Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Norway
Norway: Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) was 13.6% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Norway, 1972–2024
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Norway recorded 13.6% for net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in 2024.
The figure is down 18.7% on the previous year and up 49.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Norway peaked at 25.5% in 2022 and was at its lowest, -2.4%, in 1992.
That places Norway 2nd out of 156 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Norway, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 2.8% | — |
| 1973 | 3.5% | +22.8% |
| 1974 | 3.0% | -14.5% |
| 1975 | 2.1% | -29.1% |
| 1976 | 1.1% | -47.1% |
| 1977 | 0.2% | -79.7% |
| 1978 | -0.9% | -486.3% |
| 1979 | -0.2% | -79.6% |
| 1980 | 3.1% | -1817.3% |
| 1981 | 4.9% | +58.1% |
| 1982 | 3.9% | -19.9% |
| 1983 | 5.1% | +32.0% |
| 1984 | 5.3% | +3.8% |
| 1985 | 7.2% | +35.0% |
| 1986 | 7.0% | -2.3% |
| 1987 | 4.2% | -40.4% |
| 1988 | 3.1% | -26.4% |
| 1989 | 1.5% | -50.6% |
| 1990 | 1.8% | +20.6% |
| 1991 | 0.4% | -79.7% |
| 1992 | -2.4% | -743.7% |
| 1993 | -2.3% | -2.2% |
| 1994 | -0.9% | -63.6% |
| 1995 | 3.2% | -475.2% |
| 1996 | 6.4% | +98.6% |
| 1997 | 7.6% | +19.9% |
| 1998 | 4.6% | -40.1% |
| 1999 | 6.7% | +45.5% |
| 2000 | 15.5% | +132.4% |
| 2001 | 13.9% | -10.0% |
| 2002 | 9.0% | -35.3% |
| 2003 | 8.2% | -8.9% |
| 2004 | 11.4% | +39.1% |
| 2005 | 14.7% | +28.6% |
| 2006 | 17.8% | +21.3% |
| 2007 | 17.3% | -3.0% |
| 2008 | 19.3% | +11.6% |
| 2009 | 11.0% | -43.1% |
| 2010 | 11.5% | +4.5% |
| 2011 | 13.7% | +19.1% |
| 2012 | 13.9% | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 11.1% | -20.3% |
| 2014 | 9.1% | -18.1% |
| 2015 | 6.1% | -32.7% |
| 2016 | 4.3% | -29.5% |
| 2017 | 5.1% | +19.3% |
| 2018 | 8.1% | +57.5% |
| 2019 | 7.2% | -10.7% |
| 2020 | -1.8% | -125.3% |
| 2021 | 9.5% | -620.8% |
| 2022 | 25.5% | +167.0% |
| 2023 | 16.7% | -34.5% |
| 2024 | 13.6% | -18.7% |
Norway compared with similar countries
- Norway's 13.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is -1.8%. (57 countries reporting)
- Norway's 13.6% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is -1.5%. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Norway changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | +1817.3% | -0.2% | 3.1% |
| 1992 | -743.7% | 0.4% | -2.4% |
| 2021 | +620.8% | -1.8% | 9.5% |
| 1978 | -486.3% | 0.2% | -0.9% |
| 1995 | +475.2% | -0.9% | 3.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.5% | -0.9% | 3.5% | 8 |
| 1980s | 4.5% | 1.5% | 7.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.5% | -2.4% | 7.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.8% | 8.2% | 19.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.0% | 4.3% | 13.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.7% | -1.8% | 25.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Norway
- 1 Nauru 15.1% compare
- 3 Equatorial Guinea 11.5% compare
- 4 Lesotho 7.2% compare
- 5 Seychelles 7.2% compare
More public sector data for Norway
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Democracy 7 (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected 1 (2025)
- Elected parliament 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Norway?
- Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Norway was 13.6% 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 Norway?
- The highest recorded value was 25.5% in 2022.
- What is the lowest net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) recorded in Norway?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.4% in 1992.
- How does Norway rank for net lending (+) / net borrowing (-)?
- Norway ranks 2nd out of 156 countries with data for 2024.
- Is net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) rising or falling in Norway?
- Over the last ten years it is up 49.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Norway 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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About this data
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.