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Public and publicly guaranteed debt service in Zambia

Zambia: Public and publicly guaranteed debt service was 5.4% in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
5.4%
Change on year
up 76.4%
World rank
70th
of 120 countries
All-time high
38.8%
in 1991
All-time low
0.8%
in 2011
Years of data
42
1978–2024

Public and publicly guaranteed debt service in Zambia, 1978–2024

0102030401978200120241978: 25.3 % of exports of goods, services and primary income1979: 16.7 % of exports of goods, services and primary income1980: 17.7 % of exports of goods, services and primary income1981: 25 % of exports of goods, services and primary income1982: 16.1 % of exports of goods, services and primary income1983: 11.6 % of exports of goods, services and primary income1984: 11.6 % of exports of goods, services and primary income1985: 10 % of exports of goods, services and primary income1986: 21.1 % of exports of goods, services and primary income1987: 18.5 % of exports of goods, services and primary income1988: 15.1 % of exports of goods, services and primary income1989: 12 % of exports of goods, services and primary income1990: 12.6 % of exports of goods, services and primary income1991: 38.8 % of exports of goods, services and primary income1997: 17.8 % of exports of goods, services and primary income1998: 19 % of exports of goods, services and primary income1999: 13.6 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2000: 17.4 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2001: 11.7 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2002: 12.6 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2003: 34.2 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2004: 5.8 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2005: 3.5 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2006: 1.6 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2007: 0.797 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2008: 1.3 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2009: 1.4 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2010: 0.796 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2011: 0.788 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2012: 1.4 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2013: 2.3 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2014: 1.9 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2015: 3.9 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2016: 6.9 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2017: 6.1 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2018: 8.1 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2019: 12.5 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2020: 8.2 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2021: 2.9 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2022: 3.5 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2023: 3 % of exports of goods, services and primary income2024: 5.4 % of exports of goods, services and primary income

Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of exports of goods, services and primary income.

Analysis

Zambia recorded 5.4% for public and publicly guaranteed debt service in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 76.4% on the previous year and up 181.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, public and publicly guaranteed debt service in Zambia peaked at 38.8% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 0.8%, in 2011.

Zambia ranks 70th of 120 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.

Public and publicly guaranteed debt service in Zambia, year by year

Year % of exports of goods, services and primary income Change
1978 25.3% —
1979 16.7% -33.9%
1980 17.7% +5.9%
1981 25.0% +41.3%
1982 16.1% -35.7%
1983 11.6% -27.6%
1984 11.6% -0.6%
1985 10.0% -13.8%
1986 21.1% +111.0%
1987 18.5% -12.2%
1988 15.1% -18.6%
1989 12.0% -20.0%
1990 12.6% +4.3%
1991 38.8% +208.5%
1997 17.8% -54.0%
1998 19.0% +6.7%
1999 13.6% -28.6%
2000 17.4% +28.3%
2001 11.7% -32.9%
2002 12.6% +7.8%
2003 34.2% +171.4%
2004 5.8% -83.1%
2005 3.5% -39.0%
2006 1.6% -55.2%
2007 0.8% -49.6%
2008 1.3% +61.9%
2009 1.4% +11.7%
2010 0.8% -44.8%
2011 0.8% -1.0%
2012 1.4% +81.3%
2013 2.3% +57.6%
2014 1.9% -15.6%
2015 3.9% +104.4%
2016 6.9% +76.6%
2017 6.1% -10.7%
2018 8.1% +32.8%
2019 12.5% +53.5%
2020 8.2% -34.6%
2021 2.9% -64.4%
2022 3.5% +20.6%
2023 3.0% -13.5%
2024 5.4% +76.4%

Zambia compared with similar countries

  • Zambia's 5.4% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.4%, 84% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
  • Zambia's 5.4% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.7%, 94% of the median. (43 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 21.0% 16.7% 25.3% 2
1980s 15.9% 10.0% 25.0% 10
1990s 20.4% 12.6% 38.8% 5
2000s 9.0% 0.8% 34.2% 10
2010s 4.5% 0.8% 12.5% 10
2020s 4.6% 2.9% 8.2% 5

Countries ranked near Zambia

  1. 67 Burundi 5.5% compare
  2. 68 Mexico 5.5% compare
  3. 69 Ukraine 5.5% compare
  4. 71 Peru 5.3% compare
  5. 72 Mauritius 5.2% compare
  6. 73 Gambia 5.2% compare

See the full ranking of 152 places →

More external debt data for Zambia

All data for Zambia →

Frequently asked questions

What is public and publicly guaranteed debt service in Zambia?
Public and publicly guaranteed debt service in Zambia was 5.4% in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
What is the highest public and publicly guaranteed debt service recorded in Zambia?
The highest recorded value was 38.8% in 1991.
What is the lowest public and publicly guaranteed debt service recorded in Zambia?
The lowest recorded value was 0.8% in 2011.
How does Zambia rank for public and publicly guaranteed debt service?
Zambia ranks 70th out of 120 countries with data for 2024.
Is public and publicly guaranteed debt service rising or falling in Zambia?
Over the last ten years it is up 181.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Zambia data come from?
The figures come from International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB), published as part of Public and publicly guaranteed debt service (% of exports of goods, services and primary income). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Public and publicly guaranteed debt service in Zambia. Statizoid, drawing on International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Retrieved 18 September 2026, from https://debt.statizoid.com/stat/public-and-publicly-guaranteed-debt-service-percent-of-exports-of-goods-services-and/zambia/

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About this data

Indicator
Public and publicly guaranteed debt service (% of exports of goods, services and primary income)
Unit
% of exports of goods, services and primary income
Source
International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
152 places, 5,881 data points, 1970–2024
Last refreshed

Public and publicly guaranteed debt service to exports of goods, services, and income. Public and publicly guaranteed debt service is the sum of principal repayments and interest actually paid in currency, goods, or services on long-term obligations of public debtors and long-term private obligations guaranteed by a public entity. Exports of goods, services and primary income is the sum of goods (merchandise) exports, exports of (nonfactor) services and income (factor) receipts.