Share of government expenditure going to interest payments by country
Countries reporting
152
Highest
49.44
Sri Lanka
Lowest
0.0082
Iraq
Median
6.51
Years covered
53
1972–2024
Data points
4,278
What the numbers show
Share of government expenditure going to interest payments is currently reported for 152 countries. The highest value is 49.44 in Sri Lanka; the lowest is 0.0082 in Iraq.
The median across all reporting countries is 6.51, and the mean is 8.7.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 6,062.
Over the past decade 82 countries rose and 67 fell. The largest increase was in Iran (Islamic Republic of) (up 992,558.0%), and the largest decrease in Iraq (down 99.2%).
Share of government expenditure going to interest payments: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sri Lanka | 49.44 | 2023 | up 56.7% | rising |
| 2 | Ghana | 32.79 | 2022 | up 172.5% | rising |
| 3 | Angola | 31.91 | 2019 | up 333.0% | volatile |
| 4 | Zambia | 26.53 | 2021 | up 312.2% | volatile |
| 5 | Malawi | 26.35 | 2022 | up 187.6% | rising |
| 6 | Egypt | 24.23 | 2015 | up 19.9% | rising |
| 7 | Brazil | 24.14 | 2023 | down 1.1% | falling |
| 8 | Bangladesh | 24.03 | 2021 | up 39.0% | rising |
| 9 | India | 23.23 | 2022 | up 19.4% | rising |
| 10 | Barbados | 22.53 | 2016 | up 57.4% | rising |
| 11 | Jamaica | 21.99 | 2020 | down 42.9% | falling |
| 12 | Gabon | 20.36 | 2021 | up 234.4% | rising |
| 13 | Seychelles | 19.68 | 2008 | up 0.5% | rising |
| 14 | Uganda | 19.48 | 2023 | up 58.2% | rising |
| 15 | Bahrain | 18.91 | 2020 | up 292.9% | volatile |
| 16 | Bahamas | 18.44 | 2023 | up 53.2% | rising |
| 17 | Dominican Republic | 17.5 | 2023 | up 19.6% | volatile |
| 18 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 16.99 | 2022 | up 157.8% | rising |
| 19 | Costa Rica | 16.71 | 2023 | up 77.6% | rising |
| 20 | Jordan | 16.51 | 2023 | up 43.9% | falling |
| 21 | Kenya | 16.38 | 2023 | up 52.7% | rising |
| 22 | Togo | 16.19 | 2023 | up 140.4% | rising |
| 23 | Saint Lucia | 16.07 | 2017 | down 4.4% | rising |
| 24 | Mexico | 15.77 | 2023 | up 50.5% | volatile |
| 25 | Philippines | 15.31 | 2023 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 26 | Lebanon | 15.23 | 2021 | down 57.2% | falling |
| 27 | Malaysia | 14.93 | 2023 | up 50.8% | falling |
| 28 | Guinea-Bissau | 14.93 | 2023 | up 222.2% | rising |
| 29 | Iceland | 14.74 | 2023 | down 34.9% | rising |
| 30 | Fiji | 14.58 | 2023 | up 5.3% | flat |
| 31 | South Africa | 14.29 | 2022 | up 64.2% | rising |
| 32 | Côte d'Ivoire | 14.14 | 2023 | up 38.1% | falling |
| 33 | Namibia | 14.14 | 2023 | up 229.1% | rising |
| 34 | El Salvador | 14.1 | 2023 | up 32.7% | rising |
| 35 | Panama | 13.36 | 2021 | down 3.8% | flat |
| 36 | Senegal | 13.2 | 2023 | up 60.9% | rising |
| 37 | Colombia | 13.19 | 2023 | up 79.2% | falling |
| 38 | United States of America | 12.9 | 2023 | up 68.9% | falling |
| 39 | Armenia | 12.74 | 2023 | up 181.2% | volatile |
| 40 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 12.56 | 2024 | up 70.8% | rising |
| 41 | Papua New Guinea | 12.28 | 2023 | up 63.6% | falling |
| 42 | Guatemala | 11.96 | 2023 | up 0.7% | flat |
| 43 | Burkina Faso | 11.93 | 2023 | up 181.2% | rising |
| 44 | Congo | 11.51 | 2021 | up 707.3% | volatile |
| 45 | Mozambique | 11.3 | 2022 | up 188.5% | rising |
| 46 | Türkiye | 11.04 | 2023 | up 48.0% | volatile |
| 47 | Indonesia | 10.89 | 2009 | down 54.4% | volatile |
| 48 | Niger | 10.39 | 1980 | — | rising |
| 49 | Belize | 10.34 | 2017 | down 43.1% | rising |
| 50 | Myanmar | 10.23 | 2019 | down 18.9% | flat |
| 51 | Zimbabwe | 9.96 | 2018 | up 332.1% | volatile |
| 52 | Honduras | 9.95 | 2020 | up 165.2% | rising |
| 53 | Equatorial Guinea | 9.94 | 2022 | up 157.9% | volatile |
| 54 | Rwanda | 9.85 | 2023 | up 121.6% | falling |
| 55 | Trinidad and Tobago | 9.58 | 2019 | up 9.6% | falling |
| 56 | Bolivia, Plurinational State of | 9.54 | 2007 | up 10.2% | rising |
| 57 | Nicaragua | 9.21 | 2023 | up 49.8% | falling |
| 58 | Ethiopia | 9.03 | 2023 | up 154.6% | volatile |
| 59 | Maldives | 8.84 | 2021 | up 10.6% | rising |
| 60 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 8.83 | 2017 | down 26.2% | falling |
| 61 | Cabo Verde | 8.76 | 2020 | up 10.9% | rising |
| 62 | Paraguay | 8.76 | 2023 | up 403.0% | rising |
| 63 | Kazakhstan | 8.68 | 2023 | up 194.6% | flat |
| 64 | Mali | 8.48 | 2020 | up 199.7% | rising |
| 65 | Mauritius | 8.41 | 2023 | up 7.9% | falling |
| 66 | Morocco | 7.93 | 2023 | down 11.9% | falling |
| 67 | Albania | 7.84 | 2023 | down 40.7% | falling |
| 68 | Cameroon | 7.79 | 2021 | up 198.5% | volatile |
| 69 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 7.77 | 2023 | up 5.9% | falling |
| 70 | Israel | 7.65 | 2023 | down 18.6% | falling |
| 71 | Italy | 7.65 | 2023 | down 29.0% | falling |
| 72 | Canada | 7.62 | 2023 | down 9.2% | volatile |
| 73 | Eswatini | 7.62 | 2021 | up 127.1% | rising |
| 74 | Argentina | 7.29 | 2023 | down 6.0% | volatile |
| 75 | Greece | 7.27 | 2023 | up 5.3% | flat |
| 76 | Hungary | 6.64 | 2022 | down 32.6% | rising |
| 77 | Tajikistan | 6.39 | 2023 | — | rising |
| 78 | Uruguay | 6.37 | 2023 | down 16.3% | volatile |
| 79 | Madagascar | 6.32 | 2023 | up 31.5% | volatile |
| 80 | Peru | 6.09 | 2021 | down 6.1% | volatile |
| 81 | Mongolia | 6.01 | 2021 | up 418.2% | volatile |
| 82 | Spain | 5.91 | 2023 | down 29.3% | volatile |
| 83 | San Marino | 5.88 | 2023 | up 830.1% | volatile |
| 84 | Georgia | 5.86 | 2023 | up 80.3% | volatile |
| 85 | Ukraine | 5.8 | 2023 | down 0.7% | volatile |
| 86 | Portugal | 5.73 | 2023 | down 45.7% | falling |
| 87 | Thailand | 5.49 | 2023 | down 1.3% | volatile |
| 88 | Belarus | 5.39 | 2023 | up 87.9% | volatile |
| 89 | Central African Republic | 5.17 | 2021 | up 14.6% | volatile |
| 90 | Tunisia | 5.1 | 2012 | down 52.9% | rising |
| 91 | Republic of Moldova | 5.07 | 2023 | up 233.5% | volatile |
| 92 | Poland | 4.79 | 2023 | down 27.2% | volatile |
| 93 | Sudan | 4.77 | 2016 | down 21.0% | falling |
| 94 | Ecuador | 4.74 | 2022 | up 100.6% | rising |
| 95 | Korea | 4.43 | 2023 | down 21.3% | falling |
| 96 | Chile | 4.32 | 2023 | up 48.4% | volatile |
| 97 | North Macedonia | 4.29 | 2023 | up 32.2% | rising |
| 98 | Croatia | 4.18 | 2023 | down 49.6% | rising |
| 99 | Nepal | 4.11 | 2021 | down 28.7% | falling |
| 100 | Botswana | 4.04 | 2023 | up 107.5% | falling |
| 101 | Serbia | 4 | 2022 | down 12.4% | rising |
| 102 | Lesotho | 3.99 | 2022 | up 98.1% | volatile |
| 103 | Romania | 3.87 | 2022 | down 36.3% | volatile |
| 104 | Saudi Arabia | 3.41 | 2023 | up 442.4% | volatile |
| 105 | France | 3.4 | 2023 | down 24.9% | rising |
| 106 | Burundi | 3.33 | 2021 | down 42.6% | falling |
| 107 | Ireland | 3.3 | 2022 | down 67.9% | volatile |
| 108 | Belgium | 3.2 | 2022 | down 54.9% | falling |
| 109 | Kyrgyzstan | 3.16 | 2023 | up 7.3% | falling |
| 110 | Czechia | 3.15 | 2022 | down 16.0% | falling |
| 111 | Malta | 3.09 | 2023 | down 57.2% | volatile |
| 112 | Cyprus | 3.05 | 2023 | down 57.1% | falling |
| 113 | Australia | 2.97 | 2022 | down 10.3% | falling |
| 114 | New Zealand | 2.97 | 2022 | down 37.5% | volatile |
| 115 | Vanuatu | 2.96 | 2023 | down 16.2% | flat |
| 116 | Uzbekistan | 2.95 | 2023 | up 1,954.6% | volatile |
| 117 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 2.94 | 2020 | down 88.1% | rising |
| 118 | Slovenia | 2.79 | 2023 | down 40.6% | rising |
| 119 | Slovak Republic | 2.66 | 2022 | down 41.6% | falling |
| 120 | Austria | 2.55 | 2023 | down 53.0% | falling |
| 121 | Russia | 2.35 | 2020 | up 50.7% | volatile |
| 122 | United Arab Emirates | 2.27 | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 123 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2.11 | 2023 | up 17.5% | rising |
| 124 | Cambodia | 2.1 | 2023 | down 25.2% | flat |
| 125 | Azerbaijan | 2.05 | 2022 | up 176.2% | volatile |
| 126 | Finland | 2 | 2023 | down 36.5% | volatile |
| 127 | Bhutan | 1.9 | 2020 | down 82.9% | volatile |
| 128 | Latvia | 1.86 | 2023 | down 61.1% | flat |
| 129 | Tonga | 1.69 | 2023 | down 48.7% | falling |
| 130 | Samoa | 1.66 | 2023 | down 43.5% | falling |
| 131 | Netherlands | 1.59 | 2023 | down 55.2% | volatile |
| 132 | Norway | 1.56 | 2023 | up 15.8% | volatile |
| 133 | Lithuania | 1.45 | 2023 | down 73.9% | volatile |
| 134 | Denmark | 1.39 | 2023 | down 59.0% | volatile |
| 135 | Sweden | 1.37 | 2022 | down 39.9% | volatile |
| 136 | Germany | 1.36 | 2022 | down 72.4% | falling |
| 137 | Bulgaria | 1.3 | 2023 | down 41.4% | volatile |
| 138 | Solomon Islands | 1.27 | 2022 | up 52.6% | rising |
| 139 | Switzerland | 0.9765 | 2023 | down 50.0% | falling |
| 140 | Estonia | 0.9644 | 2023 | up 189.2% | volatile |
| 141 | Kiribati | 0.7541 | 2023 | down 48.4% | volatile |
| 142 | Iran (Islamic Republic of) | 0.7311 | 2009 | up 992,558.0% | volatile |
| 143 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 0.6782 | 2022 | down 74.6% | volatile |
| 144 | Luxembourg | 0.6004 | 2023 | down 52.3% | volatile |
| 145 | Micronesia (Federated States of) | 0.5995 | 2020 | down 50.5% | falling |
| 146 | Palau | 0.501 | 2020 | down 31.0% | falling |
| 147 | Marshall Islands | 0.462 | 2020 | down 54.7% | falling |
| 148 | Singapore | 0.44 | 2023 | up 7,960.4% | volatile |
| 149 | Afghanistan | 0.1342 | 2017 | up 48.0% | volatile |
| 150 | Timor-Leste | 0.1333 | 2022 | up 274,115.0% | volatile |
| 151 | Kuwait | 0.1277 | 2006 | down 97.5% | volatile |
| 152 | Iraq | 0.0082 | 2019 | down 99.2% | volatile |