Short-term debt in Kenya
Kenya: Short-term debt was 19.9% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Short-term debt in Kenya, 1970–2024
Source: World Development Indicators, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total reserves.
Analysis
The most recent figure for short-term debt in Kenya is 19.9%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of down 48.0% on the previous year and down 21.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, short-term debt in Kenya peaked at 976.4% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 19.9%, in 2024.
Kenya ranks 66th of 111 countries 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 Kenya, year by year
| Year | % of total reserves | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 31.4% | — |
| 1971 | 42.1% | +34.1% |
| 1972 | 41.6% | -1.3% |
| 1973 | 52.4% | +25.9% |
| 1974 | 85.9% | +64.1% |
| 1975 | 107.8% | +25.6% |
| 1976 | 78.4% | -27.3% |
| 1977 | 57.6% | -26.5% |
| 1978 | 109.3% | +89.6% |
| 1979 | 64.2% | -41.3% |
| 1980 | 118.9% | +85.2% |
| 1981 | 178.9% | +50.5% |
| 1982 | 136.9% | -23.5% |
| 1983 | 100.5% | -26.6% |
| 1984 | 90.7% | -9.7% |
| 1985 | 112.8% | +24.3% |
| 1986 | 83.7% | -25.8% |
| 1987 | 201.0% | +140.1% |
| 1988 | 180.1% | -10.4% |
| 1989 | 192.7% | +6.9% |
| 1990 | 395.7% | +105.4% |
| 1991 | 487.5% | +23.2% |
| 1992 | 976.4% | +100.3% |
| 1993 | 206.7% | -78.8% |
| 1994 | 115.1% | -44.3% |
| 1995 | 164.9% | +43.2% |
| 1996 | 68.0% | -58.7% |
| 1997 | 98.2% | +44.4% |
| 1998 | 106.5% | +8.5% |
| 1999 | 98.4% | -7.6% |
| 2000 | 84.3% | -14.4% |
| 2001 | 49.7% | -41.0% |
| 2002 | 61.6% | +24.0% |
| 2003 | 46.7% | -24.3% |
| 2004 | 43.6% | -6.6% |
| 2005 | 27.2% | -37.5% |
| 2006 | 24.4% | -10.4% |
| 2007 | 28.8% | +18.1% |
| 2008 | 33.0% | +14.5% |
| 2009 | 25.0% | -24.4% |
| 2010 | 24.1% | -3.4% |
| 2011 | 30.3% | +25.7% |
| 2012 | 27.6% | -8.9% |
| 2013 | 36.7% | +32.8% |
| 2014 | 25.4% | -30.8% |
| 2015 | 35.9% | +41.6% |
| 2016 | 28.3% | -21.3% |
| 2017 | 36.3% | +28.4% |
| 2018 | 31.2% | -14.0% |
| 2019 | 28.7% | -7.9% |
| 2020 | 27.6% | -3.8% |
| 2021 | 25.7% | -7.2% |
| 2022 | 32.1% | +25.3% |
| 2023 | 38.3% | +19.3% |
| 2024 | 19.9% | -48.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 67.1% | 31.4% | 109.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 139.6% | 83.7% | 201.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 271.7% | 68.0% | 976.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 42.4% | 24.4% | 84.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.4% | 24.1% | 36.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.7% | 19.9% | 38.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 63 Turkmenistan 20.6% compare
- 64 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 20.5% compare
- 65 Morocco 20.2% compare
- 67 Philippines 19.7% compare
- 68 Saint Lucia 19.6% compare
- 69 Cambodia 19.1% compare
More economy & growth data for Kenya
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.28 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 5.26 Percent per annum (2029)
- Services, value added (constant LCU), per capita 121,158 constant LCU per person (2025)
- GDP deflator (base year varies by country), annual growth rate 3.49 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), annual growth 13.03 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.9254 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per capita 2,187 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), annual growth 8.4 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per unit of GDP 119.65 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per capita 282,722 current LCU per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is short-term debt in Kenya?
- Short-term debt in Kenya was 19.9% in 2024, according to World Development Indicators, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest short-term debt recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 976.4% in 1992.
- What is the lowest short-term debt recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.9% in 2024.
- How does Kenya rank for short-term debt?
- Kenya ranks 66th out of 111 countries with data for 2024.
- Is short-term debt rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from World Development Indicators, World Bank (WB), published as part of Short-term debt (% of total reserves). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Short-term debt includes all debt having an original maturity of one year or less and interest in arrears on long-term debt. Total reserves includes gold.