South Africa - Total External Debt Stocks (% of GDP) 49
World Bank · updated 2026-10-03 · 175 economies tracked
Global rank
#n/a of 175 economies
Share of global total
0.3%
Ranking Race — Total External Debt Stocks (% of GDP)
1 = global #1 · lower value ranks higher
South AfricaAlgeriaNaoeroRussian FederationChina
Real annual global ranks, 1990 - 2025. South Africa climbed from #7 to #46 (overtook Indonesia). Gaps in a lane = missing data that year.
Key events for South Africa ↓Key Events — South Africa
Auto-detected from rank data + curated milestones
1994Democratic transition curatedSanctions lift; economy reopens to global markets.
2006Fell 18 places in global rank auto
2009Global crisis recession curatedFirst recession in 17 years.
2012Fell 17 places in global rank auto
2015Climbed 16 places in global rank auto
2015Credit rating downgrades curatedFiscal and growth concerns trigger rating cuts.
2016Fell 15 places in global rank auto
2020Climbed 15 places in global rank auto
Total External Debt Stocks (% of GDP), 1994-2025
World Bank · % of GDP · linear scale · ranking in the race above
Free: latest value, global rank and the ranking race. Subscribers unlock full history, multi-country comparison and export —
sign up or
login.