Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Euro area

Euro area: Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) was -2.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
-2.7%
Change on year
up 16.9%
Rank
2nd
of 2 groups
All-time high
0.8%
in 1972
All-time low
-6.7%
in 2020
Years of data
53
1972–2024

Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Euro area, 1972–2024

-6-4-20197219982024

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Euro area is -2.7%, measured in 2024.

That represents a change of up 16.9% on the previous year and down 15.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Euro area peaked at 0.8% in 1972 and was at its lowest, -6.7%, in 2020.

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

Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Euro area, year by year

Annual values for Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (% of GDP) in Euro area, 1972 to 2024.
Year % of GDP Change
1972 0.8%
1973 0.4% -54.7%
1974 -0.4% -195.6%
1975 -2.9% +686.2%
1976 -1.8% -36.0%
1977 -1.6% -14.0%
1978 -2.3% +42.9%
1979 -2.4% +8.3%
1980 -2.6% +5.7%
1981 -2.2% -13.0%
1982 -2.9% +29.4%
1983 -2.8% -3.1%
1984 -2.7% -2.9%
1985 -2.7% -2.8%
1986 -3.9% +48.1%
1987 -4.1% +4.6%
1988 -3.2% -22.7%
1989 -2.6% -18.1%
1990 -2.0% -24.7%
1991 -2.4% +20.7%
1992 -2.8% +17.8%
1993 -4.0% +41.9%
1994 -3.6% -9.1%
1995 -5.6% +56.2%
1996 -3.5% -37.0%
1997 -1.8% -48.6%
1998 -1.3% -29.4%
1999 -0.6% -53.3%
2000 -0.3% -48.3%
2001 -0.5% +73.4%
2002 -1.8% +228.0%
2003 -2.2% +25.6%
2004 -2.1% -5.2%
2005 -1.9% -7.8%
2006 -1.1% -45.5%
2007 -0.5% -50.3%
2008 -1.7% +215.1%
2009 -5.2% +212.0%
2010 -5.1% -0.4%
2011 -3.2% -37.4%
2012 -3.5% +8.9%
2013 -2.9% -16.9%
2014 -2.4% -18.5%
2015 -1.9% -18.8%
2016 -1.7% -13.8%
2017 -1.3% -22.1%
2018 -0.7% -44.4%
2019 -0.7% -8.2%
2020 -6.7% +917.5%
2021 -5.2% -21.9%
2022 -3.6% -31.1%
2023 -3.3% -8.7%
2024 -2.7% -16.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s -1.3% -2.9% 0.8% 8
1980s -3.0% -4.1% -2.2% 10
1990s -2.8% -5.6% -0.6% 10
2000s -1.7% -5.2% -0.3% 10
2010s -2.3% -5.1% -0.7% 10
2020s -4.3% -6.7% -2.7% 5

Countries ranked near Euro area

  1. 1 Nauru 15.1% compare
  2. 2 Norway 13.6% compare
  3. 3 Equatorial Guinea 11.5% compare
  4. 4 Lesotho 7.2% compare
  5. 5 Seychelles 7.2% compare

See the full ranking of 182 places →

More public sector data for Euro area

All data for Euro area →

Frequently asked questions

What is net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Euro area?
Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Euro area was -2.7% in 2024, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
What is the highest net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) recorded in Euro area?
The highest recorded value was 0.8% in 1972.
What is the lowest net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) recorded in Euro area?
The lowest recorded value was -6.7% in 2020.
How does Euro area rank for net lending (+) / net borrowing (-)?
Euro area ranks 2nd out of 2 groups with data for 2024.
Is net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) rising or falling in Euro area?
Over the last ten years it is down 15.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Euro area data come from?
The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Euro area. Statizoid, drawing on Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Retrieved 28 August 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/net-lending-net-borrowing-percent-of-gdp/euro-area/

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About this data

Indicator
Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (% of GDP)
Unit
% of GDP
Source
Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
182 places, 5,229 data points, 1972–2024
Last refreshed

Net lending (+) / net borrowing (–) equals government revenue minus expense, minus net investment in nonfinancial assets. It is also equal to the net result of transactions in financial assets and liabilities. Net lending/net borrowing is a summary measure indicating the extent to which government is either putting financial resources at the disposal of other sectors in the economy or abroad, or utilizing the financial resources generated by other sectors in the economy or from abroad. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.