China vs Low & middle income: Short-term debt (% of total external debt)
Short-term debt (% of total external debt) over time
- China
- Low & middle income
How they compare
China currently reports 55.3% against 25.7% in Low & middle income, a difference of 29.6%.
That makes China's figure about 2.2 times Low & middle income's.
The two have swapped places 5 times across 45 shared years of data; in 1981 it was Low & middle income ahead.
China ranks 1st and Low & middle income ranks 4th of 123 countries.
China has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | Low & middle income | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 26.5% | 14.6% | 11.9% | China |
| 1990s | 17.1% | 17.0% | 0.2% | China |
| 2000s | 42.5% | 17.9% | 24.5% | China |
| 2010s | 65.0% | 28.4% | 36.6% | China |
| 2020s | 52.3% | 25.6% | 26.7% | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher short-term debt, China or Low & middle income?
- China, at 55.3% against 25.7% in Low & middle income as of 2025.
- What is the difference in short-term debt between China and Low & middle income?
- 29.6%, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and Low & middle income?
- 45 years are reported by both, from 1981 to 2025.
- How do China and Low & middle income rank globally for short-term debt?
- China ranks 1st and Low & middle income ranks 4th of 123 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB), published as Short-term debt (% of total external debt). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
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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 external debt is debt owed to nonresidents repayable in currency, goods, or services. Total external debt is the sum of public, publicly guaranteed, and private nonguaranteed long-term debt, use of IMF credit, and short-term debt.