Government debt, % of GDP (2025)
44.8 %
Owed abroad by the government, US$ billion (2024)
0.9
Largest creditor: African Development Bank, % of foreign public debt
29.1 %
Owed to China, % of foreign public debt
24.6 %
Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.
View the data as a table
| Period | Eswatini | Middle African country |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 14.2 | 32.1 |
| 2011 | 14.6 | 28.4 |
| 2012 | 14.8 | 26.4 |
| 2013 | 15.2 | 31.1 |
| 2014 | 14.1 | 36.4 |
| 2015 | 16.0 | 44.1 |
| 2016 | 20.1 | 45.9 |
| 2017 | 21.7 | 48.0 |
| 2018 | 26.5 | 49.2 |
| 2019 | 30.5 | 53.9 |
| 2020 | 37.7 | 56.7 |
| 2021 | 37.3 | 57.2 |
| 2022 | 39.5 | 59.5 |
| 2023 | 39.4 | 60.9 |
| 2024 | 40.0 | 56.8 |
| 2025 | 44.8 | 53.2 |
| 2026 | 52.5 (partial) | 52.5 (partial) |
| 2027 | 54.4 (partial) | 54.2 (partial) |
| 2028 | 54.3 (partial) | 53.0 (partial) |
| 2029 | 53.7 (partial) | 53.1 (partial) |
| 2030 | 51.3 (partial) | 51.7 (partial) |
| 2031 | 48.0 (partial) | 50.7 (partial) |
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook. Last checked 24 October 2026.
View the data as a table
| Part | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Development banks and funds | 65.1 % | 65% |
| Other governments | 32.1 % | 32% |
| Bondholders | 2.5 % | 2% |
| Other lenders | 0.4 % | 0% |
Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.
View the data as a table
| Period | African Development Bank | World Bank-IBRD | China | European Investment Bank | Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 167 | 2 | 2 | 33 | 16 |
| 2011 | 145 | 1 | 1 | 29 | 16 |
| 2012 | 128 | 2 | 1 | 26 | 16 |
| 2013 | 105 | 6 | 1 | 24 | 16 |
| 2014 | 90 | 13 | 1 | 18 | 21 |
| 2015 | 73 | 20 | 1 | 14 | 21 |
| 2016 | 74 | 26 | 33 | 12 | 22 |
| 2017 | 91 | 38 | 57 | 12 | 20 |
| 2018 | 106 | 39 | 125 | 9 | 18 |
| 2019 | 137 | 36 | 159 | 7 | 17 |
| 2020 | 154 | 42 | 189 | 16 | 16 |
| 2021 | 163 | 86 | 186 | 34 | 15 |
| 2022 | 230 | 175 | 182 | 35 | 18 |
| 2023 | 234 | 192 | 177 | 36 | 23 |
| 2024 | 252 | 222 | 213 | 34 | 23 |
Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Where Eswatini ranks in Africa
- Government debt to GDP: 38th highest of 53.
- Total external debt in dollars: 44th largest of 49.
- Compare Eswatini's debt with its neighbours on the data wall
More on Eswatini
Method and sources
Debt to GDP is the IMF's general government gross debt, which covers domestic and foreign debt of every level of government. Debt owed abroad by the government and debt it guarantees. Excludes IMF credit and private debt that is not guaranteed. WLD is the total. Creditor names are the World Bank's. Figures checked 24 October 2026.
IMF government debt data · World Bank International Debt Statistics
Frequently asked questions
How much does Eswatini owe?
Eswatini government and the debt it guarantees owed $866.9 million to foreign lenders in 2024, according to the World Bank's International Debt Statistics. Counting domestic debt too, government debt was 44.8% of GDP in 2025, according to the IMF.
Who is Eswatini's largest creditor?
African Development Bank, owed $252.2 million in 2024, 29.1% of the government's foreign debt. Next: World Bank-IBRD (25.6%), China (24.6%) and European Investment Bank (3.9%).
How much does Eswatini owe China?
$213 million in 2024, 24.6% of public debt owed abroad, which makes China its 3rd largest creditor.
What is Eswatini's debt to GDP ratio?
44.8% in 2025: general government gross debt as a share of GDP, from the IMF World Economic Outlook. That is the 38th highest of 53 African countries with a figure.