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MacroMalaysia

Government debt in Malaysia

How indebted is the state my taxes would go to?

Malaysia's government debt is 70.70 % — #86 of 124 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.

70.70%

Checked 8 Sept 2026Period 2025

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

The central government owes about 0.7 years' worth of the country's entire economic output.

Government debt in Malaysia over time

74.10 %51.85 %29.60 %74.10 % · 199029.60 % · 19971990: 74.10 %1991: 67.30 %1992: 59.10 %1993: 51.10 %1994: 43.70 %1995: 38.20 %1996: 32.80 %1997: 29.60 %1998: 33.60 %1999: 34.40 %2000: 32.50 %2001: 38.10 %2002: 39.50 %2003: 41.40 %2004: 42.00 %2005: 40.80 %2006: 39.70 %2007: 39.30 %2008: 39.40 %2009: 50.40 %2010: 51.20 %2011: 51.90 %2012: 53.80 %2013: 55.70 %2014: 55.40 %2015: 57.00 %2016: 55.80 %2017: 54.40 %2018: 55.60 %2019: 57.10 %2020: 67.70 %2021: 69.20 %2022: 65.50 %2023: 69.70 %2024: 69.80 %2025: 70.70 %19902008202570.70 %
36 official observations, 1990 → 2025. Every point is a published value — never interpolated.
Rank
#86 of 124
lower is better
Ranked behind
31 %
38 of 124 countries
Latest move
▲ 0.90 pp
since 2024
Below its peak
3.40 pp
peak 74.10 % in 1990
Full series
▼ 3.40 pp
since 1990

In Asia: #28 of 37vs median 54.55 %: +16.15 pp (worse)

Among 124 countries

5 of 124 countries between 12.30 % and 17.86 %4 of 124 countries between 17.86 % and 23.42 %9 of 124 countries between 23.42 % and 28.97 %9 of 124 countries between 28.97 % and 34.53 %9 of 124 countries between 34.53 % and 40.09 %11 of 124 countries between 40.09 % and 45.65 %8 of 124 countries between 45.65 % and 51.21 %11 of 124 countries between 51.21 % and 56.77 %8 of 124 countries between 56.77 % and 62.32 %7 of 124 countries between 62.32 % and 67.88 %6 of 124 countries between 67.88 % and 73.44 %5 of 124 countries between 73.44 % and 79.00 %6 of 124 countries between 79.00 % and 84.56 %7 of 124 countries between 84.56 % and 90.12 %2 of 124 countries between 90.12 % and 95.67 %3 of 124 countries between 95.67 % and 101.23 %4 of 124 countries between 101.23 % and 106.79 %1 of 124 countries between 106.79 % and 112.35 %2 of 124 countries between 112.35 % and 117.91 %1 of 124 countries between 123.47 % and 129.02 %2 of 124 countries between 134.58 % and 140.14 %4 of 124 countries between 140.14 % and 145.70 %median 54.40 %Malaysia: ahead of 31 % of the 124 countries with a published government debtMalaysia 70.70 %12.30 %145.70 %
Half of all 124 countries sit between 36.00 % and 80.30 %. Malaysia is ahead of 31 % of them. Axis trimmed to the 2nd–98th percentile; 5 values beyond it sit in the end bars.

The neighbourhood

#CountryGovernment debtvs Malaysia
84 Kenya69.30 %−1.40 pp
85 Namibia70.20 %−0.50 pp
86 Malaysia70.70 %—
87 Pakistan72.80 %+2.10 pp
88 Bahamas73.80 %+3.10 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 Malaysia

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