Short-term debt in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Short-term debt was 19.8% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Short-term debt in Africa Western and Central, 1974–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of exports of goods, services and primary income.
Analysis
Africa Western and Central recorded 19.8% for short-term debt in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.8% on the previous year and up 61.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, short-term debt in Africa Western and Central peaked at 66.9% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 1976.
Africa Western and Central ranks 19th of 32 groups 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.
Short-term debt in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % of exports of goods, services and primary income | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 0.4% | — |
| 1975 | 0.5% | +17.2% |
| 1976 | 0.4% | -21.8% |
| 1977 | 16.1% | +3875.3% |
| 1978 | 22.1% | +37.4% |
| 1979 | 14.5% | -34.6% |
| 1980 | 13.6% | -6.1% |
| 1981 | 20.3% | +49.4% |
| 1982 | 19.6% | -3.3% |
| 1983 | 33.7% | +71.8% |
| 1984 | 35.3% | +4.9% |
| 1985 | 33.3% | -5.8% |
| 1986 | 47.8% | +43.5% |
| 1987 | 29.6% | -38.1% |
| 1988 | 26.3% | -10.9% |
| 1989 | 18.9% | -28.3% |
| 1990 | 19.9% | +5.2% |
| 1991 | 20.1% | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 24.1% | +19.8% |
| 1993 | 36.7% | +52.0% |
| 1994 | 37.3% | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 55.6% | +49.3% |
| 1996 | 44.8% | -19.4% |
| 1997 | 52.7% | +17.5% |
| 1998 | 66.9% | +27.1% |
| 1999 | 39.5% | -40.9% |
| 2000 | 13.6% | -65.7% |
| 2001 | 15.5% | +14.0% |
| 2002 | 17.8% | +15.5% |
| 2003 | 14.2% | -20.2% |
| 2004 | 17.3% | +21.2% |
| 2005 | 12.7% | -26.6% |
| 2006 | 14.1% | +11.4% |
| 2007 | 12.5% | -11.1% |
| 2008 | 7.8% | -37.9% |
| 2009 | 8.2% | +5.8% |
| 2010 | 9.2% | +11.7% |
| 2011 | 8.9% | -3.1% |
| 2012 | 12.2% | +36.8% |
| 2013 | 12.5% | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 12.2% | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 14.7% | +20.5% |
| 2016 | 13.8% | -6.7% |
| 2017 | 21.4% | +55.7% |
| 2018 | 17.0% | -20.6% |
| 2019 | 20.1% | +18.4% |
| 2020 | 24.2% | +20.5% |
| 2021 | 21.6% | -11.0% |
| 2022 | 21.0% | -2.6% |
| 2023 | 20.5% | -2.3% |
| 2024 | 19.8% | -3.8% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Short-term debt in Africa Western and Central 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | +3875.3% | 0.4% | 16.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 9.0% | 0.4% | 22.1% | 6 |
| 1980s | 27.8% | 13.6% | 47.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 39.8% | 19.9% | 66.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.4% | 7.8% | 17.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.2% | 8.9% | 21.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.4% | 19.8% | 24.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
- 16 Cape Verde 32.1% compare
- 17 Fiji 31.5% compare
- 18 Jamaica 31.2% compare
- 19 China 31.0% compare
- 20 Kosovo 29.7% compare
- 20 Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) 29.7% compare
- 22 North Macedonia 29.7% compare
More economy & growth data for Africa Western and Central
- GDP (current US$), per capita 1,600 current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 6.07 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Services, value added 423.32 billion current US$ (2025)
- Services, value added 528.98 billion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- Services, value added 49.7% (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 2.34 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per capita 1,860 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 1.16 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added 23.2% (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 4.6 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is short-term debt in Africa Western and Central?
- Short-term debt in Africa Western and Central was 19.8% in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest short-term debt recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 66.9% in 1998.
- What is the lowest short-term debt recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 1976.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for short-term debt?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 19th out of 32 groups with data for 2024.
- Is short-term debt rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 61.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB), published as part of Short-term debt (% of exports of goods, services and primary income). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Short-term external debt is defined as debt that has an original maturity of one year or less. Available data permit no distinction between public and private nonguaranteed short-term debt. Exports of goods, services and primary income is the sum of goods (merchandise) exports, exports of (nonfactor) services and income (factor) receipts.