May 19, 2020
The head of the IMF has already warned that the state of the global economy is "worse than our already pessimistic projections." But while the pandemic is taking a huge economic toll on every country in the world, many emerging-market economies, which currently owe a collective $8.4 trillion in foreign debt, face a particularly grim tradeoff between paying their bondholders or funding their hospitals. Even before the coronavirus crisis, 64 countries spent more money annually servicing their external debt payments than they did on healthcare. Now, the global health emergency is taxing their underfunded healthcare systems, complicating attempts to contain the virus. Many countries have already pleaded for emergency debt relief. Here's a look at the countries that spend more on annual debt servicing than on healthcare.
More For You
For decades, cars dominated trade, but computer servers have taken the top spot.
Most Popular
Sponsored posts
Show your undying devotion to The Regime
Sponsored posts
Invested in America's past, present, and future
Think you know what's going on around the world? Here's your chance to prove it.
The skies over Greenland, Iceland, and Spain will briefly darken today as continental Europe experiences its first total solar eclipse in over 25 years.
Iran's leverage in the Strait of Hormuz is prompting a rethink of global shipping routes.
© 2025 GZERO Media. All Rights Reserved | A Eurasia Group media company.
