Interest payments in Jamaica

Jamaica: Interest payments was 22.0% in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
22.0%
Change on year
down 9.0%
World rank
11th
of 152 countries
All-time high
50.9%
in 2003
All-time low
22.0%
in 2020
Years of data
33
1988–2020

Interest payments in Jamaica, 1988–2020

02040601988200420201988: 36.7 % of expense1989: 38.2 % of expense1990: 39.2 % of expense1991: 38.9 % of expense1992: 42.1 % of expense1993: 38.9 % of expense1994: 43.6 % of expense1995: 40.4 % of expense1996: 42.5 % of expense1997: 34.1 % of expense1998: 40.8 % of expense1999: 44.8 % of expense2000: 44.8 % of expense2001: 44.9 % of expense2002: 44 % of expense2003: 50.9 % of expense2004: 49.3 % of expense2005: 45.9 % of expense2006: 43.6 % of expense2007: 40.2 % of expense2008: 40.4 % of expense2009: 48.8 % of expense2010: 38.5 % of expense2011: 34.5 % of expense2012: 35.1 % of expense2013: 30.7 % of expense2014: 31.4 % of expense2015: 29.4 % of expense2016: 30.2 % of expense2017: 26.8 % of expense2018: 24 % of expense2019: 24.2 % of expense2020: 22 % of expense

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for interest payments in Jamaica is 22.0%, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 33 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 9.0% on the previous year and down 42.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, interest payments in Jamaica peaked at 50.9% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 22.0%, in 2020.

Jamaica ranks 11th of 152 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.

Interest payments in Jamaica, year by year

Annual values for Interest payments (% of expense) in Jamaica, 1988 to 2020.
Year % of expense Change
1988 36.7%
1989 38.2% +4.1%
1990 39.2% +2.5%
1991 38.9% -0.6%
1992 42.1% +8.2%
1993 38.9% -7.5%
1994 43.6% +11.9%
1995 40.4% -7.2%
1996 42.5% +5.0%
1997 34.1% -19.8%
1998 40.8% +19.8%
1999 44.8% +9.9%
2000 44.8% -0.1%
2001 44.9% +0.1%
2002 44.0% -1.9%
2003 50.9% +15.6%
2004 49.3% -3.2%
2005 45.9% -6.8%
2006 43.6% -5.1%
2007 40.2% -7.7%
2008 40.4% +0.4%
2009 48.8% +20.7%
2010 38.5% -21.0%
2011 34.5% -10.5%
2012 35.1% +1.8%
2013 30.7% -12.6%
2014 31.4% +2.5%
2015 29.4% -6.6%
2016 30.2% +2.8%
2017 26.8% -11.4%
2018 24.0% -10.3%
2019 24.2% +0.7%
2020 22.0% -9.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 37.5% 36.7% 38.2% 2
1990s 40.5% 34.1% 44.8% 10
2000s 45.3% 40.2% 50.9% 10
2010s 30.5% 24.0% 38.5% 10
2020s 22.0% 22.0% 22.0% 1

Countries ranked near Jamaica

  1. 8 Bangladesh 24.0% compare
  2. 9 India 23.2% compare
  3. 10 Barbados 22.5% compare
  4. 12 Gabon 20.4% compare
  5. 13 Seychelles 19.7% compare
  6. 14 Uganda 19.5% compare

See the full ranking of 193 places →

More public sector data for Jamaica

All data for Jamaica →

Frequently asked questions

What is interest payments in Jamaica?
Interest payments in Jamaica was 22.0% in 2020, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
What is the highest interest payments recorded in Jamaica?
The highest recorded value was 50.9% in 2003.
What is the lowest interest payments recorded in Jamaica?
The lowest recorded value was 22.0% in 2020.
How does Jamaica rank for interest payments?
Jamaica ranks 11th out of 152 countries with data for 2020.
Is interest payments rising or falling in Jamaica?
Over the last ten years it is down 42.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Jamaica 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 Jamaica. Statizoid, drawing on Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Retrieved 26 August 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/interest-payments-percent-of-expense/jamaica/

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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.