Iran, Islamic Rep.: Short-term debt (% of total external debt)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Iran, Islamic Rep.'s short-term debt (% of total external debt) rose 0.59 percentage points on 2023 (from 23.08% to 23.67%).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −1.74 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 15.53 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 55.96 percentage points in 1982 and the biggest yearly fall was 47.19 percentage points in 2012. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is downward, about 3.22 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 49% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, Iran, Islamic Rep. had the 18th highest value of the 118 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Iran, Islamic Rep. in the 2024 ranking

• South Africa — 15th of 118: 26.62%
• Algeria — 16th of 118: 25.46%
• North Macedonia — 17th of 118: 24.77%
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 19th of 118: 22.13%
• Vanuatu — 20th of 118: 22.1%
• Sudan — 21st of 118: 21.51%

What this measures

Short-term debt includes all debt having an original maturity of one year or less and interest in arrears on long-term debt. Total external debt is debt owed to nonresidents repayable in currency, goods, or services. Total external debt is the sum of public, publicly guaranteed, and private nonguaranteed long-term debt, use of IMF credit, and short-term debt.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 54 values

Short-term debt (% of total external debt) in nearby economies

• Afghanistan — 13.24% (2024)
• Algeria — 25.46% (2024)
• Djibouti — 14.99% (2024)
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 19.87% (2024)
• Iraq — 4.15% (2024)
• Jordan — 38.11% (2024)
• Lebanon — 28.26% (2024)
• Morocco — 11.04% (2024)
• Pakistan — 7.41% (2024)
• Syrian Arab Republic — 12.95% (2024)

More economic policy & debt data for Iran, Islamic Rep.

• General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) — US$48.21 billion (2025)
• General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU) — 35,797.6 trillion (2025)
• General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) — US$68.4 billion (2025)
• General government final consumption expenditure (constant LCU) — 10,151.5 trillion (2025)
• General government final consumption expenditure (% of GDP) — 13.29% (2025)
• Households and NPISHs final consumption expenditure (current US$) — US$194.65 billion (2025)
• Households and NPISHs final consumption expenditure (current LCU) — 144,548 trillion (2025)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Iran, Islamic Rep.'s short-term debt (% of total external debt)?

23.67% in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1971?

It is up 23.67 percentage points from 0% in 1971. The highest value was 88.98% in 1992 and the lowest 0% in 1971.

How does Iran, Islamic Rep. rank?

18th highest of 118 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in short-term debt (% of total external debt) unusual for Iran, Islamic Rep.?

In 2024, Iran, Islamic Rep.'s short-term debt (% of total external debt) rose 0.59 percentage points on 2023 (from 23.08% to 23.67%). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −1.74 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 15.53 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator DT.DOD.DSTC.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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