD, current US$ | +2.8% |
| 1997 | 3.91 billion DOD, current US$ | +5.3% |
| 1998 | 3.94 billion DOD, current US$ | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 3.54 billion DOD, current US$ | -10.2% |
| 2000 | 3.54 billion DOD, current US$ | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 3.77 billion DOD, current US$ | +6.6% |
| 2002 | 4.02 billion DOD, current US$ | +6.7% |
| 2003 | 4.58 billion DOD, current US$ | +13.9% |
| 2004 | 4.79 billion DOD, current US$ | +4.6% |
| 2005 | 4.46 billion DOD, current US$ | -6.9% |
| 2006 | 1.30 billion DOD, current US$ | -70.8% |
| 2007 | 1.65 billion DOD, current US$ | +27.1% |
| 2008 | 2.29 billion DOD, current US$ | +38.7% |
| 2009 | 2.76 billion DOD, current US$ | +20.5% |
| 2010 | 2.97 billion DOD, current US$ | +7.7% |
| 2011 | 3.26 billion DOD, current US$ | +9.7% |
| 2012 | 3.78 billion DOD, current US$ | +15.7% |
| 2013 | 8.74 billion DOD, current US$ | +131.5% |
| 2014 | 8.89 billion DOD, current US$ | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 9.80 billion DOD, current US$ | +10.3% |
| 2016 | 10.44 billion DOD, current US$ | +6.4% |
| 2017 | 11.91 billion DOD, current US$ | +14.1% |
| 2018 | 12.55 billion DOD, current US$ | +5.4% |
| 2019 | 14.29 billion DOD, current US$ | +13.9% |
| 2020 | 17.70 billion DOD, current US$ | +23.9% |
| 2021 | 20.67 billion DOD, current US$ | +16.8% |
| 2022 | 21.07 billion DOD, current US$ | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 20.36 billion DOD, current US$ | -3.4% |
| 2024 | 20.62 billion DOD, current US$ | +1.3% |
| 2025 | 23.90 billion DOD, current US$ | +15.9% |
Uganda compared with similar countries
- Uganda's 23.90 billion DOD, current US$ is above the median for low income countries, which is 5.95 billion DOD, current US$, 4.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Uganda's 23.90 billion DOD, current US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7.71 billion DOD, current US$, 3.1× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) in Uganda 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | +131.5% | 3.78 billion DOD, current US$ | 8.74 billion DOD, current US$ |
| 2006 | -70.8% | 4.46 billion DOD, current US$ | 1.30 billion DOD, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 264.83 million DOD, current US$ | 151.68 million DOD, current US$ | 588.28 million DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.31 billion DOD, current US$ | 690.50 million DOD, current US$ | 2.20 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.35 billion DOD, current US$ | 2.61 billion DOD, current US$ | 3.94 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.32 billion DOD, current US$ | 1.30 billion DOD, current US$ | 4.79 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.66 billion DOD, current US$ | 2.97 billion DOD, current US$ | 14.29 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.72 billion DOD, current US$ | 17.70 billion DOD, current US$ | 23.90 billion DOD, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
- 44 El Salvador 27.93 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 45 Georgia 25.39 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 46 Sudan 24.18 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 48 Mauritius 22.47 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 49 Honduras 21.67 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 50 Cambodia 19.60 billion DOD, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Uganda
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate 19.74 % change on previous year (2024)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 4.29 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 6.99 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate -31.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 2.4 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -34.66 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0015 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 1.76 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 Uganda?
- External debt stocks, total in Uganda was 23.90 billion DOD, current US$ in 2025, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest external debt stocks, total recorded in Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 23.90 billion DOD, current US$ in 2025.
- What is the lowest external debt stocks, total recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 151.68 million DOD, current US$ in 1970.
- How does Uganda rank for external debt stocks, total?
- Uganda ranks 47th out of 123 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external debt stocks, total rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 143.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Uganda 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.