Share of government spending going to interest payments in Singapore
Singapore: Share of government spending going to interest payments was 0.4% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Share of government spending going to interest payments in Singapore, 1972–2023
Source: International Monetary Fund (IMF) Government Finance Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of expense.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of government spending going to interest payments in Singapore is 0.4%, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 3.0% on the previous year and up 7,960.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of government spending going to interest payments in Singapore peaked at 30.9% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2018.
Singapore ranks 148th of 152 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of government spending going to interest payments in Singapore, year by year
| Year | % of expense | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 8.0% | — |
| 1973 | 10.4% | +29.8% |
| 1974 | 10.5% | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 10.5% | -0.4% |
| 1976 | 13.5% | +28.8% |
| 1977 | 16.1% | +19.5% |
| 1978 | 19.0% | +17.8% |
| 1979 | 19.5% | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 18.7% | -4.3% |
| 1981 | 14.2% | -23.9% |
| 1982 | 17.1% | +20.6% |
| 1983 | 25.6% | +49.3% |
| 1984 | 24.2% | -5.6% |
| 1985 | 16.3% | -32.4% |
| 1986 | 12.8% | -21.3% |
| 1987 | 30.9% | +140.3% |
| 1988 | 14.0% | -54.7% |
| 1989 | 14.8% | +5.5% |
| 1990 | 16.8% | +13.8% |
| 1991 | 18.7% | +11.4% |
| 1992 | 14.1% | -24.7% |
| 1993 | 8.6% | -38.8% |
| 1994 | 9.2% | +7.2% |
| 1995 | 8.2% | -10.8% |
| 1996 | 5.1% | -38.4% |
| 1997 | 4.9% | -3.6% |
| 1998 | 4.4% | -10.3% |
| 1999 | 3.9% | -11.6% |
| 2000 | 2.0% | -47.4% |
| 2001 | 1.7% | -16.3% |
| 2002 | 1.7% | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 1.4% | -16.1% |
| 2004 | 1.0% | -25.8% |
| 2005 | 0.8% | -27.1% |
| 2006 | 0.5% | -39.7% |
| 2007 | 0.2% | -63.7% |
| 2008 | 0.1% | -50.0% |
| 2009 | 0.1% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 0.0% | -84.0% |
| 2011 | 0.0% | -28.0% |
| 2012 | 0.0% | -26.9% |
| 2013 | 0.0% | -22.1% |
| 2014 | 0.0% | -68.6% |
| 2015 | 0.0% | +107.5% |
| 2016 | 0.0% | +23.1% |
| 2017 | 0.0% | -76.4% |
| 2018 | 0.0% | -23.3% |
| 2019 | 0.6% | +77835.0% |
| 2020 | 0.3% | -43.4% |
| 2021 | 0.4% | +5.0% |
| 2022 | 0.5% | +23.9% |
| 2023 | 0.4% | -3.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 13.4% | 8.0% | 19.5% | 8 |
| 1980s | 18.9% | 12.8% | 30.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.4% | 3.9% | 18.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.9% | 0.1% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Singapore
- 145 Micronesia (country) 0.6% compare
- 146 Palau 0.5% compare
- 147 Marshall Islands 0.5% compare
- 149 Afghanistan 0.1% compare
- 150 Timor-Leste 0.1% compare
- 151 Kuwait 0.1% compare
More reference data data for Singapore
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.008 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0066 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.0618 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.0618 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0269 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0096 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0378 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.2664 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Burning - Crop residues 0 (1992)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.2567 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of government spending going to interest payments in Singapore?
- Share of government spending going to interest payments in Singapore was 0.4% in 2023, according to International Monetary Fund (IMF) Government Finance Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of government spending going to interest payments recorded in Singapore?
- The highest recorded value was 30.9% in 1987.
- What is the lowest share of government spending going to interest payments recorded in Singapore?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2018.
- How does Singapore rank for share of government spending going to interest payments?
- Singapore ranks 148th out of 152 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of government spending going to interest payments rising or falling in Singapore?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7,960.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Singapore data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (IMF) Government Finance Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of government spending going to interest payments. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Interest expenditures on government debt, as share of total central government expenditures. Interest expenditures on government debt include payments on long-term bonds, long-term loans, and other debt instruments.