Government debt, % of GDP (2025)
100.6 %
Owed abroad by the government, US$ billion (2024)
15.5
Largest creditor: China, % of foreign public debt
34.4 %
Owed to China, % of foreign public debt
34.4 %
Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.
View the data as a table
| Period | Zambia | Middle African country |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 18.9 | 32.1 |
| 2011 | 20.8 | 28.4 |
| 2012 | 24.9 | 26.4 |
| 2013 | 25.9 | 31.1 |
| 2014 | 33.9 | 36.4 |
| 2015 | 61.9 | 44.1 |
| 2016 | 61.2 | 45.9 |
| 2017 | 66.6 | 48.0 |
| 2018 | 81.2 | 49.2 |
| 2019 | 103.3 | 53.9 |
| 2020 | 140.0 | 56.7 |
| 2021 | 111.0 | 57.2 |
| 2022 | 99.5 | 59.5 |
| 2023 | 136.8 | 60.9 |
| 2024 | 125.5 | 56.8 |
| 2025 | 100.6 | 53.2 |
| 2026 | 82.1 (partial) | 52.5 (partial) |
| 2027 | 77.0 (partial) | 54.2 (partial) |
| 2028 | 72.2 (partial) | 53.0 (partial) |
| 2029 | 67.2 (partial) | 53.1 (partial) |
| 2030 | 61.9 (partial) | 51.7 (partial) |
| 2031 | 56.7 (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 |
|---|---|---|
| Other governments | 56.5 % | 56% |
| Development banks and funds | 25.4 % | 25% |
| Bondholders | 17.7 % | 18% |
| Other lenders | 0.4 % | 0% |
Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.
View the data as a table
| Period | China | Bondholders | World Bank-IDA | United Kingdom | African Development Bank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 369 | Not published | 430 | 2 | 215 |
| 2011 | 928 | Not published | 492 | 0 | 218 |
| 2012 | 1,388 | 750 | 565 | Not published | 259 |
| 2013 | 1,520 | 750 | 632 | Not published | 293 |
| 2014 | 1,893 | 1,750 | 667 | Not published | 311 |
| 2015 | 2,206 | 3,000 | 698 | Not published | 363 |
| 2016 | 2,598 | 3,000 | 760 | 30 | 391 |
| 2017 | 3,126 | 3,000 | 894 | 984 | 437 |
| 2018 | 3,538 | 3,000 | 1,003 | 1,472 | 504 |
| 2019 | 4,969 | 3,000 | 1,108 | 1,426 | 599 |
| 2020 | 5,596 | 3,000 | 1,296 | 1,489 | 720 |
| 2021 | 5,641 | 3,000 | 1,377 | 1,503 | 800 |
| 2022 | 5,495 | 3,000 | 2,047 | 1,419 | 850 |
| 2023 | 5,378 | 3,000 | 2,221 | 991 | 884 |
| 2024 | 5,330 | 2,739 | 2,510 | 995 | 982 |
Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Where Zambia ranks in Africa
- Government debt to GDP: 6th highest of 53.
- Total external debt in dollars: 14th largest of 49.
- Compare Zambia's debt with its neighbours on the data wall
More on Zambia
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 Zambia owe?
Zambia government and the debt it guarantees owed $15.5 billion to foreign lenders in 2024, according to the World Bank's International Debt Statistics. Counting domestic debt too, government debt was 100.6% of GDP in 2025, according to the IMF.
Who is Zambia's largest creditor?
China, owed $5.3 billion in 2024, 34.4% of the government's foreign debt. Next: bondholders (17.7%), World Bank-IDA (16.2%) and United Kingdom (6.4%).
How much does Zambia owe China?
$5.3 billion in 2024, 34.4% of public debt owed abroad, which makes China its 1st largest creditor.
What is Zambia's debt to GDP ratio?
100.6% in 2025: general government gross debt as a share of GDP, from the IMF World Economic Outlook. That is the 6th highest of 53 African countries with a figure.