Mauritania's debt
How much Mauritania owes, to whom, and how that compares with the rest of Africa. From IMF and World Bank figures.
Government debt, % of GDP (2025)
40.4 %
Owed abroad by the government, US$ billion (2024)
3.6
Largest creditor: Arab Fund for Economic & Social Development, % of foreign public debt
33.7 %
Owed to China, % of foreign public debt
7.3 %
Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.
View the data as a table
| Period | Mauritania | Middle African country |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 43.9 | 32.1 |
| 2011 | 38.8 | 28.4 |
| 2012 | 39.3 | 26.4 |
| 2013 | 40.7 | 31.1 |
| 2014 | 49.5 | 36.4 |
| 2015 | 59.9 | 44.1 |
| 2016 | 57.6 | 45.9 |
| 2017 | 55.7 | 48.0 |
| 2018 | 59.2 | 49.2 |
| 2019 | 57.7 | 53.9 |
| 2020 | 56.5 | 56.7 |
| 2021 | 54.5 | 57.2 |
| 2022 | 50.1 | 59.5 |
| 2023 | 48.6 | 60.9 |
| 2024 | 45.2 | 56.8 |
| 2025 | 40.4 | 53.2 |
| 2026 | 38.3 (partial) | 52.5 (partial) |
| 2027 | 38.5 (partial) | 54.2 (partial) |
| 2028 | 38.2 (partial) | 53.0 (partial) |
| 2029 | 38.3 (partial) | 53.1 (partial) |
| 2030 | 39.1 (partial) | 51.7 (partial) |
| 2031 | 39.8 (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 | 60.8 % | 61% |
| Other governments | 39.2 % | 39% |
Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.
View the data as a table
| Period | Arab Fund for Economic & Social Development | Saudi Arabia | World Bank-IDA | Islamic Development Bank | China |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 604 | 184 | 316 | 204 | 149 |
| 2011 | 652 | 191 | 345 | 205 | 182 |
| 2012 | 667 | 211 | 384 | 279 | 182 |
| 2013 | 709 | 215 | 394 | 300 | 251 |
| 2014 | 736 | 215 | 379 | 372 | 240 |
| 2015 | 799 | 512 | 369 | 420 | 341 |
| 2016 | 866 | 544 | 366 | 441 | 339 |
| 2017 | 951 | 551 | 390 | 480 | 348 |
| 2018 | 1,011 | 594 | 382 | 433 | 326 |
| 2019 | 1,097 | 611 | 388 | 494 | 322 |
| 2020 | 1,204 | 653 | 418 | 451 | 340 |
| 2021 | 1,283 | 675 | 415 | 387 | 353 |
| 2022 | 1,245 | 671 | 385 | 360 | 327 |
| 2023 | 1,233 | 664 | 424 | 341 | 307 |
| 2024 | 1,215 | 656 | 451 | 315 | 263 |
Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Where Mauritania ranks in Africa
- Government debt to GDP: 43rd highest of 53.
- Total external debt in dollars: 31st largest of 49.
- Compare Mauritania's debt with its neighbours on the data wall
More on Mauritania
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 Mauritania owe?
Mauritania government and the debt it guarantees owed $3.6 billion to foreign lenders in 2024, according to the World Bank's International Debt Statistics. Counting domestic debt too, government debt was 40.4% of GDP in 2025, according to the IMF.
Who is Mauritania's largest creditor?
Arab Fund for Economic & Social Development, owed $1.2 billion in 2024, 33.7% of the government's foreign debt. Next: Saudi Arabia (18.2%), World Bank-IDA (12.5%) and Islamic Development Bank (8.7%).
How much does Mauritania owe China?
$263 million in 2024, 7.3% of public debt owed abroad, which makes China its 5th largest creditor.
What is Mauritania's debt to GDP ratio?
40.4% in 2025: general government gross debt as a share of GDP, from the IMF World Economic Outlook. That is the 43rd highest of 53 African countries with a figure.