External Debt to GNI - Ranking 2013
In 2013, Iran, Islamic Republic of (1.39%), Timor-Leste (2.16%), and Algeria (2.32%) ranked highest in external debt to gni among all countries. Mongolia ranked lowest at 169.85%.
Data & analysis
- Lebanon — 461.43
- Mozambique — 320.48
- Senegal — 169.05
- Mongolia — 150.69
- 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.
| Rank | Country | Value | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|