Kenya - Total debt service (% of exports of goods, services and primary income)

Total debt service (% of exports of goods, services and primary income) in Kenya was 27.84 as of 2020. Its highest value over the past 45 years was 39.77 in 1987, while its lowest value was 4.31 in 2011.

Definition: Total debt service to exports of goods, services and primary income. Total debt service is the sum of principal repayments and interest actually paid in currency, goods, or services on long-term debt, interest paid on short-term debt, and repayments (repurchases and charges) to the IMF.

Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics.

See also:

Year Value
1975 14.94
1976 14.81
1977 20.45
1978 13.97
1979 18.37
1980 21.03
1981 26.97
1982 30.48
1983 33.77
1984 34.80
1985 38.67
1986 35.61
1987 39.77
1988 38.99
1989 36.64
1990 35.41
1991 32.61
1992 31.14
1993 17.06
1994 20.56
1995 25.26
1996 22.39
1997 15.56
1998 14.85
1999 15.83
2000 21.02
2001 15.88
2002 16.35
2003 15.84
2004 8.28
2005 9.99
2006 7.14
2007 6.33
2008 4.88
2009 5.14
2010 4.40
2011 4.31
2012 4.64
2013 4.73
2014 11.36
2015 8.33
2016 11.16
2017 14.61
2018 23.72
2019 38.38
2020 27.84

Development Relevance: External debt is that part of the total debt in a country that is owed to creditors outside the country. The debtors can be the government, corporations or private households. The debt includes money owed to private commercial banks, other governments, or international financial institutions. External indebtedness affects a country's creditworthiness and investor perceptions. Nonreporting countries might have outstanding debt with the World Bank, other international financial institutions, or private creditors. Total debt service is contrasted with countries' ability to obtain foreign exchange through exports of goods, services, primary income, and workers' remittances. Debt ratios are used to assess the sustainability of a country's debt service obligations, but no absolute rules determine what values are too high. Empirical analysis of developing countries' experience and debt service performance shows that debt service difficulties become increasingly likely when the present value of debt reaches 200 percent of exports. Still, what constitutes a sustainable debt burden varies by country. Countries with fast-growing economies and exports are likely to be able to sustain higher debt levels. Various indicators determine a sustainable level of external debt, including: a) debt to GDP ratio b) foreign debt to exports ratio c) government debt to current fiscal revenue ratio d) share of foreign debt e) short-term debt f) concessional debt in the total debt stock

Statistical Concept and Methodology: Data on external debt are gathered through the World Bank's Debtor Reporting System (DRS). Long term debt data are compiled using the countries report on public and publicly guaranteed borrowing on a loan-by-loan basis and private non guaranteed borrowing on an aggregate basis. These data are supplemented by information from major multilateral banks and official lending agencies in major creditor countries. Short-term debt data are gathered from the Quarterly External Debt Statistics (QEDS) database, jointly developed by the World Bank and the IMF and from creditors through the reporting systems of the Bank for International Settlements. Debt data are reported in the currency of repayment and compiled and published in U.S. dollars. End-of-period exchange rates are used for the compilation of stock figures (amount of debt outstanding), and projected debt service and annual average exchange rates are used for the flows. Exchange rates are taken from the IMF's International Financial Statistics. Debt repayable in multiple currencies, goods, or services and debt with a provision for maintenance of the value of the currency of repayment are shown at book value.

Aggregation method: Weighted average

Periodicity: Annual

General Comments: The denominator for this indicator in previous versions of Global Development Finance included workers' remittances. Workers' remittances are no longer included.

Classification

Topic: Economic Policy & Debt Indicators

Sub-Topic: External debt