Nepal: Public and publicly guaranteed debt service (% of GNI)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Nepal's public and publicly guaranteed debt service (% of GNI) rose 0.03 percentage points on 2023 (from 0.85% to 0.87%).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −0.03 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.14 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 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 0.42 percentage points in 1992 and the biggest yearly fall was 0.27 percentage points 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 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 12% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

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 98th highest value of the 117 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

• Sierra Leone — 95th of 117: 0.98%
• Russian Federation — 96th of 117: 0.93%
• Myanmar — 97th of 117: 0.91%
• Liberia — 99th of 117: 0.79%
• Ethiopia — 100th of 117: 0.73%
• India — 101st of 117: 0.72%

What this measures

Public and publicly guaranteed debt service to gross national income. Public and publicly guaranteed debt service is the sum of principal repayments and interest actually paid in currency, goods, or services on long-term obligations of public debtors and long-term private obligations guaranteed by a public entity. GNI (formerly GNP) is the sum of value added by all resident producers plus any product taxes (less subsidies) not included in the valuation of output plus net receipts of primary income (compensation of employees and property income) from abroad.

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

All 55 values

Public and publicly guaranteed debt service (% of GNI) in nearby economies

• Bangladesh — 1.09% (2024)
• Bhutan — 5% (2024)
• India — 0.72% (2024)
• Maldives — 6.82% (2024)
• Sri Lanka — 2.8% (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

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Nepal's public and publicly guaranteed debt service (% of GNI)?

0.87% in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1970?

It is up 0.56 percentage points from 0.31% in 1970. The highest value was 1.97% in 1999 and the lowest 0.04% in 1971.

How does Nepal rank?

98th highest of 117 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in public and publicly guaranteed debt service (% of GNI) unusual for Nepal?

In 2024, Nepal's public and publicly guaranteed debt service (% of GNI) rose 0.03 percentage points on 2023 (from 0.85% to 0.87%). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −0.03 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.14 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 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.DPPG.GN.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB), uri: 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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