Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (% of GDP) in Singapore
Singapore: Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (% of GDP) was 3.4% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Singapore, 1972–2024
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 Singapore is 3.4%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 130.2% on the previous year and down 51.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Singapore peaked at 20.4% in 1994 and was at its lowest, -7.3%, in 2020.
That places Singapore 15th 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 (-) (% of GDP) in Singapore, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 5.4% | — |
| 1973 | 6.7% | +23.2% |
| 1974 | 6.3% | -5.4% |
| 1975 | 7.2% | +13.8% |
| 1976 | 4.0% | -44.2% |
| 1977 | 4.3% | +6.3% |
| 1978 | 4.1% | -3.7% |
| 1979 | 5.5% | +32.5% |
| 1980 | 6.2% | +12.7% |
| 1981 | 6.1% | -0.3% |
| 1982 | 9.2% | +49.8% |
| 1983 | 9.0% | -1.6% |
| 1984 | 2.9% | -67.6% |
| 1985 | 10.2% | +249.4% |
| 1986 | 8.6% | -15.6% |
| 1987 | -3.2% | -137.2% |
| 1988 | 5.1% | -258.0% |
| 1989 | 6.8% | +33.2% |
| 1990 | 10.5% | +55.3% |
| 1991 | 9.3% | -12.0% |
| 1992 | 12.7% | +36.9% |
| 1993 | 17.6% | +38.9% |
| 1994 | 20.4% | +15.7% |
| 1995 | 19.0% | -6.5% |
| 1996 | 16.4% | -14.0% |
| 1997 | 20.2% | +23.7% |
| 1998 | 10.9% | -46.3% |
| 1999 | 12.1% | +11.7% |
| 2000 | 11.0% | -9.1% |
| 2001 | 5.5% | -50.3% |
| 2002 | 4.6% | -17.0% |
| 2003 | 2.9% | -36.0% |
| 2004 | 3.9% | +32.4% |
| 2005 | 6.4% | +64.8% |
| 2006 | 6.1% | -3.5% |
| 2007 | 11.1% | +80.9% |
| 2008 | 7.6% | -31.3% |
| 2009 | 1.6% | -79.5% |
| 2010 | 7.5% | +376.8% |
| 2011 | 9.1% | +21.6% |
| 2012 | 8.5% | -6.8% |
| 2013 | 8.1% | -4.7% |
| 2014 | 7.1% | -11.8% |
| 2015 | 4.2% | -40.9% |
| 2016 | 5.0% | +19.4% |
| 2017 | 7.5% | +50.3% |
| 2018 | 4.8% | -36.8% |
| 2019 | 7.4% | +55.7% |
| 2020 | -7.3% | -198.8% |
| 2021 | 1.6% | -122.5% |
| 2022 | 1.5% | -9.2% |
| 2024 | 3.4% | +130.2% |
Singapore compared with similar countries
- Singapore's 3.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is -1.8%. (57 countries reporting)
- Singapore's 3.4% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is -1.4%. (25 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (% of GDP) in Singapore 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | +376.8% | 1.6% | 7.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.4% | 4.0% | 7.2% | 8 |
| 1980s | 6.1% | -3.2% | 10.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.9% | 9.3% | 20.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.1% | 1.6% | 11.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.9% | 4.2% | 9.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.2% | -7.3% | 3.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Singapore
More public sector data for Singapore
- 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)
- Arms imports 57.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 57.65 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0006 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -27.95 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Singapore?
- Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in Singapore was 3.4% 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 Singapore?
- The highest recorded value was 20.4% in 1994.
- What is the lowest net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) recorded in Singapore?
- The lowest recorded value was -7.3% in 2020.
- How does Singapore rank for net lending (+) / net borrowing (-)?
- Singapore ranks 15th out of 156 countries with data for 2024.
- Is net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) rising or falling in Singapore?
- Over the last ten years it is down 51.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Singapore 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.
Download this data
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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.