External debt, end year in Africa
Africa: External debt, end year was 11.91 trillion current US$ in 2011. ◆ Volatile
External debt, end year in Africa, 1965–2011
Source: World Bank country economists. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
Africa recorded 11.91 trillion current US$ for external debt, end year in 2011. That is the highest value across all 47 years on record.
The figure is up 11.2% on the previous year and up 21.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external debt, end year in Africa peaked at 11.91 trillion current US$ in 2011 and was at its lowest, 468.27 million current US$, in 1965.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External debt, end year in Africa, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 468.27 million current US$ | — |
| 1966 | 1.80 billion current US$ | +285.1% |
| 1967 | 2.81 billion current US$ | +55.8% |
| 1968 | 3.10 billion current US$ | +10.4% |
| 1969 | 3.17 billion current US$ | +2.3% |
| 1970 | 4.26 billion current US$ | +34.3% |
| 1971 | 4.91 billion current US$ | +15.3% |
| 1972 | 5.25 billion current US$ | +6.9% |
| 1973 | 5.89 billion current US$ | +12.2% |
| 1974 | 6.40 billion current US$ | +8.7% |
| 1975 | 6.39 billion current US$ | -0.2% |
| 1976 | 7.61 billion current US$ | +19.0% |
| 1977 | 9.13 billion current US$ | +19.9% |
| 1978 | 10.94 billion current US$ | +19.8% |
| 1979 | 10.20 billion current US$ | -6.7% |
| 1980 | 13.52 billion current US$ | +32.6% |
| 1981 | 15.60 billion current US$ | +15.4% |
| 1982 | 16.69 billion current US$ | +7.0% |
| 1983 | 18.07 billion current US$ | +8.2% |
| 1984 | 28.03 billion current US$ | +55.1% |
| 1985 | 37.27 billion current US$ | +33.0% |
| 1986 | 43.95 billion current US$ | +17.9% |
| 1987 | 77.95 billion current US$ | +77.3% |
| 1988 | 85.99 billion current US$ | +10.3% |
| 1989 | 95.27 billion current US$ | +10.8% |
| 1990 | 111.32 billion current US$ | +16.8% |
| 1991 | 120.14 billion current US$ | +7.9% |
| 1992 | 135.53 billion current US$ | +12.8% |
| 1993 | 144.52 billion current US$ | +6.6% |
| 1994 | 1.92 trillion current US$ | +1229.1% |
| 1995 | 1.92 trillion current US$ | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 2.09 trillion current US$ | +8.7% |
| 1997 | 2.19 trillion current US$ | +4.8% |
| 1998 | 2.26 trillion current US$ | +3.4% |
| 1999 | 2.36 trillion current US$ | +4.3% |
| 2000 | 9.81 trillion current US$ | +315.9% |
| 2001 | 9.85 trillion current US$ | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 9.69 trillion current US$ | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 9.99 trillion current US$ | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 10.11 trillion current US$ | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 10.27 trillion current US$ | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 5.71 trillion current US$ | -44.4% |
| 2007 | 7.00 trillion current US$ | +22.6% |
| 2008 | 8.18 trillion current US$ | +16.8% |
| 2009 | 9.52 trillion current US$ | +16.5% |
| 2010 | 10.72 trillion current US$ | +12.5% |
| 2011 | 11.91 trillion current US$ | +11.2% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External debt, end year in 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +1229.1% | 144.52 billion current US$ | 1.92 trillion current US$ |
| 2000 | +315.9% | 2.36 trillion current US$ | 9.81 trillion current US$ |
| 1966 | +285.1% | 468.27 million current US$ | 1.80 billion current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.27 billion current US$ | 468.27 million current US$ | 3.17 billion current US$ | 5 |
| 1970s | 7.10 billion current US$ | 4.26 billion current US$ | 10.94 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 43.24 billion current US$ | 13.52 billion current US$ | 95.27 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.32 trillion current US$ | 111.32 billion current US$ | 2.36 trillion current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.01 trillion current US$ | 5.71 trillion current US$ | 10.27 trillion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.31 trillion current US$ | 10.72 trillion current US$ | 11.91 trillion current US$ | 2 |
Countries ranked near Africa
More science & technology data for Africa
- Proportion of individuals using the Internet 41.8% (2025)
- Proportion of population covered by at least a 2G mobile network 94.9% (2025)
- Proportion of population covered by at least a 3G mobile network 90.2% (2025)
- Proportion of population covered by at least a 4G mobile network 77.6% (2025)
- Proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex 69.4% (2024)
- Proportion of adults (15 years and older) with an account at a 54.9% (2024)
- Mobile phone subscribers 623.58 per 1,000 people (2011)
- Telephone mainlines 28.95 per 1,000 people (2011)
- Telephone (mainlines and mobile phone) subscribers 652.53 per 1,000 people (2011)
- Revenue from mobile communication 25.95 billion current US$ (2011)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external debt, end year in Africa?
- External debt, end year in Africa was 11.91 trillion current US$ in 2011, according to World Bank country economists.
- What is the highest external debt, end year recorded in Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 11.91 trillion current US$ in 2011.
- What is the lowest external debt, end year recorded in Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 468.27 million current US$ in 1965.
- How does Africa rank for external debt, end year?
- Africa ranks 1st out of 6 groups with data for 2011.
- Is external debt, end year rising or falling in Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank country economists, published as part of External debt, end year (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 47 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Foreign debt consists of the outstanding stock or recognized, direct liabilities of the government to the rest of the world, generated in the past and scheduled to be extinguished by government operations in the future or to continue as perpetual debt. Data are in current U.S. dollars.