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External Debt to GNI - Ranking 1973

All countries ranked by external debt to gni · World Bank
Year

In 1973, Guinea-Bissau (0.00%), Nepal (2.07%), and Burundi (2.63%) ranked highest in external debt to gni among all countries. Pakistan ranked lowest at 72.44%.

Data & analysis

Top 5 · 2025 · %
  1. Lebanon — 461.43
  2. Mozambique — 320.48
  3. Senegal — 169.05
  4. Mongolia — 150.69
  5. Suriname — 134.69

The 2025 World Bank data on external debt to GNI reveals a stark divide between economies burdened by unsustainable borrowing and those insulated by resource wealth. Lebanon’s extreme ratio of 461.4% reflects a prolonged financial collapse and currency crisis, while Mozambique’s 320.5% stems from massive sovereign borrowing tied to liquefied natural gas projects that have yet to generate proportional revenue. Both countries share a vulnerability to commodity price swings and political instability, which inflate debt relative to national income. At the opposite end, Iran, Algeria, and Turkmenistan report ratios below 3%, a structural outcome of hydrocarbon export revenues that provide foreign exchange without equivalent debt accumulation, though this also indicates limited access to international capital markets. The 2025 snapshot captures a moment where debt distress is concentrated in fragile states. A sustained global recession or sharp drop in energy prices could reshuffle the leaderboard, potentially pushing resource-rich nations higher as their GNI contracts.

External Debt to GNI by Country - 1973
RankCountryValueYoY %