External borrowing, net in Zambia

Zambia: External borrowing, net was 1.52 trillion current LCU in 2011. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2011)
1.52 trillion current LCU
Change on year
up 535.6%
World rank
2nd
of 50 countries
All-time high
1.52 trillion current LCU
in 2011
All-time low
-6.46 trillion current LCU
in 2006
Years of data
27
1985–2011

External borrowing, net in Zambia, 1985–2011

-6.0T-4.0T-2.0T02.0T1985199820111985: 78.4M current LCU1986: 2.1B current LCU1987: -54.1M current LCU1988: 1.2B current LCU1989: 620.6M current LCU1990: -21.5B current LCU1991: 1.7B current LCU1992: 17.6B current LCU1993: 94.2B current LCU1994: 110.5B current LCU1995: 108.0B current LCU1996: 65.0B current LCU1997: 103.0B current LCU1998: 47.0B current LCU1999: 226.0B current LCU2000: 531.0B current LCU2001: 466.9B current LCU2002: 693.4B current LCU2003: 308.4B current LCU2004: 229.7B current LCU2005: 241.4B current LCU2006: -6.5T current LCU2007: 142.6B current LCU2008: 263.7B current LCU2009: -33.1B current LCU2010: 239.8B current LCU2011: 1.5T current LCU

Source: World Bank country economists. Measured in current LCU.

Analysis

In 2011, external borrowing, net in Zambia stood at 1.52 trillion current LCU. That is the highest value across all 27 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 535.6% on the previous year and up 226.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, external borrowing, net in Zambia peaked at 1.52 trillion current LCU in 2011 and was at its lowest, -6.46 trillion current LCU, in 2006.

That places Zambia 2nd out of 50 countries with data for 2011, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

External borrowing, net in Zambia, year by year

Annual values for External borrowing, net (current LCU) in Zambia, 1985 to 2011.
Year current LCU Change
1985 78.40 million current LCU
1986 2.12 billion current LCU +2607.5%
1987 -54.10 million current LCU -102.5%
1988 1.22 billion current LCU -2354.7%
1989 620.60 million current LCU -49.1%
1990 -21.48 billion current LCU -3561.7%
1991 1.66 billion current LCU -107.7%
1992 17.64 billion current LCU +963.6%
1993 94.18 billion current LCU +434.1%
1994 110.49 billion current LCU +17.3%
1995 108.00 billion current LCU -2.3%
1996 65.00 billion current LCU -39.8%
1997 103.00 billion current LCU +58.5%
1998 47.00 billion current LCU -54.4%
1999 226.00 billion current LCU +380.9%
2000 531.00 billion current LCU +135.0%
2001 466.93 billion current LCU -12.1%
2002 693.36 billion current LCU +48.5%
2003 308.43 billion current LCU -55.5%
2004 229.74 billion current LCU -25.5%
2005 241.35 billion current LCU +5.1%
2006 -6.46 trillion current LCU -2777.5%
2007 142.64 billion current LCU -102.2%
2008 263.72 billion current LCU +84.9%
2009 -33.06 billion current LCU -112.5%
2010 239.79 billion current LCU -825.3%
2011 1.52 trillion current LCU +535.6%

Zambia compared with similar countries

  • Zambia's 1.52 trillion current LCU is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.27 billion current LCU, 465.7× the median. (24 countries reporting)
  • Zambia's 1.52 trillion current LCU is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 9.40 billion current LCU, 162.1× the median. (45 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where External borrowing, net in Zambia 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.

YearChange FromTo
1990 -3561.7% 620.60 million current LCU -21.48 billion current LCU
2006 -2777.5% 241.35 billion current LCU -6.46 trillion current LCU
1986 +2607.5% 78.40 million current LCU 2.12 billion current LCU
1988 +2354.7% -54.10 million current LCU 1.22 billion current LCU
1992 +963.6% 1.66 billion current LCU 17.64 billion current LCU
2010 +825.3% -33.06 billion current LCU 239.79 billion current LCU

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 797.48 million current LCU -54.10 million current LCU 2.12 billion current LCU 5
1990s 75.15 billion current LCU -21.48 billion current LCU 226.00 billion current LCU 10
2000s -361.82 billion current LCU -6.46 trillion current LCU 693.36 billion current LCU 10
2010s 881.99 billion current LCU 239.79 billion current LCU 1.52 trillion current LCU 2

Countries ranked near Zambia

  1. 1 Mozambique 21.95 trillion current LCU compare
  2. 3 Tanzania 1.08 trillion current LCU compare
  3. 4 Uganda 1.02 trillion current LCU compare
  4. 5 Congo 646.76 billion current LCU compare

See the full ranking of 50 places →

More science & technology data for Zambia

All data for Zambia →

Frequently asked questions

What is external borrowing, net in Zambia?
External borrowing, net in Zambia was 1.52 trillion current LCU in 2011, according to World Bank country economists.
What is the highest external borrowing, net recorded in Zambia?
The highest recorded value was 1.52 trillion current LCU in 2011.
What is the lowest external borrowing, net recorded in Zambia?
The lowest recorded value was -6.46 trillion current LCU in 2006.
How does Zambia rank for external borrowing, net?
Zambia ranks 2nd out of 50 countries with data for 2011.
Is external borrowing, net rising or falling in Zambia?
Over the last ten years it is up 226.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Zambia data come from?
The figures come from World Bank country economists, published as part of External borrowing, net (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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External borrowing, net in Zambia. Statizoid, drawing on World Bank country economists. Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/external-borrowing-net-current-lcu/zambia/

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About this data

Indicator
External borrowing, net (current LCU)
Unit
current LCU
Source
World Bank country economists
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
50 places, 1,388 data points, 1965–2011
Last refreshed

Financing from abroad (obtained from nonresidents) refer to the means by which a government provides financial resources to cover a budget deficit or allocates financial resources arising from a budget surplus. It includes all government liabilities--other. Data are in current local currency.