Uganda: Total debt service (% of exports of goods, services and primary income)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Uganda's total debt service (% of exports of goods, services and primary income) fell 16.03 percentage points on 2023 (from 29.97% to 13.94%).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −0.53 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 6.61 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.3 standard deviations below that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 27.75 percentage points in 1988 and the biggest yearly fall was 18.52 percentage points in 1994. 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 1.73 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 40% 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, Uganda had the 50th highest value of the 109 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 Uganda in the 2024 ranking

• Philippines — 46th of 109: 14.43%
• North Macedonia — 47th of 109: 14.42%
• Kyrgyz Republic — 48th of 109: 13.95%
• Togo — 50th of 109: 13.82%
• Burkina Faso — 51st of 109: 13.6%
• Congo, Rep. — 52nd of 109: 13.56%

What this measures

Total debt service to exports of goods, services and primary income. 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.

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

All 45 values

Total debt service (% of exports of goods, services and primary income) in nearby economies

• Angola — 28.91% (2024)
• Benin — 26.81% (2024)
• Botswana — 4.72% (2024)
• Burkina Faso — 13.6% (2024)
• Burundi — 10.96% (2023)
• Cabo Verde — 12.62% (2024)
• Cameroon — 20.15% (2023)
• Central African Republic — 13.4% (2024)
• Chad

More economic policy & debt data for Uganda

• Exports of goods and services (current US$) — US$13.29 billion (2025)
• Exports of goods and services (current LCU) — 48.86 trillion (2025)
• Exports of goods and services (% of GDP) — 21.44% (2025)
• Gross capital formation (current US$) — US$14.04 billion (2025)
• Gross capital formation (current LCU) — 51.61 trillion (2025)
• Gross capital formation (% of GDP) — 22.65% (2025)
• Imports of goods and services (current US$) — US$17.83 billion (2025)
• Imports of goods and services (current LCU) — 65.54 trillion (2025)
• Imports of goods and services (% of GDP) — 28.76% (2025)
• External balance on goods and services (current US$)

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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Questions people ask

What is Uganda's total debt service (% of exports of goods, services and primary income)?

13.94% in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1980?

It is down 3.41 percentage points from 17.35% in 1980. The highest value was 81.36% in 1990 and the lowest 1.36% in 2012.

How does Uganda rank?

50th highest of 109 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in total debt service (% of exports of goods, services and primary income) unusual for Uganda?

In 2024, Uganda's total debt service (% of exports of goods, services and primary income) fell 16.03 percentage points on 2023 (from 29.97% to 13.94%). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −0.53 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 6.61 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.3 standard deviations below that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator DT.TDS.DECT.EX.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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