Short-term debt in Pakistan
Pakistan: Short-term debt was 23.3% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Short-term debt in Pakistan, 1976–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of exports of goods, services and primary income.
Analysis
Pakistan recorded 23.3% for short-term debt in 2024.
That represents a change of down 4.0% on the previous year and up 31.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, short-term debt in Pakistan peaked at 51.6% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 5.1%, in 2008.
That places Pakistan 31st out of 119 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % of exports of goods, services and primary income | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 14.8% | — |
| 1977 | 12.2% | -17.6% |
| 1978 | 11.4% | -7.0% |
| 1979 | 17.3% | +52.5% |
| 1980 | 22.2% | +28.0% |
| 1981 | 25.8% | +16.1% |
| 1982 | 21.9% | -14.9% |
| 1983 | 20.8% | -5.0% |
| 1984 | 26.8% | +28.5% |
| 1985 | 36.2% | +35.0% |
| 1986 | 45.0% | +24.3% |
| 1987 | 45.2% | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 45.2% | -0.0% |
| 1989 | 45.1% | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 45.9% | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 51.6% | +12.3% |
| 1992 | 51.4% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 23.1% | -55.1% |
| 1994 | 21.5% | -6.9% |
| 1995 | 31.1% | +44.8% |
| 1996 | 26.3% | -15.4% |
| 1997 | 24.5% | -6.9% |
| 1998 | 23.4% | -4.6% |
| 1999 | 20.2% | -13.6% |
| 2000 | 15.0% | -25.6% |
| 2001 | 12.4% | -17.3% |
| 2002 | 12.5% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 8.3% | -33.6% |
| 2004 | 7.7% | -8.0% |
| 2005 | 6.2% | -18.8% |
| 2006 | 6.2% | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 9.6% | +54.8% |
| 2008 | 5.1% | -46.5% |
| 2009 | 6.4% | +25.0% |
| 2010 | 16.2% | +153.9% |
| 2011 | 11.2% | -31.0% |
| 2012 | 12.6% | +12.4% |
| 2013 | 15.2% | +20.9% |
| 2014 | 17.6% | +15.8% |
| 2015 | 22.1% | +25.4% |
| 2016 | 25.8% | +16.8% |
| 2017 | 28.8% | +11.6% |
| 2018 | 25.7% | -10.9% |
| 2019 | 29.7% | +15.6% |
| 2020 | 26.0% | -12.3% |
| 2021 | 25.0% | -3.8% |
| 2022 | 22.1% | -11.6% |
| 2023 | 24.2% | +9.5% |
| 2024 | 23.3% | -4.0% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 23.3% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 13.3%, 1.8× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 23.3% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 24.3%, 96% of the median. (12 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Short-term debt in Pakistan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | +153.9% | 6.4% | 16.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 13.9% | 11.4% | 17.3% | 4 |
| 1980s | 33.4% | 20.8% | 45.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 31.9% | 20.2% | 51.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.9% | 5.1% | 15.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.5% | 11.2% | 29.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.1% | 22.1% | 26.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
- 28 Afghanistan 25.3% compare
- 29 Bangladesh 24.4% compare
- 30 Colombia 24.2% compare
- 32 Bosnia and Herzegovina 22.9% compare
- 33 El Salvador 22.4% compare
- 34 Zambia 21.7% compare
More economy & growth data for Pakistan
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.11 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 5 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 267.00 million BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0007 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1.05 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 1.85 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -30.51 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0045 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 7.26 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 43.72 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is short-term debt in Pakistan?
- Short-term debt in Pakistan was 23.3% in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest short-term debt recorded in Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 51.6% in 1991.
- What is the lowest short-term debt recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.1% in 2008.
- How does Pakistan rank for short-term debt?
- Pakistan ranks 31st out of 119 countries with data for 2024.
- Is short-term debt rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Pakistan 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.