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MacroSwitzerland

Government debt in Switzerland

How indebted is the state my taxes would go to?

Switzerland's government debt is 39.40 % — #35 of 124 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.

39.40%

Checked 8 Sept 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 Switzerland over time

57.10 %44.95 %32.80 %57.10 % · 200432.80 % · 19901990: 32.80 %1991: 34.60 %1992: 38.90 %1993: 43.70 %1994: 46.40 %1995: 49.30 %1996: 50.60 %1997: 52.90 %1998: 55.30 %1999: 52.00 %2000: 51.70 %2001: 50.50 %2002: 56.90 %2003: 56.20 %2004: 57.10 %2005: 54.10 %2006: 47.70 %2007: 44.00 %2008: 44.20 %2009: 42.40 %2010: 40.70 %2011: 41.20 %2012: 41.90 %2013: 41.20 %2014: 41.20 %2015: 41.40 %2016: 40.30 %2017: 41.10 %2018: 39.00 %2019: 38.80 %2020: 42.40 %2021: 39.70 %2022: 35.90 %2023: 37.30 %2024: 40.50 %2025: 39.40 %19902008202539.40 %
36 official observations, 1990 → 2025. Every point is a published value — never interpolated.
Rank
#35 of 124
lower is better
Ranked behind
72 %
89 of 124 countries
Latest move
▼ 1.10 pp
since 2024
Below its peak
17.70 pp
peak 57.10 % in 2004
Full series
▲ 6.60 pp
since 1990

In Europe: #12 of 37vs median 54.55 %: −15.15 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 %Switzerland: ahead of 72 % of the 124 countries with a published government debtSwitzerland 39.40 %12.30 %145.70 %
Half of all 124 countries sit between 36.00 % and 80.30 %. Switzerland is ahead of 72 % of them. Axis trimmed to the 2nd–98th percentile; 5 values beyond it sit in the end bars.

The neighbourhood

#CountryGovernment debtvs Switzerland
33 Iran37.30 %−2.10 pp
34 Botswana38.60 %−0.80 pp
35 Switzerland39.40 %—
36 Lithuania39.80 %+0.40 pp
37 Indonesia41.00 %+1.60 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 Switzerland

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