Gross external debt, Percent of GDP (Balance of Payments and) in Ghana
Ghana: Gross external debt, Percent of GDP (Balance of Payments and) was 24.56 in 2027. ▲ Rising
Gross external debt, Percent of GDP (Balance of Payments and) in Ghana, 2000–2027
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
In 2027, gross external debt, percent of gdp (balance of payments and) in Ghana stood at 24.56.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.8% on the previous year and down 35.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross external debt, percent of gdp (balance of payments and) in Ghana peaked at 49.48 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 7.03, in 2006.
That places Ghana 28th out of 45 countries with data for 2027, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.
Gross external debt, Percent of GDP (Balance of Payments and) in Ghana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 49.48 | — |
| 2001 | 46.17 | -6.7% |
| 2002 | 40.36 | -12.6% |
| 2003 | 40.41 | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 29.76 | -26.3% |
| 2005 | 24.21 | -18.7% |
| 2006 | 7.03 | -71.0% |
| 2007 | 9.81 | +39.6% |
| 2008 | 9.76 | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 13.49 | +38.1% |
| 2010 | 13.76 | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 17.02 | +23.6% |
| 2012 | 21.1 | +24.0% |
| 2013 | 23.18 | +9.8% |
| 2014 | 28.78 | +24.2% |
| 2015 | 35.46 | +23.2% |
| 2016 | 34.19 | -3.6% |
| 2017 | 38.06 | +11.3% |
| 2018 | 34.65 | -9.0% |
| 2019 | 36.8 | +6.2% |
| 2020 | 41.96 | +14.0% |
| 2021 | 41.79 | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 41.72 | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 38.88 | -6.8% |
| 2024 | 36.22 | -6.8% |
| 2025 | 26.8 | -26.0% |
| 2026 | 25.81 | -3.7% |
| 2027 | 24.56 | -4.8% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 24.56 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 26.53, 93% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 24.56 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 30.44, 81% of the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 27.05 | 7.03 | 49.48 | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.3 | 13.76 | 38.06 | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.72 | 24.56 | 41.96 | 8 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 25 Gabon 25.97 compare
- 26 Sao Tome and Principe 25.1 compare
- 27 Niger 24.57 compare
- 29 Cameroon 23.99 compare
- 30 Sierra Leone 23.19 compare
- 31 Central African Republic 23.03 compare
More external debt data for Ghana
- IFC, private nonguaranteed -35.10 million NFL, US$ (2024)
- IFC, private nonguaranteed (NFL, US$), per capita -1.02 NFL, US$ per person (2024)
- IFC, private nonguaranteed (NFL, US$), per unit of GDP -0.0004 NFL, US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- IFC, private nonguaranteed (NFL, US$), per square kilometre -281.78 NFL, US$ per square kilometre (2023)
- Public and publicly guaranteed debt service 1.1% (2024)
- Net financial flows, IDA 843.42 million NFL, current US$ (2024)
- Net financial flows, IDA (NFL, current US$), per capita 24.5 NFL, current US$ per person (2024)
- Net financial flows, IDA (NFL, current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0101 NFL, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Net financial flows, IBRD -2.25 million NFL, current US$ (2005)
- Public and publicly guaranteed debt service 2.9% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross external debt, percent of gdp (balance of payments and) in Ghana?
- Gross external debt, percent of gdp (balance of payments and) in Ghana was 24.56 in 2027, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest gross external debt, percent of gdp (balance of payments and) recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 49.48 in 2000.
- What is the lowest gross external debt, percent of gdp (balance of payments and) recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.03 in 2006.
- How does Ghana rank for gross external debt, percent of gdp (balance of payments and)?
- Ghana ranks 28th out of 45 countries with data for 2027.
- Is gross external debt, percent of gdp (balance of payments and) rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Gross external debt, Percent of GDP (Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual, Sixth Edition (BPM6)). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Economic Outlook (REO) provides information on recent economic developments and prospects for countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Data for the REO for sub-Saharan Africa are prepared in conjunction with the semi-annual World Economic Outlook (WEO) exercises, spring and fall.