Foreign debt rose 6.39% to USD 20,350 bil in Laos in 2023, according to the National Statistical Office.
Historically, foreign debt in Laos reached an all time high of USD 21,245 bil in 2020 and an all time low of USD 8.35 bil in 1970. When compared to Laos's main peers, foreign debt in Cambodia amounted to USD 22,534 bil, USD 2,420,211 bil in China, USD 193,626 bil in Thailand and USD 141,850 bil in Vietnam in 2023.
Laos has been ranked 47th within the group of 110 countries we follow in terms of foreign debt, 16 places above the position seen 10 years ago.
| Foreign Debt (USD) | Unit | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| Cambodia | USD bil | 11,434 | 13,549 | 15,363 | 17,594 | 20,050 | ||||||||||||||||
| China | USD bil | 1,710,820 | 1,961,562 | 2,114,162 | 2,326,233 | 2,724,354 | ||||||||||||||||
| India | USD bil | 511,576 | 521,176 | 561,017 | 564,979 | 611,987 | ||||||||||||||||
| Japan | USD bil | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| Laos | USD bil | 15,278 | 16,123 | 19,212 | 21,245 | 19,445 | ||||||||||||||||
| Malaysia | USD bil | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | |||||||||||||
| Myanmar | USD bil | 10,784 | 10,732 | 11,182 | 13,407 | 13,759 | ||||||||||||||||
| Russia | USD bil | 519,203 | 477,785 | 485,793 | 460,934 | 481,418 | ... | ... | ||||||||||||||
| Thailand | USD bil | 153,571 | 172,101 | 168,600 | 186,866 | 196,676 | ||||||||||||||||
| USA | USD bil | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| Vietnam | USD bil | 109,893 | 112,622 | 122,496 | 129,479 | 139,853 |
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