Total debt service in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: Total debt service was 3.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Total debt service in Least developed countries, 1970–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of GNI.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total debt service in Least developed countries is 3.4%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 4.6% on the previous year and up 70.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total debt service in Least developed countries peaked at 4.0% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 1.2%, in 2010.
Least developed countries ranks 22nd of 32 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Total debt service in Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | % of GNI | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.3% | — |
| 1971 | 1.4% | +7.7% |
| 1972 | 1.6% | +9.1% |
| 1973 | 1.9% | +19.8% |
| 1974 | 1.3% | -32.6% |
| 1975 | 1.3% | +4.5% |
| 1976 | 1.5% | +10.1% |
| 1977 | 1.7% | +14.8% |
| 1978 | 1.6% | -3.1% |
| 1979 | 1.9% | +16.7% |
| 1980 | 2.7% | +42.9% |
| 1981 | 2.6% | -1.8% |
| 1982 | 2.3% | -13.2% |
| 1983 | 2.2% | -4.6% |
| 1984 | 2.5% | +14.4% |
| 1985 | 2.5% | +0.3% |
| 1986 | 3.7% | +47.3% |
| 1987 | 3.3% | -9.7% |
| 1988 | 3.1% | -8.3% |
| 1989 | 2.9% | -4.6% |
| 1990 | 2.3% | -19.9% |
| 1991 | 2.2% | -8.1% |
| 1992 | 2.0% | -5.4% |
| 1993 | 1.9% | -7.2% |
| 1994 | 2.1% | +13.5% |
| 1995 | 4.0% | +86.8% |
| 1996 | 2.7% | -33.0% |
| 1997 | 2.4% | -11.6% |
| 1998 | 2.7% | +12.1% |
| 1999 | 2.6% | -3.9% |
| 2000 | 2.4% | -5.5% |
| 2001 | 2.7% | +10.7% |
| 2002 | 2.4% | -11.3% |
| 2003 | 2.0% | -13.9% |
| 2004 | 2.1% | +2.0% |
| 2005 | 2.0% | -5.1% |
| 2006 | 2.2% | +9.2% |
| 2007 | 2.2% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 1.3% | -40.5% |
| 2009 | 1.6% | +20.6% |
| 2010 | 1.2% | -22.8% |
| 2011 | 1.4% | +17.0% |
| 2012 | 1.7% | +22.3% |
| 2013 | 1.9% | +10.1% |
| 2014 | 2.0% | +4.6% |
| 2015 | 2.2% | +13.7% |
| 2016 | 2.5% | +13.2% |
| 2017 | 2.3% | -10.5% |
| 2018 | 2.8% | +24.8% |
| 2019 | 3.1% | +8.4% |
| 2020 | 2.6% | -16.0% |
| 2021 | 3.5% | +33.4% |
| 2022 | 3.3% | -5.1% |
| 2023 | 3.2% | -1.7% |
| 2024 | 3.4% | +4.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.5% | 1.3% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.8% | 2.2% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.5% | 1.9% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.1% | 1.3% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.1% | 1.2% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.2% | 2.6% | 3.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
More economy & growth data for Least developed countries
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) 1.29 trillion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- Trade in services 8.6% (2024)
- Industry (including construction), value added 29.7% (2025)
- Services, value added 737.78 billion current US$ (2025)
- Services, value added 622.97 billion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- Services, value added 4.6% (2025)
- Services, value added 44.6% (2025)
- Inflation, GDP deflator 4.8% (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) 1.58 trillion current US$ (2025)
- GDP per capita growth 1.9% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total debt service in Least developed countries?
- Total debt service in Least developed countries was 3.4% in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest total debt service recorded in Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 4.0% in 1995.
- What is the lowest total debt service recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.2% in 2010.
- How does Least developed countries rank for total debt service?
- Least developed countries ranks 22nd out of 32 groups with data for 2024.
- Is total debt service rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 70.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Least developed countries data come from?
- The figures come from International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB), published as part of Total debt service (% of GNI). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total debt service is the sum of principal repayments and interest actually paid in currency, goods, or services on long-term debt, interest paid on short-term debt, and repayments (repurchases and charges) to the IMF.