Debt outstanding and disbursed, Total to GDP in Africa

Africa: Debt outstanding and disbursed, Total to GDP was 20.4% in 2007. ▲ Rising

Latest (2007)
20.4%
Change on year
down 4.6%
Rank
4th
of 5 groups
All-time high
69.1%
in 1994
All-time low
13.0%
in 1970
Years of data
38
1970–2007

Debt outstanding and disbursed, Total to GDP in Africa, 1970–2007

2040601970198820071970: 13 % of GDP1971: 15.5 % of GDP1972: 15.2 % of GDP1973: 15.8 % of GDP1974: 14.9 % of GDP1975: 17.7 % of GDP1976: 19.5 % of GDP1977: 27.3 % of GDP1978: 31.1 % of GDP1979: 30.4 % of GDP1980: 29.1 % of GDP1981: 32.1 % of GDP1982: 37.2 % of GDP1983: 41.7 % of GDP1984: 44.1 % of GDP1985: 51.8 % of GDP1986: 53.2 % of GDP1987: 54.4 % of GDP1988: 55 % of GDP1989: 56.6 % of GDP1990: 57.1 % of GDP1991: 58.8 % of GDP1992: 56.9 % of GDP1993: 59.4 % of GDP1994: 69.1 % of GDP1995: 66.6 % of GDP1996: 61.7 % of GDP1997: 56.4 % of GDP1998: 59.4 % of GDP1999: 55 % of GDP2000: 50.9 % of GDP2001: 49.9 % of GDP2002: 51.6 % of GDP2003: 45.5 % of GDP2004: 38.8 % of GDP2005: 30.3 % of GDP2006: 21.4 % of GDP2007: 20.4 % of GDP

Source: World Bank, Global Development Finance. Measured in % of GDP.

Analysis

Africa recorded 20.4% for debt outstanding and disbursed, total to gdp in 2007.

The figure is down 4.6% on the previous year and down 63.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, debt outstanding and disbursed, total to gdp in Africa peaked at 69.1% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 13.0%, in 1970.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 38 years of available data.

Debt outstanding and disbursed, Total to GDP in Africa, year by year

Annual values for Debt outstanding and disbursed, Total to GDP (% of GDP) in Africa, 1970 to 2007.
Year % of GDP Change
1970 13.0%
1971 15.5% +19.3%
1972 15.2% -1.9%
1973 15.8% +3.9%
1974 14.9% -5.8%
1975 17.7% +19.1%
1976 19.5% +10.1%
1977 27.3% +40.0%
1978 31.1% +14.1%
1979 30.4% -2.4%
1980 29.1% -4.3%
1981 32.1% +10.5%
1982 37.2% +15.7%
1983 41.7% +12.4%
1984 44.1% +5.6%
1985 51.8% +17.4%
1986 53.2% +2.8%
1987 54.4% +2.3%
1988 55.0% +1.0%
1989 56.6% +2.9%
1990 57.1% +1.0%
1991 58.8% +2.9%
1992 56.9% -3.2%
1993 59.4% +4.5%
1994 69.1% +16.3%
1995 66.6% -3.6%
1996 61.7% -7.4%
1997 56.4% -8.5%
1998 59.4% +5.2%
1999 55.0% -7.3%
2000 50.9% -7.4%
2001 49.9% -2.0%
2002 51.6% +3.3%
2003 45.5% -11.7%
2004 38.8% -14.7%
2005 30.3% -22.1%
2006 21.4% -29.4%
2007 20.4% -4.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 20.0% 13.0% 31.1% 10
1980s 45.5% 29.1% 56.6% 10
1990s 60.0% 55.0% 69.1% 10
2000s 38.6% 20.4% 51.6% 8

Countries ranked near Africa

  1. 1 Somalia 258.5% compare
  2. 2 Seychelles 167.9% compare
  3. 3 Sao Tome and Principe 93.0% compare
  4. 4 Djibouti 85.2% compare
  5. 5 Zimbabwe 65.0% compare
  6. 6 Mauritania 64.3% compare
  7. 7 Guinea 61.7% compare

See the full ranking of 55 places →

More external debt data for Africa

All data for Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is debt outstanding and disbursed, total to gdp in Africa?
Debt outstanding and disbursed, total to gdp in Africa was 20.4% in 2007, according to World Bank, Global Development Finance.
What is the highest debt outstanding and disbursed, total to gdp recorded in Africa?
The highest recorded value was 69.1% in 1994.
What is the lowest debt outstanding and disbursed, total to gdp recorded in Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 13.0% in 1970.
How does Africa rank for debt outstanding and disbursed, total to gdp?
Africa ranks 4th out of 5 groups with data for 2007.
Is debt outstanding and disbursed, total to gdp rising or falling in Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 63.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Africa data come from?
The figures come from World Bank, Global Development Finance, published as part of Debt outstanding and disbursed, Total to GDP (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Debt outstanding and disbursed, Total to GDP in Africa. Statizoid, drawing on World Bank, Global Development Finance. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://debt.statizoid.com/stat/debt-outstanding-and-disbursed-total-to-gdp-percent-of-gdp/africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Debt outstanding and disbursed, Total to GDP (% of GDP)
Unit
% of GDP
Source
World Bank, Global Development Finance
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
55 places, 2,062 data points, 1970–2011
Last refreshed

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. Short-term debt includes all debt having an original maturity of one year or less and interest in arrears on long-term debt. Data expressed as a percentage of GDP at market prices.