## External Debt Statistics: Guide for Compilers and Users

_Manuals & Guides, June 25, 2003_

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [External Debt Statistics: Guide for Compilers and Users](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/manuals-guides/issues/2016/12/30/external-debt-statistics-guide-for-compilers-and-users-15621)

## Other formats

- [Markdown version](/en/publications/manuals-guides/issues/2016/12/30/external-debt-statistics-guide-for-compilers-and-users-15621/index.md)
- [Structured JSON version](/en/publications/manuals-guides/issues/2016/12/30/external-debt-statistics-guide-for-compilers-and-users-15621/index.json)
- [Bundle manifest](/en/publications/manuals-guides/issues/2016/12/30/external-debt-statistics-guide-for-compilers-and-users-15621/bundle-manifest.json)

## Bibliographic details
- Published: June 25, 2003
- Series: Manuals & Guides
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781589060609.069

---

### Overview
- Publication date: June 25, 2003
- Core purpose: Provides guidance on the concepts, definitions, and classifications of gross external debt of the public and private sectors, and on the sources, compilation techniques, and analytical uses of these data.
- Supersedes: External Debt: Definition, Statistical Coverage, and Methodology (known as the Gray Book), 1988.

### Conceptual framework and standards
- Derives from:
  - System of National Accounts 1993
  - The fifth edition of the IMF’s Balance of Payments Manual(1993)
- Coverage focus:
  - Gross external debt of public and private sectors
  - Concepts, definitions, classifications, sources, compilation techniques, analytical uses

### Preparation and contributors
- Prepared by an Inter-Agency Task Force on Finance Statistics chaired by the IMF and involving representatives from:
  - BIS
  - Commonwealth Secretariat
  - European Central Bank
  - Eurostat
  - OECD
  - Paris Club Secretariat
  - UNCTAD
  - World Bank

### Key features and contents
- Length: 328 pages
- Topics emphasized:
  - Definition and measurement of external debt
  - Statistical coverage and methodology
  - Sources and compilation techniques
  - Analytical uses of external debt data
  - Treatment of financial derivatives, loans, securities, and related instruments in external debt statistics

### Subject classification and keywords
- Subject: Currencies, Economic and financial statistics, External debt, External sector statistics, Financial derivatives, Financial institutions, Loans, Money, Securities
- Keywords: Africa, Currencies, debt, debt liability, debt position, East Africa, External sector statistics, Financial derivatives, Global, interest cost, liability, Loans, M&G, Securities, security taker, security transaction, short-term debt, Southern Africa, unit of account, West Africa

### Publication metadata
- Pages: 328
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781589060609.069
- ISBN: 9781589060609
- ISSN: 2663-3744
- Stock No: EDSCEA

### Availability and formats
- Available formats: PDF and other formats on IMF eLibrary
- Also available in: русский, español, français, 中文, العربية
- Citation example provided on the page:
  - International Monetary Fund. External Debt Statistics: Guide for Compilers and Users, (USA: International Monetary Fund, 2003) accessed 9/22/2026, https://doi.org/10.5089/9781589060609.069

*International Monetary Fund. External Debt Statistics: Guide for Compilers and Users (web landing page overview).*

---

## Content in this bundle

- **إحصاءات الدين الخارجي؛ مرشد لمعديها ومستخدميها**
  - [إحصاءات الدين الخارجي؛ مرشد لمعديها ومستخدميها (PDF)](/-/media/websites/imf/imported-publications/external/arabic/pubs/ft/eds/guide/pdf/_texta.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"}
- **Book External Debt Statistics**
  - [Book External Debt Statistics (Markdown version)](/-/media/websites/imf/imported-publications/external/pubs/ft/eds/chi/guide/pdf/_file1c.pdf.md){rel="alternate" type="text/markdown"}
  - [Book External Debt Statistics (PDF)](/-/media/websites/imf/imported-publications/external/pubs/ft/eds/chi/guide/pdf/_file1c.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"}
- **Book External Debt Statistics**
  - [Book External Debt Statistics (Markdown version)](/-/media/websites/imf/imported-publications/external/pubs/ft/eds/chi/guide/pdf/_file2c.pdf.md){rel="alternate" type="text/markdown"}
  - [Book External Debt Statistics (PDF)](/-/media/websites/imf/imported-publications/external/pubs/ft/eds/chi/guide/pdf/_file2c.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"}
- **Статистика внешнего долга. Руководство для составителей и пользователей, 2003 год**
  - [Статистика внешнего долга. Руководство для составителей и пользователей, 2003 год (PDF)](/-/media/websites/imf/imported-publications/external/russian/pubs/ft/eds/guide/_guider.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"}

---

_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/manuals-guides/issues/2016/12/30/external-debt-statistics-guide-for-compilers-and-users-15621_