Central government debt, total (current LCU) in Switzerland
Switzerland: Central government debt, total (current LCU) was 190.25 billion current LCU in 2024. ▲ Rising
Central government debt, total in Switzerland, 1990–2024
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
Switzerland recorded 190.25 billion current LCU for central government debt, total in 2024. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 19.1% on the previous year and up 38.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, central government debt, total in Switzerland peaked at 190.25 billion current LCU in 2024 and was at its lowest, 45.50 billion current LCU, in 1990.
Switzerland ranks 49th of 83 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Central government debt, total (current LCU) in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 45.50 billion current LCU | — |
| 1991 | 50.30 billion current LCU | +10.5% |
| 1992 | 59.96 billion current LCU | +19.2% |
| 1993 | 74.19 billion current LCU | +23.7% |
| 1994 | 82.72 billion current LCU | +11.5% |
| 1995 | 93.86 billion current LCU | +13.5% |
| 1996 | 96.28 billion current LCU | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 106.63 billion current LCU | +10.7% |
| 1998 | 119.38 billion current LCU | +12.0% |
| 1999 | 111.89 billion current LCU | -6.3% |
| 2000 | 121.55 billion current LCU | +8.6% |
| 2001 | 119.47 billion current LCU | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 143.38 billion current LCU | +20.0% |
| 2003 | 140.44 billion current LCU | -2.0% |
| 2004 | 147.49 billion current LCU | +5.0% |
| 2005 | 153.12 billion current LCU | +3.8% |
| 2006 | 142.69 billion current LCU | -6.8% |
| 2007 | 139.35 billion current LCU | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 141.82 billion current LCU | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 130.87 billion current LCU | -7.7% |
| 2010 | 131.11 billion current LCU | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 134.41 billion current LCU | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 137.38 billion current LCU | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 132.35 billion current LCU | -3.7% |
| 2014 | 137.19 billion current LCU | +3.7% |
| 2015 | 136.54 billion current LCU | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 131.37 billion current LCU | -3.8% |
| 2017 | 138.86 billion current LCU | +5.7% |
| 2018 | 132.53 billion current LCU | -4.6% |
| 2019 | 135.88 billion current LCU | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 145.26 billion current LCU | +6.9% |
| 2021 | 148.56 billion current LCU | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 139.12 billion current LCU | -6.4% |
| 2023 | 159.78 billion current LCU | +14.8% |
| 2024 | 190.25 billion current LCU | +19.1% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 190.25 billion current LCU is below the median for high income countries, which is 359.73 billion current LCU, 53% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 190.25 billion current LCU is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 444.37 billion current LCU, 43% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 84.07 billion current LCU | 45.50 billion current LCU | 119.38 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 138.02 billion current LCU | 119.47 billion current LCU | 153.12 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 134.76 billion current LCU | 131.11 billion current LCU | 138.86 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 156.59 billion current LCU | 139.12 billion current LCU | 190.25 billion current LCU | 5 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
More public sector data for Switzerland
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 33.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 3.71 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 120 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is central government debt, total in Switzerland?
- Central government debt, total in Switzerland was 190.25 billion current LCU in 2024, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest central government debt, total recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 190.25 billion current LCU in 2024.
- What is the lowest central government debt, total recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.50 billion current LCU in 1990.
- How does Switzerland rank for central government debt, total?
- Switzerland ranks 49th out of 83 countries with data for 2024.
- Is central government debt, total rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Switzerland data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Central government debt, total (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Debt is the entire stock of direct government fixed-term contractual obligations to others outstanding on a particular date. It includes domestic and foreign liabilities such as currency and money deposits, securities other than shares, and loans. It is the gross amount of government liabilities reduced by the amount of equity and financial derivatives held by the government. Because debt is a stock rather than a flow, it is measured as of a given date, usually the last day of the fiscal year. Central government is the part of general government that includes all administrative departments of the national executive, legislative, and judicial functions, other central agencies and those non-market producers controlled by the central government, whose competence extends normally over the whole economic territory. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.