The World Bank Debt Data Team produces a series of periodic (annual and quarterly publications) and non-periodic (educational materials, other documents, and blog posts) products related to the debt data. Explore the sections below to see the different products including the annual International Debt Report (IDR).
In 1973, the first publication of debt statistics from the World Bank’s Debtor Reporting System (DRS) was published as the World Debt Tables. Since then, the publication and data have undergone numerous iterations to address the challenges and demands posed by the global economic conditions. Below, you can find the links to these annual publications.
International Debt Report
In 2022, the annual publication was rebranded as International Debt Report (IDR) to reflect new and substantive analysis on debt issues, and the expansion in the granularity and coverage of the data. While the name of the publication changed, the publicly available statistics will remain named International Debt Statistics (IDS). Visit the IDR Product Page for more.
International Debt Statistics
In 2013, the publication of debt statistics from the World Bank’s Debtor Reporting System (DRS) changed its name from Global Development Finance to International Debt Statistics. Over the years, the country tables were also streamlined to highlight core debt indicators and ratios, while providing users access to hundreds of debt indicators through the online database.
Global Development Finance/World Debt Tables
Before 2013, the International Debt Statistics was called Global Development Finance. The publication was initially available in two volumes: Volume I was the analysis and commentary and Volume II was the summary and country tables. Before 1997, the analysis and statistical tables were published as The World Debt Tables.
The Little Data Book on External Debt
The Little Data Book on External Debt is a pocket edition of Global Development Finance. It includes statistical tables of the external debt of developing countries. It also includes tables of selected debt and resource flow statistics for individual reporting countries as well as summary tables for regional and income groups.
| 2012 | 2010 | 2008 | 2006 |
| 2011 | 2009 | 2007 |
These archives contain Excel spreadsheets and range in size from 6-80Mb (compressed), and include databases from the period prior to 2012 when the report was named Global Development Finance. Archives from July, 2010 to October, 2012 also include data from the World Development Indicators (WDI). Archives prior to February, 2010 also include data in text and MS Access formats. Note that the Year column refers to the calendar year in which the database and its corresponding report were originally published.
| Year | Month(s) |
| 2021 | January, October |
| 2019 | December |
| 2018 | December |
| 2017 | December |
| 2016 | December |
| 2015 | December |
| 2014 | December |
| 2013 | December |
| 2012 | December, October, September, July, May, April |
| 2011 | December, September, July, April |
| 2010 | December, July, February |
| 2009 | May |
| 2008 | December, April |
| 2007 | November, April |
| 2006 | December, April |
| 2005 | November, April |
For databases from 1989-2005, you can visit the WDI archive on DataBank.
The Debt Reports and Debt Bulletins are published online, at regular intervals, over the course of the year and complement the International Debt Statistics. The aim of these publications is to provide users with analyses of evolving trends and developments related to external debt and public debt in individual countries and regional groups, with primary emphasis on low- and middle-income countries, and to keep users abreast of debt-related issues and initiatives.
Debt Reports
This is the second in the series of Debt Reports for 2022. This edition presents preliminary estimates of external debt stocks at end-2021 for low- and middle-income countries and information on new bond issuance in international capital markets in 2021. The report also provides an update on new initiatives to enhance debt transparency and broaden the coverage of the debt data collected and disseminated by the World Bank.
This is the first of three Debt Reports for 2022 to be published online over the course of the year to provide users with data and analysis on external and public debt of low- and middle-income countries. This report presents summary analyses of the composition of external debt stocks and flows from the regional perspective and updated data on the outcomes of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI).
This is the second of the series of Debt Reports for 2021 and is focused on the preliminary estimates of external debt stocks at end-2020 for 120 low- and middle-income countries, and information on low- and middle-income countries’ bond issuance in international capital markets in 2020.
This is the first of the series of Debt Reports for 2021 and presents a summary analysis of the composition of external debt stocks and flows from a regional perspective and draws out the main messages of the regional and country specific data available to users at: https://data.worldbank.org/products/ids.
This is the third in the series of Debt Reports for 2020 and highlights the new data series launched in support of the COVID-19 Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) and gives a brief overview of external debt volumes and composition in eligible countries.
This is the second of a new series of Debt Reports for 2020 and is focused on a preliminary estimate of the evolution of external debt stocks in 2019 in low- and middle-income countries and comparable developments in high-income countries.
This is the first of a new series of Debt Reports for 2020 and presents an overview of the evolution of external debt stocks and net financial flows (debt and equity) from the regional perspective and draws out the main messages from the regional and country specific data available to users at https://data.worldbank.org/products/ids.
Debt Bulletins
The 7th Edition highlights the following: measuring public debt in low- and middle-income countries, debt reporting obligations of IBRD and IDA borrowers, and external debt trends in 2018.
The 6th Edition highlights the following: external debt and public debt data, external debt trends in 2017, and trends in high-income countries.
The 5th Edition highlights the following: financial flows to low- and middle-income countries rise in 2016, regional trends in debt inflows to low- and middle-income countries 2016, regional highlights, official creditors - spotlight on bilateral loans from non-traditional sources. /content/programs/debt-portal/en/quarterly-bulletin-december-2017.html
The 4th Edition highlights the following: the link between the categories in DRS and QEDS, external debt trends in low- and middle-income countries - first half 2016, and external debt trends in high income countries - first half 2016.
The 3rd Edition highlights the following: private sector non-guaranteed debt, private sector external borrowing accounts for an increasing share of external debt, and World Bank lending outcomes in FY16 – a banner year for IBRD.
The 2nd Edition highlights the following: external debt trends in high-income countries 2015, organizing public sector debt statistics to maximize their analytical use and international comparability, bond issuance by low- and middle-income countries in 2015, and Sub-Saharan Africa bucks the trend.
The 1st Edition highlights the following: where one can find debt statistics, what do DRS and QEDS measure, and the external debt trends of 2015.
The Debt Team has produced several resources to help users better understand debt statistics and the World Bank's work on debt transparency. Explore the links below to learn more.
Documents
Debt Service Payments Projections: What we Measure [archived]
Presentations
World Bank Agenda on Enhancing Debt Data Quality and Transparency | Evis Rucaj | April 2022
Videos
Making Debt Work: Financing for Sustainable Growth | Spring Meetings | April 2022
(please note that prior registration to the Spring Meetings is needed to view this page and video)
Raising the Bar on Debt Data Transparency | Let's Talk Data | April 2022
(video is below)
Is Debt Good or Bad? | Econonothon | July 2019 |
Since the global pandemic, the Debt Team has been working hard to support the World Bank's goal on promoting debt transparency by contributing to the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI). The Debt Team is also working on expanding the coverage of reporting on debt statistics through its work on the Domestic Debt Survey.
Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI)
Joint Statement from the WBG and IMF
April 15, 2020: G20 Communiqué (PDF)
WBG and IMF Support for Debt Relief Under the Common Framework and Beyond (PDF)
Domestic Debt Survey and Results
Public Sector Domestic Debt Questionnaire (PDF)
Results of the Public Sector Domestic Debt Questionnaire (PDF)
The Debt Team has written several blogs over the years on debt which are published on the World Bank's Data Blog. Click on the links below to discover more.
Debt Team
K. Didem Bayar | March 01, 2022
An observation of external debt interest payments after global crises
World Bank Debt Data Team | October 11, 2021
International Debt Statistics 2022: Multilateral institutions paved the way for the highest level of net inflows raised in a decade
Daniella Kathyuska Bolanos-Misas & Malvina Pollock | December 03, 2020
South Asia: beneficiaries and supporter of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative
Parul Agarwal | November 17, 2020
Exploring Debt Data by Creditor Composition
World Bank Debt Data Team | October 12, 2020
International Debt Statistics 2021: Debt accumulation of low- and middle-income countries surpassed $8 trillion at end-2019
Evis Rucaj, Nada Hamadeh & Haishan Fu | July 08, 2020
Understanding global debt: Relieving the COVID-19 impact on the most vulnerable
Parul Agarwal | April 21, 2020
Exploring International Debt Statistics using the World Bank API in Python and R
Evis Rucaj | January 22, 2020
Debt Report 2020 Edition I
Wendy Huang | November 14, 2019
International Debt Statistics 2020: Promoting debt transparency through newly published debtor classifications
Parul Agarwal | October 02, 2019
Accessing International Debt Statistics using the World Bank API
Evis Rucaj | October 02, 2019
International Debt Statistics 2020: External Debt Stock of Low- and Middle-Income Countries Rose, but Pace of Increase Slowed
Evis Rucaj | November 13, 2018
International Debt Statistics 2019: External debt stocks at end-2017 stood at over $7 trillion
Bidisha Das | November 16, 2017
Are South Asian countries sinking into a debt trap?
Parul Agarwal | March 15, 2016
New online resource spotlights debt statistics news and trends
Rubena Sukaj | September 26, 2016
Maximize analytical use of Public Sector Debt Statistics: D1-D4 matrix approach
Rasiel Vellos | December 16, 2015
Sub-Saharan Africa’s sovereign bond issuance boom
Peter Bourke | March 17, 2015
Five trends in disbursements to Sub-Saharan Africa
Evis Rucaj | February 21, 2013
International debt flows before and after the financial crisis
Rasiel Vellos | January 23, 2013
What does data tell us about debt of high income and developing countries?
Related
Carmen Reinhart, Takahiro Tsuda, Nada Hamadeh, Diego Rivetti | June 13, 2022
Raising the bar on debt data transparency
David Malpass | June 10, 2022
The supply solution to stagflation
Marcello Estevão | May 18, 2022
Tracking government debt is hard. Banishing secrecy clauses would make it far easier.
Abha Prasad, Zeljka Sedlo, & Anna Carlotta Allen Massingue | April 04, 2022
Doubled in a decade: Debt trends in Eastern and Southern Africa demand decisive reform
Marcello Estevão | March 28, 2022
Are we ready for the coming spate of debt crises?
Sebastian Horn, David Mihalyi, & Philipp Nickol | March 03, 2022
Systematic underreporting of public debt statistics: 50 years of evidence and recent progress
Zsolt Bango & Diego Rivetti | May 05, 2021
Making domestic borrowing transparent
Clemens Graf Von, Luckner, Josefin Meyer, Carmen Reinhart & Christoph Trebesch | April 06, 2021
External sovereign debt restructurings: Delay and replay
