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This article was first published 11 years ago

25 economies having highest debt in the world

September 12, 2013 08:59 IST

Image: An overview shows the east section of Changan street in Beijing, China.
Photographs: Reinhard Krause/Reuters

There are many countries, including India, that are struggling to manage their spiraling debt.

Let's take a look at economies that have some of the highest debts in the world.

Note: Debt calculated as percentage of foreign-exchange reserves and sovereign-wealth-fund assets, 2012.

Source: The Economist

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Tags: India

25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: A view of central Kharkiv, Ukraine.
Photographs: Gleb Garanich/Reuters

Ukraine

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 270 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 1

Ukraine, the third-largest grain exporter in the world, was badly hit by the 2008 global economic crisis, but is now seeing signs of economic recovery.

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Tags: SWF , Ukraine

25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: People have a drink at 360, a three-tiered rooftop bar, in Caracas, Venezuela.
Photographs: Jorge Silva/Reuters


Venezuela

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 260 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 2

Venezuela, which has major reserves of oil and gas, has witnessed a decline in its export industry.

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25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: A view of financial district in Istanbul, Turkey.
Photographs: Murad Sezer/Reuters

Turkey

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 152 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 3

Turkey, one of the fastest growing economies in the world, is a major trading partner of Europe.

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25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: Parliament building is reflected on the icy Danube river in Budapest, Hungary.
Photographs: Laszlo Balogh/Reuters

Hungary

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 149 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 4

Hungary, a developed country in Europe, attracts millions of tourists every year.

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25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: A view of Sukiennice Cloth Hall in the Main Market Square in Krakow, southern Poland.
Photographs: Kacper Pempel/Reuters

Poland

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 120 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 5

Poland, which has been ranked very high in terms of human development, is the sixth most populous country in the European Union.

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25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: A view of Parliament Palace in downtown Bucharest, Romania.
Photographs: Bogdan Cristel/Reuters

Romania

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 99 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 6

Romania, which was posting high economic growth until 2009, is a regional leader in information technology and vehicle manufacturing.

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Tags: SWF , Romania

25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: Men walk with camels during sunset by the sea in Karachi, Pakistan.
Photographs: Athar Hussain/Reuters

Pakistan

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 90 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 7

Pakistan, which depends on overseas remittances for its foreign exchange, is struggling to boost its economy primarily due to internal disturbances.

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Tags: SWF , Pakistan

25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: Hot air balloons fly over the Metropolitano park during the International Hot-Air Balloon Festival in Leon, in the Mexican state of Guanajuato.
Photographs: Mario Armas/Reuters

Mexico

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 88 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 8

Mexico, one of the fastest growing economies in the world, is projected to become the seventh-largest economy in the globe by 2050.

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Tags: SWF , Mexico

25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: Overview of Buenos Aires' 9 de Julio Avenue with the Obelisk in the background, Argentina.
Photographs: Enrique Marcarian/Reuters

Argentina

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 75 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 9

Argentina, which is ranked as a middle emerging economy, is witnessing a revival in economic growth.

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25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: A view of illuminated Christmas decorations at Monserrate church in Bogota, Colombia.
Photographs: John Vizcaino/Reuters

Colombia

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 74 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 10

Colombia, the third-largest economy in South America, is a major producer of coffee, emeralds, textiles and industrial chemicals.

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25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: A view of Johannesburg, South Africa.
Photographs: Euroluftbild.de/Reuters

South Africa

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 70 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 11

South Africa, the largest economy in Africa, is a major producer of diamonds, minerals and foodstuff.

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25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: A view of Jakarta, Indonesia.
Photographs: Supri/Reuters

Indonesia

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 60 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 12

Indonesia, one of the largest economies in Asia, is a major producer of timber, minerals and rice.

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25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: A view of Cairo, Egypt.
Photographs: Aladin Abdel Naby/Reuters

Egypt

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 55 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 13

Egypt, one of the largest economies in Africa, is going through economic turmoil due to internal disturbances.

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25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: A view of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.
Photographs: Kham/Reuters

Vietnam

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 54 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 14

Vietnam, which is projected to be one of the fastest growing emerging economies by 2025, has recently taken measures to attract more foreign investments.

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Tags: SWF , Vietnam

25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: A view of Santiago City, Chile.
Photographs: Victor Ruiz Caballero/Reuters

Chile

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 49 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 15

Chile, one of the most stable and prosperous nations in South America, has been ranked the 30th most competitive country in the world.

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25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: People carry masks during a rally to celebrate Pohela Boishakh, the first day of Bengali new year, in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Photographs: Andrew Biraj/Reuters

Bangladesh

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 47 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 16

Bangladesh, which depends a lot on overseas remittances for foreign reserves, is taking measures to boost economic growth.

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25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: A view of India Gate in New Delhi, India.
Photographs: Mansi Thapliyal/Reuters

India

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 45 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 17

India, one of the fastest growing economies in the world, is finding it difficult to reduce its debt.

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Tags: SWF , India

25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: A skytrain passes over vehicles on road in Bangkok, Thailand.
Photographs: Kerek Wongsa/Reuters

Thailand

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 35 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 18

Thailand, one of the biggest tourism destinations in the world, is witnessing a boom in economic growth.

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Tags: SWF , Thailand

25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: Tourists take pictures with the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon in the background in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Photographs: Ricardo Moraes/Reuters

Brazil

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 30 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 19

Brazil, one of the fastest growing economies in the world, depends largely on exports and tourism.

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Tags: SWF , Brazil

25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: A view of Malaysia's landmark Petronas Twin Towers.
Photographs: Bazuki Muhammad/Reuters

Malaysia

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 25 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 20

Malaysia, one of the fastest growing economies in Asia, has booming tourism and export industries.

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25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: A view of Manila's Makati financial district, the Philippines.
Photographs: Cheryl Ravelo/Reuters

The Philippines

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 20 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 21

The Philippines, which has the 40th-largest economy in the world, is projected to become the 16th-largest in the globe by 2050.

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25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: People walk in the main plaza in Cuzco, Peru.
Photographs: Mariana Bazo/Reuters

Peru

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 15 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 22

Peru, which depends largely on exports, has been ranked high on Human Development Index.

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Tags: SWF , Peru

25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: A woman walks on the platform as a train arrives at Mayakovskaya metro station, which was built in 1938, in Moscow, Russia.
Photographs: Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

Russia

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 14 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 23

Russia, which has major reserves of oil and gas, is one of the biggest economies in the world.

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Tags: SWF , Russia

25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: A view of the city skyline from the Zhongfu Building at night in Beijing, China.
Photographs: Jason Lee/Reuters

China

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 5 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 24

China, the fastest growing economy in the world, is a manufacturing powerhouse.

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Tags: SWF , China

25 economies having highest debt in the world

Image: A view of Kingdom Tower in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Photographs: Ali Jarekji/Reuters

Saudi Arabia

Short-term gross external debt plus external debt payments: 2 per cent

Overall rank in debt calculated as percentage of forex reserves and SWF assets: 25

Saudi Arabia, which has one of the biggest reserves of oil and gas in the world, is taking measures to open its economy.