External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) in Vanuatu
Vanuatu: External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) was 532.59 million DOD, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
External debt stocks, total in Vanuatu, 1981–2025
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in DOD, current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for external debt stocks, total in Vanuatu is 532.59 million DOD, current US$, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 2.4% on the previous year and up 107.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external debt stocks, total in Vanuatu peaked at 532.59 million DOD, current US$ in 2025 and was at its lowest, 3.01 million DOD, current US$, in 1981.
Vanuatu ranks 118th of 123 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) in Vanuatu, year by year
| Year | DOD, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 3.01 million DOD, current US$ | — |
| 1982 | 4.08 million DOD, current US$ | +35.5% |
| 1983 | 10.62 million DOD, current US$ | +160.5% |
| 1984 | 12.94 million DOD, current US$ | +21.9% |
| 1985 | 15.76 million DOD, current US$ | +21.8% |
| 1986 | 18.24 million DOD, current US$ | +15.7% |
| 1987 | 23.65 million DOD, current US$ | +29.7% |
| 1988 | 26.78 million DOD, current US$ | +13.2% |
| 1989 | 30.32 million DOD, current US$ | +13.2% |
| 1990 | 38.22 million DOD, current US$ | +26.1% |
| 1991 | 34.87 million DOD, current US$ | -8.8% |
| 1992 | 36.23 million DOD, current US$ | +3.9% |
| 1993 | 40.19 million DOD, current US$ | +10.9% |
| 1994 | 45.58 million DOD, current US$ | +13.4% |
| 1995 | 48.95 million DOD, current US$ | +7.4% |
| 1996 | 47.88 million DOD, current US$ | -2.2% |
| 1997 | 48.73 million DOD, current US$ | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 64.17 million DOD, current US$ | +31.7% |
| 1999 | 87.98 million DOD, current US$ | +37.1% |
| 2000 | 112.26 million DOD, current US$ | +27.6% |
| 2001 | 122.66 million DOD, current US$ | +9.3% |
| 2002 | 160.58 million DOD, current US$ | +30.9% |
| 2003 | 161.15 million DOD, current US$ | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 153.93 million DOD, current US$ | -4.5% |
| 2005 | 100.35 million DOD, current US$ | -34.8% |
| 2006 | 110.58 million DOD, current US$ | +10.2% |
| 2007 | 127.90 million DOD, current US$ | +15.7% |
| 2008 | 148.88 million DOD, current US$ | +16.4% |
| 2009 | 153.31 million DOD, current US$ | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 177.66 million DOD, current US$ | +15.9% |
| 2011 | 178.44 million DOD, current US$ | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 182.21 million DOD, current US$ | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 158.47 million DOD, current US$ | -13.0% |
| 2014 | 203.27 million DOD, current US$ | +28.3% |
| 2015 | 256.79 million DOD, current US$ | +26.3% |
| 2016 | 293.42 million DOD, current US$ | +14.3% |
| 2017 | 401.42 million DOD, current US$ | +36.8% |
| 2018 | 402.24 million DOD, current US$ | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 424.72 million DOD, current US$ | +5.6% |
| 2020 | 439.94 million DOD, current US$ | +3.6% |
| 2021 | 476.75 million DOD, current US$ | +8.4% |
| 2022 | 463.43 million DOD, current US$ | -2.8% |
| 2023 | 470.66 million DOD, current US$ | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 520.13 million DOD, current US$ | +10.5% |
| 2025 | 532.59 million DOD, current US$ | +2.4% |
Vanuatu compared with similar countries
- Vanuatu's 532.59 million DOD, current US$ is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 16.63 billion DOD, current US$, 3% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Vanuatu's 532.59 million DOD, current US$ is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 15.83 billion DOD, current US$, 3% of the median. (16 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) in Vanuatu 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | +160.5% | 4.08 million DOD, current US$ | 10.62 million DOD, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 16.15 million DOD, current US$ | 3.01 million DOD, current US$ | 30.32 million DOD, current US$ | 9 |
| 1990s | 49.28 million DOD, current US$ | 34.87 million DOD, current US$ | 87.98 million DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 135.16 million DOD, current US$ | 100.35 million DOD, current US$ | 161.15 million DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 267.87 million DOD, current US$ | 158.47 million DOD, current US$ | 424.72 million DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 483.92 million DOD, current US$ | 439.94 million DOD, current US$ | 532.59 million DOD, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Vanuatu
- 115 Eritrea 720.49 million DOD, current US$ compare
- 116 Solomon Islands 700.99 million DOD, current US$ compare
- 117 Dominica 678.63 million DOD, current US$ compare
- 119 Comoros 444.67 million DOD, current US$ compare
- 120 Samoa 397.79 million DOD, current US$ compare
- 121 Sao Tome and Principe 375.74 million DOD, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Vanuatu
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate -35.4 % change on previous year (2024)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.2699 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.49 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate -3.47 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0163 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 65.88 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -8.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0119 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 48.11 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 Vanuatu?
- External debt stocks, total in Vanuatu was 532.59 million DOD, current US$ in 2025, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest external debt stocks, total recorded in Vanuatu?
- The highest recorded value was 532.59 million DOD, current US$ in 2025.
- What is the lowest external debt stocks, total recorded in Vanuatu?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.01 million DOD, current US$ in 1981.
- How does Vanuatu rank for external debt stocks, total?
- Vanuatu ranks 118th out of 123 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external debt stocks, total rising or falling in Vanuatu?
- Over the last ten years it is up 107.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Vanuatu 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 — 45 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.