Short-term debt in Colombia
Colombia: Short-term debt was 24.2% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Short-term debt in Colombia, 1970–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of exports of goods, services and primary income.
Analysis
Colombia recorded 24.2% for short-term debt in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 38.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, short-term debt in Colombia peaked at 79.5% in 1983 and was at its lowest, 9.8%, in 2009.
That places Colombia 30th out of 119 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Short-term debt in Colombia, year by year
| Year | % of exports of goods, services and primary income | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 59.1% | — |
| 1971 | 67.9% | +15.0% |
| 1972 | 62.0% | -8.8% |
| 1973 | 53.8% | -13.1% |
| 1974 | 46.3% | -14.1% |
| 1975 | 46.4% | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 37.3% | -19.7% |
| 1977 | 56.1% | +50.5% |
| 1978 | 47.0% | -16.2% |
| 1979 | 41.5% | -11.8% |
| 1980 | 39.9% | -3.9% |
| 1981 | 55.3% | +38.7% |
| 1982 | 62.8% | +13.5% |
| 1983 | 79.5% | +26.5% |
| 1984 | 53.8% | -32.3% |
| 1985 | 67.2% | +24.9% |
| 1986 | 24.1% | -64.1% |
| 1987 | 23.6% | -2.4% |
| 1988 | 23.0% | -2.5% |
| 1989 | 21.3% | -7.5% |
| 1990 | 15.9% | -25.0% |
| 1991 | 18.5% | +15.8% |
| 1992 | 26.3% | +42.6% |
| 1993 | 34.8% | +32.1% |
| 1994 | 39.7% | +14.3% |
| 1995 | 42.8% | +7.8% |
| 1996 | 42.5% | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 38.1% | -10.4% |
| 1998 | 43.4% | +14.1% |
| 1999 | 26.7% | -38.6% |
| 2000 | 17.1% | -36.1% |
| 2001 | 20.6% | +20.8% |
| 2002 | 24.5% | +18.8% |
| 2003 | 21.8% | -10.7% |
| 2004 | 25.2% | +15.3% |
| 2005 | 22.0% | -12.8% |
| 2006 | 15.7% | -28.6% |
| 2007 | 14.0% | -11.0% |
| 2008 | 12.3% | -11.9% |
| 2009 | 9.8% | -20.7% |
| 2010 | 16.2% | +66.5% |
| 2011 | 15.6% | -3.7% |
| 2012 | 14.2% | -9.5% |
| 2013 | 15.0% | +6.2% |
| 2014 | 17.5% | +16.4% |
| 2015 | 23.1% | +32.2% |
| 2016 | 23.6% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 23.7% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 24.9% | +4.9% |
| 2019 | 26.8% | +7.7% |
| 2020 | 32.5% | +21.2% |
| 2021 | 27.9% | -14.2% |
| 2022 | 24.1% | -13.7% |
| 2023 | 23.8% | -1.0% |
| 2024 | 24.2% | +1.7% |
Colombia compared with similar countries
- Colombia's 24.2% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 17.7%, 1.4× the median. (51 countries reporting)
- Colombia's 24.2% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 14.1%, 1.7× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 51.7% | 37.3% | 67.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 45.0% | 21.3% | 79.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 32.9% | 15.9% | 43.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.3% | 9.8% | 25.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.1% | 14.2% | 26.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.5% | 23.8% | 32.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Colombia
- 27 Yemen 25.4% compare
- 28 Afghanistan 25.3% compare
- 29 Bangladesh 24.4% compare
- 31 Pakistan 23.3% compare
- 32 Bosnia and Herzegovina 22.9% compare
- 33 El Salvador 22.4% compare
More economy & growth data for Colombia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.41 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 4.82 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0105 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 90.31 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 11.57 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -15.44 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0253 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 216.58 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 6.31 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is short-term debt in Colombia?
- Short-term debt in Colombia was 24.2% in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest short-term debt recorded in Colombia?
- The highest recorded value was 79.5% in 1983.
- What is the lowest short-term debt recorded in Colombia?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.8% in 2009.
- How does Colombia rank for short-term debt?
- Colombia ranks 30th out of 119 countries with data for 2024.
- Is short-term debt rising or falling in Colombia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Colombia 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.
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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.