Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income): PNG, bonds (NFL, current US$)

Key figures

Since 1994 it is up 1,676% from US$45 million in 1994 (10.06% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 6 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2024, Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)'s PNG, bonds (NFL, current US$) rose US$1.12 billion on 2023 (from −US$320.02 million to US$799 million).

Across the 19 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2023), the average change was −US$46.55 million and a typical year strayed about US$446.87 million from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.6 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was US$1.12 billion in 2024 and the biggest yearly fall was US$970 million in 2010. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

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

What this measures

Nonguaranteed long-term debt from bonds that are privately placed. Net flows (or net lending or net disbursements) received by the borrower during the year are disbursements minus principal repayments. Data are in current U.S. dollars.

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

All 25 values

PNG, bonds (NFL, current US$) in nearby economies

• Lebanon — −US$300 million (2023)

More economic policy & debt data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)

• General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) — US$294.27 billion (2025)
• General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) — US$341.05 billion (2025)
• General government final consumption expenditure (% of GDP) — 13.8% (2025)
• Households and NPISHs final consumption expenditure (current US$) — US$1.46 trillion (2025)
• Households and NPISHs final consumption expenditure (% of GDP) — 68.25% (2025)
• Final consumption expenditure (current US$)

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Questions people ask

What is Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)'s PNG, bonds (NFL, current US$)?

US$799 million in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1994?

It is up 1,676% from US$45 million in 1994 (10.06% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was US$865 million in 2005 and the lowest −US$770 million in 2010.

Is the latest change in PNG, bonds (NFL, current US$) unusual for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?

In 2024, Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)'s PNG, bonds (NFL, current US$) rose US$1.12 billion on 2023 (from −US$320.02 million to US$799 million). Across the 19 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2023), the average change was −US$46.55 million and a typical year strayed about US$446.87 million from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.6 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator DT.NFL.PNGB.CD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB), uri: https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/debt-statistics, note: https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/debt-statistics 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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