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MacroSweden

Government debt in Sweden

How indebted is the state my taxes would go to?

Sweden's government debt is 34.50 % — #28 of 125 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.

34.50%

Checked 24 Oct 2026Period 2025

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

The central government owes about 0.3 years' worth of the country's entire economic output.

Government debt in Sweden over time

68.90 %50.55 %32.20 %68.90 % · 199632.20 % · 20231993: 66.10 %1994: 68.60 %1995: 68.70 %1996: 68.90 %1997: 67.70 %1998: 65.40 %1999: 60.30 %2000: 50.40 %2001: 52.00 %2002: 49.80 %2003: 49.50 %2004: 48.70 %2005: 49.00 %2006: 43.90 %2007: 39.30 %2008: 38.00 %2009: 41.30 %2010: 38.70 %2011: 37.80 %2012: 38.10 %2013: 41.20 %2014: 46.10 %2015: 44.80 %2016: 43.20 %2017: 41.90 %2018: 40.20 %2019: 36.00 %2020: 40.50 %2021: 37.20 %2022: 34.40 %2023: 32.20 %2024: 33.90 %2025: 34.50 %19932009202534.50 %
33 official observations, 1993 → 2025. Every point is a published value — never interpolated.
Rank
#28 of 125
lower is better
Ranked behind
78 %
97 of 125 countries
Latest move
▲ 0.60 pp
since 2024
Below its peak
34.40 pp
peak 68.90 % in 1996
Full series
▼ 31.60 pp
since 1993

In Europe: #9 of 37vs median 54.70 %: −20.20 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 %Sweden: ahead of 78 % of the 125 countries with a published government debtSweden 34.50 %12.30 %146.60 %
Half of all 125 countries sit between 36.10 % and 81.70 %. Sweden is ahead of 78 % of them. Axis trimmed to the 2nd–98th percentile; 5 values beyond it sit in the end bars.

The neighbourhood

#CountryGovernment debtvs Sweden
26 Botswana34.00 %−0.50 pp
27 Georgia34.30 %−0.20 pp
28 Sweden34.50 %—
29 Nicaragua34.60 %+0.10 pp
30 Ireland34.80 %+0.30 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 Sweden

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