Interest payments in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)

Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries): Interest payments was 5.2% in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
5.2%
Change on year
up 35.2%
Rank
31st
of 41 groups
All-time high
12.1%
in 1998
All-time low
1.9%
in 2008
Years of data
23
1998–2023

Interest payments in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries), 1998–2023

2.557.51012.51998201020231998: 12.1 % of expense1999: 9.2 % of expense2003: 6.6 % of expense2004: 5.1 % of expense2005: 4.1 % of expense2006: 3.1 % of expense2007: 2 % of expense2008: 1.9 % of expense2009: 2.2 % of expense2010: 2.6 % of expense2011: 3.3 % of expense2012: 3.8 % of expense2013: 3.2 % of expense2014: 3.3 % of expense2015: 4.1 % of expense2016: 4.2 % of expense2017: 4.3 % of expense2018: 4.5 % of expense2019: 3.9 % of expense2020: 3.8 % of expense2021: 4.3 % of expense2022: 3.9 % of expense2023: 5.2 % of expense

Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of expense.

Analysis

Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) recorded 5.2% for interest payments in 2023.

That represents a change of up 35.2% on the previous year and up 60.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, interest payments in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 12.1% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 1.9%, in 2008.

That places Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) 31st out of 41 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Interest payments in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year

Annual values for Interest payments (% of expense) in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries), 1998 to 2023.
Year % of expense Change
1998 12.1%
1999 9.2% -24.2%
2003 6.6% -27.8%
2004 5.1% -23.6%
2005 4.1% -19.3%
2006 3.1% -25.1%
2007 2.0% -36.1%
2008 1.9% -0.8%
2009 2.2% +14.5%
2010 2.6% +16.0%
2011 3.3% +27.5%
2012 3.8% +16.3%
2013 3.2% -14.9%
2014 3.3% +2.1%
2015 4.1% +22.8%
2016 4.2% +2.1%
2017 4.3% +3.2%
2018 4.5% +4.6%
2019 3.9% -12.2%
2020 3.8% -4.8%
2021 4.3% +13.9%
2022 3.9% -9.4%
2023 5.2% +35.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 10.6% 9.2% 12.1% 2
2000s 3.6% 1.9% 6.6% 7
2010s 3.7% 2.6% 4.5% 10
2020s 4.3% 3.8% 5.2% 4

Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)

  1. 28 Guinea-Bissau 14.9% compare
  2. 29 Iceland 14.7% compare
  3. 30 Fiji 14.6% compare
  4. 31 South Africa 14.3% compare
  5. 32 Côte d'Ivoire 14.1% compare
  6. 33 Namibia 14.1% compare
  7. 34 El Salvador 14.1% compare

See the full ranking of 193 places →

More public sector data for Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)

All data for Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) →

Frequently asked questions

What is interest payments in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Interest payments in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) was 5.2% in 2023, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
What is the highest interest payments recorded in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The highest recorded value was 12.1% in 1998.
What is the lowest interest payments recorded in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The lowest recorded value was 1.9% in 2008.
How does Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for interest payments?
Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 31st out of 41 groups with data for 2023.
Is interest payments rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Over the last ten years it is up 60.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) data come from?
The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Interest payments (% of expense). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Interest payments in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries). Statizoid, drawing on Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Retrieved 09 September 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/interest-payments-percent-of-expense/europe-and-central-asia-ida-and-ibrd-countries/

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About this data

Indicator
Interest payments (% of expense)
Unit
% of expense
Source
Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
193 places, 5,277 data points, 1972–2024
Last refreshed

Interest payments include interest payments on government debt (including long-term bonds, long-term loans, and other debt instruments) to domestic and foreign residents. This indicator is expressed as percentage of total expenses which is any decrease in net worth resulting from a transaction.