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MacroNorway

Government debt in Norway

How indebted is the state my taxes would go to?

Norway's government debt is 45.00 % — #46 of 124 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.

45.00%

Checked 8 Sept 2026Period 2025

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

The central government owes about 0.5 years' worth of the country's entire economic output.

Government debt in Norway over time

54.00 %38.90 %23.80 %54.00 % · 199323.80 % · 19981980: 47.90 %1981: 43.50 %1982: 38.60 %1983: 35.50 %1984: 35.30 %1985: 37.00 %1986: 46.10 %1987: 38.60 %1988: 32.60 %1989: 32.50 %1990: 29.10 %1991: 39.50 %1992: 45.30 %1993: 54.00 %1994: 51.00 %1995: 32.90 %1996: 28.60 %1997: 26.00 %1998: 23.80 %1999: 25.10 %2000: 28.80 %2001: 27.30 %2002: 34.00 %2003: 43.10 %2004: 43.80 %2005: 42.10 %2006: 52.20 %2007: 48.90 %2008: 46.80 %2009: 41.70 %2010: 42.10 %2011: 28.90 %2012: 30.20 %2013: 30.60 %2014: 28.80 %2015: 33.20 %2016: 36.70 %2017: 36.90 %2018: 38.10 %2019: 39.00 %2020: 44.30 %2021: 40.10 %2022: 34.80 %2023: 42.40 %2024: 52.80 %2025: 45.00 %19802003202545.00 %
46 official observations, 1980 → 2025. Every point is a published value — never interpolated.
Rank
#46 of 124
lower is better
Ranked behind
63 %
78 of 124 countries
Latest move
▼ 7.80 pp
since 2024
Below its peak
9.00 pp
peak 54.00 % in 1993
Full series
▼ 2.90 pp
since 1980

In Europe: #16 of 37vs median 54.55 %: −9.55 pp (better)

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 %Norway: ahead of 63 % of the 124 countries with a published government debtNorway 45.00 %12.30 %145.70 %
Half of all 124 countries sit between 36.00 % and 80.30 %. Norway is ahead of 63 % of them. Axis trimmed to the 2nd–98th percentile; 5 values beyond it sit in the end bars.

The neighbourhood

#CountryGovernment debtvs Norway
44 Zimbabwe43.80 %−1.20 pp
45 Czech Republic44.60 %−0.40 pp
46 Norway45.00 %—
47 Mongolia45.10 %+0.10 pp
48 Malta46.80 %+1.80 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 Norway

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