Nepal: Debt service on external debt, total (TDS, current US$)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Nepal's debt service on external debt, total (TDS, current US$) rose 15% on 2023 (from US$467.06 million to US$536.99 million).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +7.2% and a typical year strayed about 10% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.8 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 176.9% in 1978 and the biggest yearly fall was 86.7% in 1971. 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 upward, about US$30.11 million a year. A straight line explains 76% 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, Nepal had the 75th highest value of the 120 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 Nepal in the 2024 ranking

• Guyana — 72nd of 120: US$599.44 million
• Tajikistan — 73rd of 120: US$573.62 million
• Haiti — 74th of 120: US$543 million
• Maldives — 76th of 120: US$501.52 million
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — 77th of 120: US$471.11 million
• Algeria — 78th of 120: US$444.97 million

What this measures

Total debt service is the sum of principal repayments and interest actually paid in currency, goods, or services on long-term debt, interest paid on short-term debt, and repayments (repurchases and charges) to the IMF. Data are in current U.S. dollars.

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

All 55 values

Debt service on external debt, total (TDS, current US$) in nearby economies

• Bangladesh — US$8.6 billion (2024)
• Bhutan — US$161.37 million (2024)
• India — US$91.62 billion (2024)
• Maldives — US$501.52 million (2024)
• Sri Lanka — US$4.81 billion (2024)

More economic policy & debt data for Nepal

• Total reserves, including gold (current US$) — US$21.1 billion (2025)
• Total reserves, excluding gold (current US$) — US$19.98 billion (2025)
• Services, value added (current US$) — US$24.73 billion (2025)
• Services, value added (current LCU) — 3.37 trillion (2025)
• Services, value added (% of GDP) — 54.37% (2025)
• Gross Value Added (GVA) at basic prices (current US$) — US$40.02 billion (2025)
• Gross Value Added (GVA) at basic prices (current LCU) — 5.45 trillion (2025)
• GDP (current US$) — US$45.49 billion (2025)
• GDP (current LCU) — 6.2 trillion (2025)
• GDP (constant 2015 US$) — US$36.54 billion (2025)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Nepal's debt service on external debt, total (TDS, current US$)?

US$536.99 million in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1970?

It is up 19,708% from US$2.71 million in 1970 (10.29% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was US$536.99 million in 2024 and the lowest US$359,557 in 1971.

How does Nepal rank?

75th highest of 120 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in debt service on external debt, total (TDS, current US$) unusual for Nepal?

In 2024, Nepal's debt service on external debt, total (TDS, current US$) rose 15% on 2023 (from US$467.06 million to US$536.99 million). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +7.2% and a typical year strayed about 10% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.8 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.TDS.DECT.CD, 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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