Vanuatu Debt Service
Total debt service as % of exports DT.TDS.DECT.EX.ZS
Vanuatu's debt service was 5.99% in 2025, ranked 88th globally. This represents a 8.1% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1982–2025.
Overview
Vanuatu's debt service stood at 5.99% in 2025, a decline of +0.53% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 5.99% by 2025. Vanuatu ranked 88th globally.
Vanuatu’s debt‑service burden has risen steadily since the early 1990s, moving from a low of 0.90 in 1982 to an all‑time peak of 6.75 in 2019, before easing slightly to 5.99 in 2025, which places the nation 88th in the world. The trough of 0.84 recorded in 1998 marked a brief period of fiscal relief, but the subsequent upward trajectory reflects higher external borrowing and a tightening of repayment schedules after the global financial shock of 2008. Compared with peers, Vanuatu’s 2025 ratio exceeds that of Mexico (5.67) and St. Vincent and the Grenadines (4.67) while remaining below Maldives (6.13) and Mali (6.28), underscoring a moderate but growing vulnerability within the Pacific and developing‑country cohort. The 44‑year series suggests that debt‑service pressures will likely intensify unless fiscal consolidation, debt‑restructuring or stronger export growth are pursued, making the next few years critical for reversing the upward trend.
Data & projection
| Year | Debt Service | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027* trend | 5.90% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 5.94% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 5.99% | - | - |
| 2025 | 5.99% | −0.53% | #88 |
| 2024 | 6.51% | +1.05% | #17 |
| 2023 | 5.46% | −0.66% | #14 |
| 2022 | 6.12% | +0.07% | #25 |
| 2021 | 6.06% | −0.39% | #24 |
| 2020 | 6.44% | −0.31% | #23 |
| 2019 | 6.75% | +2.75% | #30 |
| 2018 | 4.00% | +1.85% | #14 |
| 2017 | 2.15% | +0.02% | #8 |
| 2016 | 2.13% | +0.13% | #5 |
| 2015 | 2.00% | +0.17% | #7 |
| 2014 | 1.82% | +0.12% | #9 |
| 2013 | 1.70% | +0.28% | #13 |
| 2012 | 1.42% | −0.14% | #11 |
| 2011 | 1.56% | −0.06% | #12 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Vanuatu matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2019. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw debt service improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Vanuatu's debt service was 5.99% in 2025. Ranked 88th globally. This represents a 8.1% decrease from the previous year.
Vanuatu's debt service peaked at 6.75% in 2019.
The lowest debt service in Vanuatu was 0.84% in 1998.
Vanuatu ranks 88th globally in debt service as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is DT.TDS.DECT.EX.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Vanuatu's debt service is projected to reach 5.99% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The debt service of Vanuatu in 2025 was 5.99%. This ranks 88th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_vanuatu_debt-service,
title = {Vanuatu Debt Service},
url = {https://historysaid.com/vanuatu/debt-service/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}