Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in South Asia

South Asia: Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) was -5.4% in 2022. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2022)
-5.4%
Rank
21st
of 24 groups
All-time high
0.2%
in 1977
All-time low
-5.4%
in 2022
Years of data
46
1974–2022

Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in South Asia, 1974–2022

-6-4-20197419982022

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

Analysis

In 2022, net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in South Asia stood at -5.4%. That is the lowest value across all 46 years on record.

The figure is down 55.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in South Asia peaked at 0.2% in 1977 and was at its lowest, -5.4%, in 2022.

South Asia ranks 21st of 24 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

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

Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in South Asia, year by year

Annual values for Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (% of GDP) in South Asia, 1974 to 2022.
Year % of GDP Change
1974 -0.1%
1975 0.2% -275.3%
1976 0.1% -14.4%
1977 0.2% +43.6%
1978 -0.1% -158.2%
1979 -0.9% +744.8%
1980 -1.0% +10.6%
1981 -0.5% -50.0%
1982 -0.8% +56.7%
1983 -1.3% +62.5%
1984 -2.0% +56.3%
1985 -2.3% +13.9%
1986 -2.9% +28.2%
1987 -3.1% +5.5%
1988 -3.1% -0.7%
1989 -2.7% -10.3%
1990 -3.5% +26.2%
1991 -2.4% -30.2%
1992 -2.4% -0.2%
1993 -4.0% +64.6%
1994 -2.6% -35.5%
1995 -2.4% -7.1%
1996 -2.2% -6.8%
1997 -2.9% +31.4%
1998 -3.4% +17.8%
1999 -3.4% -1.7%
2000 -4.0% +17.8%
2001 -4.2% +5.9%
2002 -4.4% +4.3%
2003 -3.3% -25.3%
2004 -3.2% -3.2%
2005 -3.2% +0.1%
2006 -2.3% -26.5%
2007 -0.7% -68.5%
2008 -4.7% +538.9%
2009 -5.3% +13.1%
2010 -3.3% -37.1%
2011 -3.1% -8.0%
2012 -3.5% +13.4%
2013 -3.7% +6.5%
2014 -3.1% -17.5%
2015 -2.8% -9.6%
2016 -2.4% -14.1%
2017 -2.7% +12.0%
2018 -2.5% -5.5%
2022 -5.4% +114.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s -0.1% -0.9% 0.2% 6
1980s -2.0% -3.1% -0.5% 10
1990s -2.9% -4.0% -2.2% 10
2000s -3.5% -5.3% -0.7% 10
2010s -3.0% -3.7% -2.4% 9
2020s -5.4% -5.4% -5.4% 1

Countries ranked near South Asia

  1. 18 Andorra 2.3% compare
  2. 19 Iraq 2.0% compare
  3. 20 Mongolia 1.8% compare
  4. 21 Timor-Leste 1.6% compare
  5. 22 Russian Federation 1.6% compare
  6. 23 Congo 1.3% compare
  7. 24 Belarus 1.3% compare

See the full ranking of 182 places →

More public sector data for South Asia

All data for South Asia →

Frequently asked questions

What is net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in South Asia?
Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in South Asia was -5.4% in 2022, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
What is the highest net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) recorded in South Asia?
The highest recorded value was 0.2% in 1977.
What is the lowest net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) recorded in South Asia?
The lowest recorded value was -5.4% in 2022.
How does South Asia rank for net lending (+) / net borrowing (-)?
South Asia ranks 21st out of 24 groups with data for 2022.
Is net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) rising or falling in South Asia?
Over the last ten years it is down 55.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
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 Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in South Asia. Statizoid, drawing on Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/net-lending-net-borrowing-percent-of-gdp/south-asia/

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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.