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MacroIran

Government debt in Iran

How indebted is the state my taxes would go to?

Iran's government debt is 35.60 % — #31 of 125 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.

35.60%

Checked 24 Oct 2026Period 2025

Source: IMF World Economic Outlook (general government gross debt, % of GDP)

The central government owes about 0.4 years' worth of the country's entire economic output.

Government debt in Iran over time

47.10 %28.65 %10.20 %47.10 % · 202010.20 % · 20131996: 29.30 %1997: 30.90 %1998: 29.60 %1999: 22.20 %2000: 18.20 %2001: 21.00 %2002: 23.40 %2003: 21.90 %2004: 21.10 %2005: 18.30 %2006: 15.20 %2007: 13.50 %2008: 10.60 %2009: 11.50 %2010: 12.80 %2011: 10.60 %2012: 11.70 %2013: 10.20 %2014: 10.90 %2015: 32.10 %2016: 45.90 %2017: 43.20 %2018: 41.60 %2019: 44.60 %2020: 47.10 %2021: 39.90 %2022: 34.50 %2023: 29.60 %2024: 31.20 %2025: 35.60 %19962010202535.60 %
30 official observations, 1996 → 2025. Every point is a published value — never interpolated.
Rank
#31 of 125
lower is better
Ranked behind
75 %
94 of 125 countries
Latest move
▲ 4.40 pp
since 2024
Below its peak
11.50 pp
peak 47.10 % in 2020
Full series
▲ 6.30 pp
since 1996

In Asia: #14 of 37vs median 54.70 %: −19.10 pp (better)

Among 125 countries

6 of 125 countries between 12.30 % and 17.90 %2 of 125 countries between 17.90 % and 23.49 %10 of 125 countries between 23.49 % and 29.09 %11 of 125 countries between 29.09 % and 34.68 %8 of 125 countries between 34.68 % and 40.28 %9 of 125 countries between 40.28 % and 45.88 %7 of 125 countries between 45.88 % and 51.47 %13 of 125 countries between 51.47 % and 57.07 %8 of 125 countries between 57.07 % and 62.66 %10 of 125 countries between 62.66 % and 68.26 %4 of 125 countries between 68.26 % and 73.85 %3 of 125 countries between 73.85 % and 79.45 %7 of 125 countries between 79.45 % and 85.05 %6 of 125 countries between 85.05 % and 90.64 %2 of 125 countries between 90.64 % and 96.24 %6 of 125 countries between 96.24 % and 101.83 %2 of 125 countries between 101.83 % and 107.43 %1 of 125 countries between 107.43 % and 113.02 %2 of 125 countries between 113.02 % and 118.62 %1 of 125 countries between 124.22 % and 129.81 %2 of 125 countries between 135.41 % and 141.00 %5 of 125 countries between 141.00 % and 146.60 %median 54.70 %Iran: ahead of 75 % of the 125 countries with a published government debtIran 35.60 %12.30 %146.60 %
Half of all 125 countries sit between 36.10 % and 81.70 %. Iran is ahead of 75 % of them. Axis trimmed to the 2nd–98th percentile; 5 values beyond it sit in the end bars.

The neighbourhood

#CountryGovernment debtvs Iran
29 Nicaragua34.60 %−1.00 pp
30 Ireland34.80 %−0.80 pp
31 Iran35.60 %—
32 Nigeria36.10 %+0.50 pp
33 Zimbabwe38.00 %+2.40 pp

General government gross debt as a share of GDP (IMF World Economic Outlook, annual).

How to read this figure

Central government debt as a share of GDP (World Bank). General government debt (including local government and social funds) can be meaningfully higher; comparisons across countries are indicative.

Next, about Iran

Debt per personGDP growthInflation rate
Government debt, all countries ranked →Compare Iran with another country →Everything about Iran →
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