External debt is the total public (government) and private debt owed to non-residents repayable in internationally accepted currencies, goods, or services. This is gross (total) external debt. It does not measure net debt.
External debt is different to measures of public (government) debt. See: List of national debt by country.
Some countries with very high levels of external debt, also have very high levels of external credit. For example, Ireland, United Kingdom, Switzerland and Singapore have high levels of assets – i.e. they hold the external debt of other countries. In fact, they are net international creditors because there assets are greater than their debt levels.
Countries with large banking systems tend to have higher levels of external debt because they correspondingly hold more international assets. The problem comes when the assets they hold fall in value.
However, some countries can have high external debt because of past borrowing requirements and high levels of government debt. For example, Greece has one of the highest levels of external debt 298% of GDP. This is largely due to the debt crisis of 2010 onwards where Greek debt became overwhelming and they required foreign borrowing.
External debt can be problematic for developing countries if interest payments on their external debt levels impact on a countries ability to invest and spend on current public services.
List of External Debt by Country
US dollars | % of GDP | US dollars | Date | Per capita | % of GDP |
1 | United States | 3×1013 ($30 tn) | 2022 est. [1] | 60,526 | 102 |
2 | United Kingdom | 9.019×1012 ($9 tn) | 31 December 2017[2] | 127,000 | 345 |
3 | France | 7.3239×1012 | December 2020[3] | 87,200 | 230 |
4 | Germany | 5.7358032×1012 | 31 March 2020[4] | 69,000 | 165 |
5 | Japan | 4.7653479×1012 | 31 March 2020[5] | 38,000 | 96 |
7 | Italy | 2.51069×1012 | 31 December 2017[7] | 42,300 | 141 |
8 | Spain | 2.259127×1012 | 31 December 2017[8] | 48,700 | 170 |
9 | China | 2.0946×1012 | 01-Mar-20 | 1,326 | 29 |
10 | Canada | 1.9319×1012 | 31 December 2017[9] | 52,300 | 143 |
12 | Australia | 1.8335321×1012 | 31 September 2020[11] | 71,906 | 130 |
11 | Switzerland | 1.820695×1012 | 31 December 2017[10] | 213,100 | 285 |
13 | Singapore | 1.6692×1012 | 30 June 2021[12] | 231,000 | 471 |
14 | Belgium | 1.278465×1012 | 30 June 2017[13] | 112,000 | 269 |
15 | Sweden | 9.939396629×1011 | 30 June 2017[14] | 94,500 | 169 |
16 | Austria | 7.570553×1011 | 31 December 2020[15] | 84,061 | 165 |
17 | Norway | 6.044238×1011 | 30 June 2017[16] | 117,000 | 181 |
18 | India | 5.713×1011 | June 2021[17] | 571.3 | 20.2 |
19 | Brazil | 5.56418×1011 | 30 September 2017[18] | 3,200 | 38 |
21 | Denmark | 4.91617×1011 | 30 June 2017[20] | 85,700 | 158 |
20 | Russia | 4.892×1011 | 1 September 2021[19] | 3,700 | 32 |
22 | Finland | 4.83369×1011 | 30 June 2017[21] | 87,500 | 223 |
24 | Turkey | 4.534×1011 | 30 September 2019 [23] | 2,983 | 63 |
25 | Portugal | 4.47022×1011 | 30 June 2017[24] | 43,300 | 203 |
23 | Greece | 4.4158×1011 | 31 December 2017[22] | 42,800 | 298 |
26 | Mexico | 4.37367×1011 | 31 December 2017[25] | 3,300 | 43 |
6 | Netherlands | 4.3691×1011 | October 2021[6] | 26,540 | 52 |
27 | Indonesia | 4.15082×1011 | 30 June 2021[26] | 1,530 | 37 |
28 | South Korea | 4.07341×1011 | 30 June 2017[27] | 7,500 | 33 |
29 | Poland | 3.63658×1011 | 30 June 2017[28] | 9,500 | 60 |
35 | Argentina | 2.72852×1011 | 31 September 2020[33] | 6,037 | 72 |
30 | Malaysia | 2.278445×1011 | 31 March 2018[29] | 6,800 | 68 |
31 | Ireland | 2.276×1011 | 31 December 2017[30] | 49,000 | 701 |
32 | United Arab Emirates | 2.204×1011 | 31 December 2016 est.[31] | 23,500 | 59 |
34 | Saudi Arabia | 2.009×1011 | 31 December 2016 est.[32] | 6,100 | 31 |
36 | Mauritius | 1.9971×1011 | 30 June 2018[34] | 148,000 | 2,007 |
37 | Taiwan | 1.99051×1011 | 30 June 2018[35] | 7,400 | 28 |
38 | New Zealand | 1.919437×1011 | 31 March 2020[36] | 38,400 | 90 |
39 | Chile | 1.86697×1011 | 31 March 2019[37] | 9,771 | 82 |
40 | Puerto Rico (USA) | 1.674×1011 | 31 January 2015 est. | 47,800 | 164 |
41 | Kazakhstan | 1.65501×1011 | 31 March 2017[38] | 9,100 | 91 |
42 | Qatar | 1.592×1011 | 31 December 2016 est.[39] | 68,100 | 83 |
43 | Thailand | 1.4942955×1011 | 31 December 2017[40] | 2,170 | 33 |
44 | Hungary | 1.48024×1011 | 30 June 2017[41] | 15,000 | 160 |
45 | South Africa | 1.42833×1011 | 31 December 2016[42] | 2,600 | 57 |
46 | Czechia | 1.37606×1011 | 31 December 2016[43] | 13,000 | 76 |
59 | Egypt | 1.291957×1011 | 31 October 2020 [56] | 700 | 34 |
49 | Ukraine | 1.25281×1011 | 30 June 2021[46] | 2,200 | 81 |
54 | Pakistan | 1.2221×1011 | 30 September 2021[51] | 554 | 43 |
47 | Colombia | 1.210972×1011 | 31 January 2017[44] | 2,500 | 57 |
48 | Cyprus | 1.19672×1011 | 30 June 2017[45] | 97,200 | 849 |
51 | Venezuela | 1.10878×1011 | 30 September 2015[48] | 3,500 | 23 |
52 | Romania | 1.0888×1011 | 31 July 2017[49] | 5,100 | 58 |
53 | Malta | 9.62513×1010 | 30 June 2017[50] | 223,000 | 691 |
50 | Israel | 8.94384×1010 | 30 June 2017[47] | 10,700 | 33 |
55 | Slovakia | 8.663×1010 | 30 June 2017[52] | 15,900 | 112 |
56 | Peru | 7.46512×1010 | 31 December 2016[53] | 2,300 | 44 |
57 | Philippines | 7.2493×1010 | 30 June 2017[54] | 720 | 27 |
58 | Iraq | 6.801×1010 | 31 December 2016 est.[55] | 1,800 | 44 |
60 | Slovenia | 5.19808×1010 | 30 April 2020[57] | 25,000 | 104 |
61 | Vietnam | 5.09377×1010 | 31 December 2015[58] | 500 | 26 |
62 | Morocco | 4.88303×1010 | 30 June 2017[59] | 1,400 | 46 |
63 | Kuwait | 4.789×1010 | 31 December 2016 est.[60] | 11,700 | 51 |
64 | Sri Lanka | 4.65857×1010 | 31 December 2016[61] | 2,200 | 68 |
65 | Croatia | 4.60847×1010 | 30 June 2017[62] | 10,700 | 89 |
66 | Sudan | 4.5×1010 | 31 December 2015[63] | 1,100 | 121 |
67 | Latvia | 4.1147×1010 | 30 June 2017[64] | 21,200 | 126 |
68 | Bulgaria | 4.0419×1010 | 31 January 2018[65] | 5,700 | 63 |
69 | Belarus | 3.8975×1010 | 30 June 2017[66] | 4,000 | 66 |
70 | Angola | 3.77×1010 | 31 December 2016 est.[67] | 1,400 | 41 |
71 | Ecuador | 3.67472×1010 | 31 August 2017[68] | 2,100 | 57 |
72 | Lithuania | 3.64277×1010 | 30 June 2017[69] | 12,700 | 74 |
73 | Serbia | 2.7954×1010 | 30 June 2017[70] | 3,200 | 62 |
74 | Lebanon | 2.7796×1010 | 31 December 2016[71] | 4,600 | 63 |
75 | Jordan | 2.77564×1010 | 30 June 2017[72] | 3,400 | 83 |
76 | Cuba | 2.632×1010 | 31 December 2016 est.[73] | 2,300 | 34 |
77 | Uruguay | 2.61492×1010 | 31 December 2016[74] | 7,600 | 50 |
78 | Dominican Republic | 2.605×1010 | 31 December 2016 est.[75] | 2,400 | 36 |
79 | Bangladesh | 2.5963×1010 | 30 June 2016[76] | 160 | 12 |
80 | Mongolia | 2.5215×1010 | 30 June 2017[77] | 7,800 | 245 |
81 | Tunisia | 2.51247×1010 | 31 December 2012[78] | 2,200 | 97 |
82 | Costa Rica | 2.491×1010 | 31 December 2016 est.[79] | 5,100 | 43 |
83 | Iceland | 2.43906×1010 | 30 June 2017[80] | 72,700 | 81 |
84 | Ethiopia | 2.249×1010 | 31 December 2016 est.[81] | 220 | 32 |
85 | Kenya | 2.21719×1010 | 30 June 2017[82] | 370 | 26 |
86 | Papua New Guinea | 2.204×1010 | 31 December 2016 est.[83] | 2,800 | 111 |
87 | Trinidad & Tobago | 2.15321×1010 | 31 December 2016[84] | 15,700 | 76 |
88 | Ghana | 2.117×1010 | 31 December 2016 est.[85] | 700 | 30 |
89 | Bahrain | 2.116×1010 | 31 December 2016 est.[86] | 14,900 | 66 |
90 | Oman | 2.085×1010 | 31 December 2016 est.[87] | 4,400 | 35 |
91 | Estonia | 2.05251×1010 | 31 December 2016[88] | 15,700 | 89 |
92 | Guatemala | 1.909×1010 | 31 December 2016 est.[89] | 1,100 | 28 |
93 | Palau | 1.838×1010 | 31 December 2014 est.[90] | 846,000 | 6,209 |
94 | Panama | 1.8341×1010 | 28 February 2018[91] | 4,400 | 157 |
95 | Bahamas | 1.756×1010 | 31 December 2013 est.[92] | 44,200 | 194 |
96 | Jamaica | 1.676×1010 | 31 December 2016 est.[93] | 6,000 | 122 |
97 | Monaco | 1.65×1010 | 30 June 2010 est. | 434,000 | 240 |
98 | Georgia | 1.64165×1010 | 30 June 2017[94] | 3,900 | 128 |
99 | Paraguay | 1.61224×1010 | 31 December 2016[95] | 2,400 | 54 |
100 | Tanzania | 1.589×1010 | 31 December 2016 est.[96] | 280 | 34 |
101 | Uzbekistan | 1.575×1010 | 31 December 2016 est.[97] | 500 | 24 |
102 | Nigeria | 1.5047×1010 | 30 June 2017[98] | 60 | 2 |
103 | El Salvador | 1.49×1010 | 31 December 2016 est.[99] | 2,400 | 56 |
104 | Laos | 1.198×1010 | 31 December 2016 est.[100] | 1,700 | 53 |
105 | Nicaragua | 1.11×1010 | 31 December 2016 est.[101] | 1,800 | 83 |
106 | Zimbabwe | 1.09×1010 | 31 December 2016 est.[102] | 670 | 77 |
107 | Luxembourg | 1.061778×1010 | 31 March 2020 [103] | 114,704 | 22.1 |
113 | Albania | 1.0461×1010 | 31 December 2020[109] | 3,634 | 66 |
109 | Ivory Coast | 1.00281×1010 | 31 December 2015[105] | 420 | 24 |
110 | Cambodia | 9.8244×109 | 31 December 2016[106] | 600 | 57 |
111 | Mozambique | 9.554×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[107] | 320 | 72 |
112 | Zambia | 9.27×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[108] | 540 | 45 |
114 | Honduras | 8.042×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[110] | 1,000 | 38 |
115 | Kyrgyzstan | 7.8668×109 | 31 December 2016[111] | 1,300 | 112 |
116 | North Macedonia | 7.6455×109 | 31 December 2016[112] | 3,700 | 73 |
117 | Cameroon | 7.375×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[113] | 300 | 24 |
118 | Yemen | 7.1915×109 | 31 January 2015[114] | 260 | 21 |
119 | Iran | 7.116×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[115] | 90 | 2 |
120 | Azerbaijan | 6.9132×109 | 31 December 2016[114] | 1,300 | 22 |
121 | Moldova | 6.5947×109 | 31 December 2016[116] | 1,600 | 70 |
122 | Namibia | 6.515×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[117] | 2,500 | 64 |
123 | Myanmar | 6.4012×109 | 31 December 2015[118] | 120 | 17 |
124 | Bolivia | 6.3408×109 | 31 December 2015[95] | 600 | 33 |
125 | Uganda | 6.241×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[119] | 150 | 24 |
126 | Senegal | 6.186×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[120] | 390 | 42 |
108 | Armenia | 6.0531×109 | 31 December 2020[104] | 2,043 | 102 |
127 | Syria | 5.918×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[107] | 300 | 24 |
128 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 5.331×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[121] | 70 | 13 |
129 | Gabon | 5.158×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[122] | 2,900 | 35 |
130 | North Korea | 5×109 | 2013 est.[123] | 200 | 18 |
131 | Republic of the Congo | 4.817×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[124] | 1,000 | 55 |
132 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 4.7166×109 | 30 June 2017[125] | 1,300 | 23 |
133 | Barbados | 4.49×109 | 2010 est.[126] | 15,700 | 100 |
143 | Montenegro | 4.408×109 | 26 March 2021[136] | 6,742 | 151 |
134 | Madagascar | 4.007×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[127] | 160 | 41 |
139 | Algeria | 3.838×109 | 31 December 2019[132] | 89 | 2 |
135 | Mali | 3.626×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[128] | 200 | 26 |
136 | Mauritania | 3.585×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[129] | 840 | 76 |
137 | Libya | 3.531×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[130] | 550 | 9 |
138 | Nepal | 3.4502×109 | 31 July 2015[131] | 120 | 16 |
140 | Burkina Faso | 3.092×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[133] | 160 | 26 |
141 | Somalia | 3.054×109 | 31 December 2013 est.[134] | 270 | 52 |
142 | Niger | 2.729×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[135] | 130 | 36 |
144 | Seychelles | 2.552×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[137] | 26,200 | 180 |
145 | Rwanda | 2.442×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[138] | 200 | 29 |
146 | Bermuda (UK) | 2.435×109 | 2015 est.[139] | 39,700 | 47 |
147 | Kosovo | 2.3897×109 | 30 June 2017[140] | 1,200 | 37 |
148 | Benin | 2.34×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[141] | 200 | 26 |
149 | Tajikistan | 2.2741×109 | 31 December 2016[142] | 260 | 38 |
150 | Bhutan | 2.261×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[143] | 2,900 | 108 |
151 | Haiti | 2.022×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[144] | 180 | 24 |
152 | Malawi | 1.921×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[145] | 100 | 39 |
153 | Chad | 1.875×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[146] | 130 | 18 |
154 | Botswana | 1.6854×109 | 31 March 2017[147] | 720 | 8 |
155 | Palestine | 1.662×109 | 31 March 2016 est.[148] | 340 | 35 |
156 | Cape Verde | 1.66×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[149] | 3,100 | 99 |
157 | Sierra Leone | 1.561×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[150] | 230 | 36 |
158 | Equatorial Guinea | 1.364×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[151] | 1,500 | 12 |
159 | Djibouti | 1.339×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[152] | 1,500 | 71 |
160 | Guinea | 1.332×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[138] | 100 | 20 |
161 | Belize | 1.327×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[151] | 3,500 | 75 |
162 | Afghanistan | 1.28×109 | FY-2010/11[153] | 40 | 7 |
163 | Suriname | 1.235×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[154] | 2,200 | 30 |
164 | Togo | 1.173×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[155] | 150 | 26 |
165 | Guyana | 1.143×109 | 31 December 2015[156] | 1,500 | 36 |
166 | Liberia | 1.111×109 | 31 December 2016 est.[157] | 230 | 51 |
167 | Guinea-Bissau | 1.095×109 | 31 December 2010 est.[158] | 570 | 94 |
168 | Lesotho | 948,800,000 | 31 December 2016 est.[159] | 430 | 53 |
169 | Faroe Islands (Denmark) | 888,800,000 | 2010[160] | 18,400 | 38 |
170 | Fiji | 833,400,000 | 31 December 2016 est.[161] | 900 | 18 |
171 | Eritrea | 820,200,000 | 31 December 2016 est.[162] | 150 | 15 |
172 | Maldives | 741,600,000 | 2014 est.[163] | 2,000 | 23 |
173 | Burundi | 705,200,000 | 31 December 2016 est.[164] | 60 | 26 |
174 | Aruba | 693,200,000 | 31 December 2014 est.[165] | 6,600 | 28 |
175 | Central African Republic | 686,900,000 | 31 December 2016 est.[166] | 130 | 39 |
176 | Grenada | 679,000,000 | 2013 est.[167] | 6,300 | 66 |
177 | Gambia | 541,800,000 | 31 December 2016 est.[168] | 260 | 61 |
178 | Saint Lucia | 513,200,000 | 31 December 2016 est.[169] | 2,700 | 36 |
179 | Turkmenistan | 502,800,000 | 31 December 2016 est.[170] | 90 | 1 |
180 | Solomon Islands | 491,500,000 | 31 December 2013 est.[171] | 800 | 40 |
181 | Eswatini | 470,500,000 | 31 December 2016 est.[172] | 360 | 14 |
182 | Samoa | 447,200,000 | 31 December 2013 est.[173] | 2,300 | 51 |
183 | Antigua and Barbuda | 441,200,000 | 31 December 2012[174] | 4,700 | 34 |
184 | San Marino | 352,000,000 | 2016[175] | 10,604 | 23 |
185 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 321,100,000 | 31 December 2016 est.[176] | 2,900 | 42 |
186 | Timor-Leste | 311,500,000 | 31 December 2014 est.[177] | 250 | 12 |
187 | Dominica | 288,600,000 | 31 December 2016 est.[178] | 3,900 | 55 |
188 | Cook Islands (New Zealand) | 281,200,000 | 31 December 2011[179] | 13,400 | 23 |
189 | Sao Tome and Principe | 236,500,000 | 31 December 2016 est.[180] | 1,200 | 67 |
190 | Tonga | 233,100,000 | 31 December 2016 est.[181] | 2,200 | 54 |
191 | Vanuatu | 208,100,000 | 31 December 2016 est.[182] | 750 | 27 |
192 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 187,500,000 | 31 December 2016 est.[183] | 3,300 | 20 |
193 | Comoros | 133,300,000 | 31 December 2016 est.[184] | 160 | 21 |
194 | New Caledonia (France) | 112,000,000 | 31 December 2013 est.[185] | 420 | 1 |
195 | Marshall Islands | 97,960,000 | 2013 est.[186] | 1,800 | 52 |
196 | Micronesia | 93,600,000 | 2013 est.[187] | 900 | 29 |
197 | Cayman Islands (UK) | 79,000,000 | 1998 est. | 2,100 | 7 |
198 | Greenland (Denmark) | 36,400,000 | 2010[188] | 650 | 2 |
199 | Nauru | 33,300,000 | 2004 est.[189] | 3,200 | 22 |
200 | British Virgin Islands (UK) | 17,670,000 | 31 December 2016[190] | 570 | 2 |
Source Wikipedia
External debt as % of GDP
Country/Region | % of GDP | |
1 | Cyprus | 849 |
2 | Ireland | 701 |
3 | Malta | 691 |
4 | Singapore | 471 |
5 | United Kingdom | 345 |
6 | Greece | 298 |
7 | Switzerland | 285 |
8 | Belgium | 269 |
9 | Mongolia | 245 |
10 | France | 230 |
11 | Finland | 223 |
12 | Portugal | 203 |
13 | Bahamas | 194 |
14 | Norway | 181 |
15 | Seychelles | 180 |
16 | Spain | 170 |
17 | Sweden | 169 |
18 | Germany | 165 |
19 | Austria | 165 |
20 | Puerto Rico (USA) | 164 |
21 | Hungary | 160 |
22 | Denmark | 158 |
23 | Panama | 157 |
24 | Montenegro | 151 |
25 | Canada | 143 |
26 | Italy | 141 |
27 | Australia | 130 |
28 | Georgia | 128 |
29 | Latvia | 126 |
30 | Jamaica | 122 |
31 | Sudan | 121 |
32 | Slovakia | 112 |
33 | Kyrgyzstan | 112 |
34 | Papua New Guinea | 111 |
35 | Bhutan | 108 |
36 | Slovenia | 104 |
37 | United States | 102 |
38 | Armenia | 102 |
39 | Barbados | 100 |
40 | Cape Verde | 99 |
41 | Tunisia | 97 |
42 | Japan | 96 |
43 | Guinea-Bissau | 94 |
44 | Kazakhstan | 91 |
45 | New Zealand | 90 |
46 | Croatia | 89 |
47 | Estonia | 89 |
48 | Qatar | 83 |
49 | Jordan | 83 |
50 | Nicaragua | 83 |
External links
- External Debt CIA
- External debt wikipedia
Related
Sources:
- External Debt CIA
Related
It’d be great to know what these numbers on the right in the table are… %GDP, million USD, bitcoin…?