Though the South Asia Region (SAR) contains just eight countries, it accounts for almost a quarter of the world’s population. But it also carries an increasing share of global debt. Exploring South Asia’s debt dynamics helps us understand and better manage fiscal risks.
The world’s poorest countries face ballooning debt service payments, record high refinancing costs, limited access to markets, and severely reduced capital inflows. Without action, 2024 will see a further rise in debt vulnerability —potentially leading to reversals in development outcomes.
The International Debt Report 2023 is the 50th edition of the World Bank’s annual publication. Over the past decade, the rise in the external debt stock of low- and middle-income countries has outpaced economic growth, raising concerns about these countries’ ability to service their debt. Read more on this and findings from the latest data.
The latest data from the most comprehensive and transparent source of verifiable, cross-country comparable external debt data of low- and middle-income countries. Visit the World Bank's DataBank to explore the International Debt Statistics database.
As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of this landmark publication, it is important to recognize the intricate link between debt transparency, sustainable debt management, and the improvements in global poverty over the past five decades.
The new International Debt Statistics (IDS) 2023 Data Sources and Methodology document provides comprehensive information on the sources of this database, the methodology used to compile the data, the detailed definition of external debt and its components, and the sectoral coverage.
Program Manager, Development Data Group
Senior Economist, Development Data Group
Senior Economist, Development Data Group
