Short-term debt in Jamaica
Jamaica: Short-term debt was 31.2% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Short-term debt in Jamaica, 1976–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of exports of goods, services and primary income.
Analysis
The most recent figure for short-term debt in Jamaica is 31.2%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.4% on the previous year and down 4.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, short-term debt in Jamaica peaked at 58.9% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1976.
That places Jamaica 18th 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 Jamaica, year by year
| Year | % of exports of goods, services and primary income | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 0.0% | — |
| 1977 | 10.2% | — |
| 1978 | 6.8% | -33.1% |
| 1979 | 8.7% | +27.0% |
| 1980 | 6.9% | -20.6% |
| 1981 | 6.2% | -9.5% |
| 1982 | 7.5% | +20.7% |
| 1983 | 21.5% | +185.7% |
| 1984 | 18.8% | -12.5% |
| 1985 | 15.0% | -20.5% |
| 1986 | 13.4% | -10.8% |
| 1987 | 14.5% | +8.7% |
| 1988 | 16.6% | +14.7% |
| 1989 | 19.5% | +17.0% |
| 1990 | 14.9% | -23.5% |
| 1991 | 12.5% | -16.2% |
| 1992 | 13.5% | +8.2% |
| 1993 | 11.6% | -14.3% |
| 1994 | 15.4% | +33.0% |
| 1995 | 13.9% | -9.9% |
| 1996 | 16.6% | +19.5% |
| 1997 | 19.3% | +16.5% |
| 1998 | 17.8% | -7.8% |
| 1999 | 21.5% | +20.9% |
| 2000 | 20.9% | -2.6% |
| 2001 | 26.1% | +24.4% |
| 2002 | 22.7% | -13.0% |
| 2003 | 26.4% | +16.5% |
| 2004 | 26.3% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 14.2% | -45.9% |
| 2006 | 21.3% | +49.4% |
| 2007 | 27.4% | +29.0% |
| 2008 | 20.9% | -23.9% |
| 2009 | 17.5% | -16.2% |
| 2010 | 25.6% | +46.4% |
| 2011 | 21.9% | -14.6% |
| 2012 | 36.5% | +66.7% |
| 2013 | 31.2% | -14.4% |
| 2014 | 32.6% | +4.3% |
| 2015 | 32.4% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 35.0% | +7.9% |
| 2017 | 34.3% | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 35.6% | +3.8% |
| 2019 | 35.2% | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 58.9% | +67.4% |
| 2021 | 47.0% | -20.1% |
| 2022 | 32.0% | -31.9% |
| 2023 | 33.7% | +5.1% |
| 2024 | 31.2% | -7.4% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 31.2% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 17.7%, 1.8× the median. (51 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 31.2% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 14.1%, 2.2× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Short-term debt in Jamaica 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 | +185.7% | 7.5% | 21.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6.4% | 0.0% | 10.2% | 4 |
| 1980s | 14.0% | 6.2% | 21.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.7% | 11.6% | 21.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.4% | 14.2% | 27.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.0% | 21.9% | 36.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.6% | 31.2% | 58.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
More economy & growth data for Jamaica
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.76 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.6 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 1.07 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 0.3763 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 305.08 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -38.04 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0139 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 107.45 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 11.9 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is short-term debt in Jamaica?
- Short-term debt in Jamaica was 31.2% in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest short-term debt recorded in Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 58.9% in 2020.
- What is the lowest short-term debt recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1976.
- How does Jamaica rank for short-term debt?
- Jamaica ranks 18th out of 119 countries with data for 2024.
- Is short-term debt rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Jamaica 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.