Debt service on external debt, total (TDS, current US$) … annual in South Africa
South Africa: Debt service on external debt, total (TDS, current US$) … annual was -1.38 % change on previous year in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Debt service on external debt, total (TDS, current US$), annual in South Africa, 1995–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
The most recent figure for debt service on external debt, total (tds, current us$), annual in South Africa is -1.38 % change on previous year, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 92.0% on the previous year and up 94.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, debt service on external debt, total (tds, current us$), annual in South Africa peaked at 167.97 % change on previous year in 2015 and was at its lowest, -46.79 % change on previous year, in 2016.
South Africa ranks 82nd of 121 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Debt service on external debt, total (TDS, current US$) … annual in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 16.86 % change on previous year | — |
| 1996 | 24.94 % change on previous year | +47.9% |
| 1997 | 54.41 % change on previous year | +118.2% |
| 1998 | -32.89 % change on previous year | -160.4% |
| 1999 | 1.18 % change on previous year | -103.6% |
| 2000 | -9.44 % change on previous year | -899.3% |
| 2001 | 11.06 % change on previous year | -217.2% |
| 2002 | 16.43 % change on previous year | +48.5% |
| 2003 | -15.12 % change on previous year | -192.0% |
| 2004 | -7.45 % change on previous year | -50.8% |
| 2005 | 20.9 % change on previous year | -380.7% |
| 2006 | 55.19 % change on previous year | +164.0% |
| 2007 | -40.38 % change on previous year | -173.2% |
| 2008 | 52.03 % change on previous year | -228.8% |
| 2009 | -19.69 % change on previous year | -137.9% |
| 2010 | 19.35 % change on previous year | -198.2% |
| 2011 | 0.7727 % change on previous year | -96.0% |
| 2012 | 58.71 % change on previous year | +7498.2% |
| 2013 | 26.71 % change on previous year | -54.5% |
| 2014 | -25.1 % change on previous year | -194.0% |
| 2015 | 167.97 % change on previous year | -769.2% |
| 2016 | -46.79 % change on previous year | -127.9% |
| 2017 | 3.09 % change on previous year | -106.6% |
| 2018 | 95.31 % change on previous year | +2982.1% |
| 2019 | -26.16 % change on previous year | -127.5% |
| 2020 | 29.82 % change on previous year | -214.0% |
| 2021 | -4.07 % change on previous year | -113.6% |
| 2022 | 3.46 % change on previous year | -185.1% |
| 2023 | -17.16 % change on previous year | -595.6% |
| 2024 | -1.38 % change on previous year | -92.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's -1.38 % change on previous year is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 8.01 % change on previous year. (52 countries reporting)
- South Africa's -1.38 % change on previous year is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.74 % change on previous year. (44 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Debt service on external debt, total (TDS, current US$) … annual in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | +7498.2% | 0.7727 % change on previous year | 58.71 % change on previous year |
| 2018 | +2982.1% | 3.09 % change on previous year | 95.31 % change on previous year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 12.9 % change on previous year | -32.89 % change on previous year | 54.41 % change on previous year | 5 |
| 2000s | 6.35 % change on previous year | -40.38 % change on previous year | 55.19 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.39 % change on previous year | -46.79 % change on previous year | 167.97 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.14 % change on previous year | -17.16 % change on previous year | 29.82 % change on previous year | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 79 Yemen 0.0252 % change on previous year compare
- 80 Cape Verde -0.3092 % change on previous year compare
- 81 Sierra Leone -0.9435 % change on previous year compare
- 83 Kazakhstan -2.76 % change on previous year compare
- 84 Cameroon -2.89 % change on previous year compare
- 85 Sudan -3.27 % change on previous year compare
More external debt data for South Africa
- Net financial flows, IBRD 1.36 billion NFL, current US$ (2025)
- IFC, private nonguaranteed (NFL, US$), per capita -0.2407 NFL, US$ per person (2024)
- IFC, private nonguaranteed (NFL, US$), per unit of GDP -0 NFL, US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- IFC, private nonguaranteed (NFL, US$), per square kilometre 444.22 NFL, US$ per square kilometre (2023)
- Use of IMF credit 6.45 billion DOD, current US$ (2025)
- External debt stocks, public and publicly guaranteed (PPG) 115.04 billion DOD, current US$ (2025)
- External debt stocks, long-term 139.25 billion DOD, current US$ (2025)
- External debt stocks, short-term 60.64 billion DOD, current US$ (2025)
- Short-term debt 29.4% (2025)
- Net financial flows, IBRD (NFL, current US$), annual growth rate -109.7 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is debt service on external debt, total (tds, current us$), annual in South Africa?
- Debt service on external debt, total (tds, current us$), annual in South Africa was -1.38 % change on previous year in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest debt service on external debt, total (tds, current us$), annual recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 167.97 % change on previous year in 2015.
- What is the lowest debt service on external debt, total (tds, current us$), annual recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -46.79 % change on previous year in 2016.
- How does South Africa rank for debt service on external debt, total (tds, current us$), annual?
- South Africa ranks 82nd out of 121 countries with data for 2024.
- Is debt service on external debt, total (tds, current us$), annual rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 94.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Debt service on external debt, total (TDS, current US$), annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 30 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Debt service on external debt, total (TDS, current US$). Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Debt service on external debt, total International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Debt service on external debt, total (TDS, current US$). Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.