Interest payments in Zambia
Zambia: Interest payments was 26.5% in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Interest payments in Zambia, 1998–2021
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 Zambia is 26.5%, measured in 2021.
The figure is down 18.4% on the previous year and up 312.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, interest payments in Zambia peaked at 42.0% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 6.4%, in 2011.
That places Zambia 4th out of 152 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Interest payments in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of expense | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 15.9% | — |
| 1999 | 19.9% | +24.7% |
| 2001 | 6.6% | -67.1% |
| 2002 | 16.1% | +145.1% |
| 2003 | 26.0% | +62.1% |
| 2004 | 25.8% | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 19.4% | -24.7% |
| 2006 | 9.6% | -50.8% |
| 2007 | 6.8% | -28.4% |
| 2008 | 9.9% | +45.2% |
| 2009 | 9.4% | -5.6% |
| 2010 | 10.7% | +14.4% |
| 2011 | 6.4% | -40.0% |
| 2012 | 8.4% | +31.0% |
| 2013 | 8.9% | +6.0% |
| 2014 | 14.3% | +59.8% |
| 2015 | 16.9% | +18.2% |
| 2016 | 22.0% | +30.1% |
| 2017 | 22.8% | +3.9% |
| 2018 | 33.7% | +47.7% |
| 2019 | 42.0% | +24.6% |
| 2020 | 32.5% | -22.6% |
| 2021 | 26.5% | -18.4% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 26.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 10.0%, 2.7× the median. (36 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 26.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 11.3%, 2.3× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 17.9% | 15.9% | 19.9% | 2 |
| 2000s | 14.4% | 6.6% | 26.0% | 9 |
| 2010s | 18.6% | 6.4% | 42.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.5% | 26.5% | 32.5% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
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Frequently asked questions
- What is interest payments in Zambia?
- Interest payments in Zambia was 26.5% in 2021, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest interest payments recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 42.0% in 2019.
- What is the lowest interest payments recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.4% in 2011.
- How does Zambia rank for interest payments?
- Zambia ranks 4th out of 152 countries with data for 2021.
- Is interest payments rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 312.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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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About this data
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.