Interest payments in South Asia

South Asia: Interest payments was 43.9% in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
43.9%
Change on year
down 21.3%
Rank
1st
of 41 groups
All-time high
55.9%
in 2022
All-time low
19.0%
in 2019
Years of data
34
1990–2023

Interest payments in South Asia, 1990–2023

20304050601990200620231990: 27.7 % of revenue1991: 27.6 % of revenue1992: 28.5 % of revenue1993: 30.6 % of revenue1994: 32.9 % of revenue1995: 26.3 % of revenue1996: 31.8 % of revenue1997: 32.1 % of revenue1998: 30.1 % of revenue1999: 30.7 % of revenue2000: 32.9 % of revenue2001: 27.4 % of revenue2002: 28 % of revenue2003: 26.4 % of revenue2004: 24.1 % of revenue2005: 22.7 % of revenue2006: 22.4 % of revenue2007: 22 % of revenue2008: 24.2 % of revenue2009: 25.1 % of revenue2010: 20.6 % of revenue2011: 19.4 % of revenue2012: 20.8 % of revenue2013: 21.4 % of revenue2014: 22.8 % of revenue2015: 22.8 % of revenue2016: 21.3 % of revenue2017: 21.5 % of revenue2018: 20.5 % of revenue2019: 19 % of revenue2020: 21.1 % of revenue2021: 20.8 % of revenue2022: 55.9 % of revenue2023: 43.9 % of revenue

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for interest payments in South Asia is 43.9%, measured in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 21.3% on the previous year and up 105.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, interest payments in South Asia peaked at 55.9% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 19.0%, in 2019.

That places South Asia 1st out of 41 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.

Interest payments in South Asia, year by year

Annual values for Interest payments (% of revenue) in South Asia, 1990 to 2023.
Year % of revenue Change
1990 27.7%
1991 27.6% -0.6%
1992 28.5% +3.6%
1993 30.6% +7.1%
1994 32.9% +7.6%
1995 26.3% -20.0%
1996 31.8% +20.7%
1997 32.1% +1.0%
1998 30.1% -6.1%
1999 30.7% +1.7%
2000 32.9% +7.3%
2001 27.4% -16.7%
2002 28.0% +2.1%
2003 26.4% -5.7%
2004 24.1% -8.5%
2005 22.7% -5.8%
2006 22.4% -1.6%
2007 22.0% -1.5%
2008 24.2% +9.7%
2009 25.1% +3.8%
2010 20.6% -18.1%
2011 19.4% -5.8%
2012 20.8% +7.5%
2013 21.4% +2.9%
2014 22.8% +6.4%
2015 22.8% +0.0%
2016 21.3% -6.5%
2017 21.5% +0.8%
2018 20.5% -4.4%
2019 19.0% -7.3%
2020 21.1% +10.8%
2021 20.8% -1.2%
2022 55.9% +168.3%
2023 43.9% -21.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 29.8% 26.3% 32.9% 10
2000s 25.5% 22.0% 32.9% 10
2010s 21.0% 19.0% 22.8% 10
2020s 35.4% 20.8% 55.9% 4

Countries ranked near South Asia

  1. 1 Sri Lanka 79.9% compare
  2. 2 Malawi 35.8% compare
  3. 3 India 34.0% compare
  4. 4 Egypt 33.3% compare

See the full ranking of 196 places →

More public sector data for South Asia

All data for South Asia →

Frequently asked questions

What is interest payments in South Asia?
Interest payments in South Asia was 43.9% in 2023, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
What is the highest interest payments recorded in South Asia?
The highest recorded value was 55.9% in 2022.
What is the lowest interest payments recorded in South Asia?
The lowest recorded value was 19.0% in 2019.
How does South Asia rank for interest payments?
South Asia ranks 1st out of 41 groups with data for 2023.
Is interest payments rising or falling in South Asia?
Over the last ten years it is up 105.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this South Asia 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 revenue). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Interest payments in South Asia. Statizoid, drawing on Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/interest-payments-percent-of-revenue/south-asia/

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About this data

Indicator
Interest payments (% of revenue)
Unit
% of revenue
Source
Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
196 places, 5,564 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 a percentage of revenue which includes all transactions that add to the amount of economic value of a unit or sector.