Total government debt in Tanzania

Tanzania: Total government debt was 20.65 trillion current LCU in 2011. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2011)
20.65 trillion current LCU
Change on year
up 29.6%
World rank
3rd
of 44 countries
All-time high
20.65 trillion current LCU
in 2011
All-time low
0 current LCU
in 1981
Years of data
31
1981–2011

Total government debt in Tanzania, 1981–2011

05.0T10.0T15.0T20.0T1981199620111981: 0 current LCU1982: 17.0B current LCU1983: 21.6B current LCU1984: 25.7B current LCU1985: 35.5B current LCU1986: 42.6B current LCU1987: 47.6B current LCU1988: 52.0B current LCU1989: 52.6B current LCU1990: 64.3B current LCU1991: 62.2B current LCU1992: 67.5B current LCU1993: 114.0B current LCU1994: 170.7B current LCU1995: 325.0B current LCU1996: 532.9B current LCU1997: 702.1B current LCU1998: 608.1B current LCU1999: 619.1B current LCU2000: 6.0T current LCU2001: 6.5T current LCU2002: 7.0T current LCU2003: 9.0T current LCU2004: 10.2T current LCU2005: 10.4T current LCU2006: 7.5T current LCU2007: 9.3T current LCU2008: 10.3T current LCU2009: 13.0T current LCU2010: 15.9T current LCU2011: 20.6T current LCU

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

Analysis

In 2011, total government debt in Tanzania stood at 20.65 trillion current LCU. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.

The figure is up 29.6% on the previous year and up 215.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, total government debt in Tanzania peaked at 20.65 trillion current LCU in 2011 and was at its lowest, 0 current LCU, in 1981.

Tanzania ranks 3rd of 44 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

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

Total government debt in Tanzania, year by year

Annual values for Total government debt (current LCU) in Tanzania, 1981 to 2011.
Year current LCU Change
1981 0 current LCU
1982 16.95 billion current LCU
1983 21.62 billion current LCU +27.5%
1984 25.66 billion current LCU +18.7%
1985 35.45 billion current LCU +38.2%
1986 42.56 billion current LCU +20.0%
1987 47.60 billion current LCU +11.8%
1988 51.96 billion current LCU +9.2%
1989 52.56 billion current LCU +1.2%
1990 64.26 billion current LCU +22.3%
1991 62.18 billion current LCU -3.2%
1992 67.49 billion current LCU +8.5%
1993 113.99 billion current LCU +68.9%
1994 170.74 billion current LCU +49.8%
1995 325.00 billion current LCU +90.3%
1996 532.90 billion current LCU +64.0%
1997 702.12 billion current LCU +31.8%
1998 608.12 billion current LCU -13.4%
1999 619.12 billion current LCU +1.8%
2000 5.99 trillion current LCU +867.3%
2001 6.54 trillion current LCU +9.2%
2002 7.03 trillion current LCU +7.4%
2003 9.01 trillion current LCU +28.3%
2004 10.22 trillion current LCU +13.4%
2005 10.38 trillion current LCU +1.6%
2006 7.47 trillion current LCU -28.1%
2007 9.28 trillion current LCU +24.3%
2008 10.26 trillion current LCU +10.5%
2009 12.99 trillion current LCU +26.7%
2010 15.93 trillion current LCU +22.6%
2011 20.65 trillion current LCU +29.6%

Tanzania compared with similar countries

  • Tanzania's 20.65 trillion current LCU is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 676.14 billion current LCU, 30.5× the median. (22 countries reporting)
  • Tanzania's 20.65 trillion current LCU is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 525.00 billion current LCU, 39.3× the median. (39 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Total government debt in Tanzania 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
2000 +867.3% 619.12 billion current LCU 5.99 trillion current LCU

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 32.71 billion current LCU 0 current LCU 52.56 billion current LCU 9
1990s 326.59 billion current LCU 62.18 billion current LCU 702.12 billion current LCU 10
2000s 8.92 trillion current LCU 5.99 trillion current LCU 12.99 trillion current LCU 10
2010s 18.29 trillion current LCU 15.93 trillion current LCU 20.65 trillion current LCU 2

Countries ranked near Tanzania

  1. 1 Mozambique 124.15 trillion current LCU compare
  2. 2 Zambia 20.86 trillion current LCU compare
  3. 4 Cote d'Ivoire 16.22 trillion current LCU compare
  4. 5 Guinea 15.46 trillion current LCU compare
  5. 6 Uganda 8.85 trillion current LCU compare

See the full ranking of 44 places →

More science & technology data for Tanzania

All data for Tanzania →

Frequently asked questions

What is total government debt in Tanzania?
Total government debt in Tanzania was 20.65 trillion current LCU in 2011, according to World Bank country economists.
What is the highest total government debt recorded in Tanzania?
The highest recorded value was 20.65 trillion current LCU in 2011.
What is the lowest total government debt recorded in Tanzania?
The lowest recorded value was 0 current LCU in 1981.
How does Tanzania rank for total government debt?
Tanzania ranks 3rd out of 44 countries with data for 2011.
Is total government debt rising or falling in Tanzania?
Over the last ten years it is up 215.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Tanzania data come from?
The figures come from World Bank country economists, published as part of Total government debt (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Total government debt in Tanzania. Statizoid, drawing on World Bank country economists. Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/total-government-debt-current-lcu/tanzania/

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About this data

Indicator
Total government debt (current LCU)
Unit
current LCU
Source
World Bank country economists
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
44 places, 1,020 data points, 1965–2011
Last refreshed

Debt is the entire stock of direct government fixed-term contractual obligations to others outstanding on a particular date. It includes domestic and foreign liabilities such as currency and money deposits, securities other than shares, and loans. It is the gross amount of government liabilities reduced by the amount of equity and financial derivatives held by the government. Because debt is a stock rather than a flow, it is measured as of a given date, usually the last day of the fiscal year. Data are in current local currency.