Outstanding international public debt securities to GDP (%) in Ireland
Ireland: Outstanding international public debt securities to GDP (%) was 3.5% in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Outstanding international public debt securities to GDP in Ireland, 1980–2020
Source: Bank for International Settlements (BIS). Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, outstanding international public debt securities to gdp in Ireland stood at 3.5%.
The figure is up 17.3% on the previous year and down 51.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, outstanding international public debt securities to gdp in Ireland peaked at 24.1% in 1986 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 2006.
That places Ireland 87th out of 116 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Outstanding international public debt securities to GDP (%) in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 3.3% | — |
| 1981 | 5.4% | +65.3% |
| 1982 | 6.9% | +28.1% |
| 1983 | 11.3% | +62.3% |
| 1984 | 13.8% | +22.8% |
| 1985 | 19.8% | +43.3% |
| 1986 | 24.1% | +21.6% |
| 1987 | 21.9% | -9.0% |
| 1988 | 18.1% | -17.4% |
| 1989 | 17.4% | -4.1% |
| 1990 | 16.0% | -7.7% |
| 1991 | 16.8% | +4.7% |
| 1992 | 15.9% | -5.3% |
| 1993 | 20.0% | +26.2% |
| 1994 | 18.3% | -8.9% |
| 1995 | 15.8% | -13.6% |
| 1996 | 11.4% | -27.9% |
| 1997 | 8.2% | -27.8% |
| 1998 | 7.5% | -8.8% |
| 1999 | 6.5% | -13.7% |
| 2000 | 4.9% | -24.1% |
| 2001 | 7.7% | +56.8% |
| 2002 | 5.4% | -29.8% |
| 2003 | 2.1% | -60.9% |
| 2004 | 0.4% | -78.9% |
| 2005 | 0.3% | -33.0% |
| 2006 | 0.3% | -7.8% |
| 2007 | 0.6% | +124.2% |
| 2008 | 10.3% | +1564.8% |
| 2009 | 5.6% | -46.0% |
| 2010 | 7.2% | +28.7% |
| 2011 | 6.2% | -13.3% |
| 2012 | 7.3% | +16.8% |
| 2013 | 8.1% | +12.2% |
| 2014 | 9.2% | +12.9% |
| 2015 | 6.8% | -25.6% |
| 2016 | 6.3% | -8.6% |
| 2017 | 5.8% | -6.7% |
| 2018 | 4.9% | -16.2% |
| 2019 | 3.0% | -39.2% |
| 2020 | 3.5% | +17.3% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 3.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 8.7%, 40% of the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 3.5% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 6.8%, 51% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Outstanding international public debt securities to GDP (%) in Ireland changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | +1564.8% | 0.6% | 10.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 14.2% | 3.3% | 24.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.6% | 6.5% | 20.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.8% | 0.3% | 10.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.5% | 3.0% | 9.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.5% | 3.5% | 3.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More financial sector data for Ireland
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 13.07 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0017 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 223.7 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 7.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0012 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 163.34 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 13.07 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0017 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 223.7 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 7.68 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is outstanding international public debt securities to gdp in Ireland?
- Outstanding international public debt securities to gdp in Ireland was 3.5% in 2020, according to Bank for International Settlements (BIS).
- What is the highest outstanding international public debt securities to gdp recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 24.1% in 1986.
- What is the lowest outstanding international public debt securities to gdp recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 2006.
- How does Ireland rank for outstanding international public debt securities to gdp?
- Ireland ranks 87th out of 116 countries with data for 2020.
- Is outstanding international public debt securities to gdp rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 51.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Bank for International Settlements (BIS), published as part of Outstanding international public debt securities to GDP (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Amount of public international debt securities (amounts outstanding), as a share of GDP. It covers long-term bonds and notes and money market instruments placed on international markets. Table 12D (international debt amount): governments / GDP. End of year data (i.e. December data) are considered for debt securities. The figures are deflated using the following methodology: {(0.5)*[Ft/P_et + Ft-1/P_et-1]}/[GDPt/P_at] where F is the level international public debt, P_e is end-of period CPI, and P_a is average annual CPI. GDP is from World Development Indicators. End-of period CPI is taken from IFS line 64M..ZF month of December (or if not available Q4). Average annual CPI is constructed from the monthly CPI figure taken from IFS line 64..ZF.