Total reserves (% of total external debt) in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Total reserves (% of total external debt) was 320.7% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Total reserves in Afghanistan, 2008–2020
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total external debt.
Analysis
Afghanistan recorded 320.7% for total reserves in 2020. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 51.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total reserves in Afghanistan peaked at 320.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 141.9%, in 2008.
Afghanistan ranks 3rd of 112 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Total reserves (% of total external debt) in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % of total external debt | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 141.9% | — |
| 2009 | 172.0% | +21.2% |
| 2010 | 211.9% | +23.2% |
| 2011 | 255.3% | +20.5% |
| 2012 | 277.2% | +8.6% |
| 2013 | 281.7% | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 297.6% | +5.7% |
| 2015 | 268.7% | -9.7% |
| 2016 | 280.5% | +4.4% |
| 2017 | 294.2% | +4.9% |
| 2018 | 306.4% | +4.1% |
| 2019 | 319.3% | +4.2% |
| 2020 | 320.7% | +0.4% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 320.7% is above the median for low income countries, which is 18.5%, 17.3× the median. (18 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 320.7% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 46.7%, 6.9× the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 156.9% | 141.9% | 172.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 279.3% | 211.9% | 319.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 320.7% | 320.7% | 320.7% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More financial sector data for Afghanistan
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 0.006 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 0.0044 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 0.006 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total reserves in Afghanistan?
- Total reserves in Afghanistan was 320.7% in 2020, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest total reserves recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 320.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest total reserves recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 141.9% in 2008.
- How does Afghanistan rank for total reserves?
- Afghanistan ranks 3rd out of 112 countries with data for 2020.
- Is total reserves rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 51.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB), published as part of Total reserves (% of total external debt). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 13 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Reserve assets are external assets, including monetary gold, that are readily available to and controlled by monetary authorities for meeting balance of payments financing needs, for intervention in exchange markets to affect the currency exchange rate, and for other related purposes (such as maintaining confidence in the currency and the economy, and serving as a basis for foreign borrowing). Reserve assets must be denominated and settled in foreign currency. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of total external debt which are all liabilities that require payment(s) of interest and/or principal by the debtor at some point(s) in the future and that are owed to non-residents by residents of an economy.