Eswatini: Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (current LCU)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2021, Eswatini's net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (current LCU) rose 1.15 billion on 2020 (from -4.44 billion to -3.29 billion).

Across the 19 yearly changes before that (2000 to 2020), the average change was −143.93 million and a typical year strayed about 1.58 billion from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.8 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 3.94 billion in 2012 and the biggest yearly fall was 2.5 billion in 2015. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2012 to 2021 the straight-line trend is downward, about 507.39 million a year. A straight line explains 56% of the movement over 9 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

Closest to Eswatini in the 2021 ranking

• Congo, Rep. — 1st of 8: 107.42 billion
• Maldives — 3rd of 8: -8.19 billion
• Peru — 4th of 8: -28.47 billion
• Burundi — 5th of 8: -47.83 billion

What this measures

Net lending (+) / net borrowing (–) equals government revenue minus expense, minus net investment in nonfinancial assets. It is also equal to the net result of transactions in financial assets and liabilities. Net lending/net borrowing is a summary measure indicating the extent to which government is either putting financial resources at the disposal of other sectors in the economy or abroad, or utilizing the financial resources generated by other sectors in the economy or from abroad. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.

Limitations: For most countries central government finance data have been consolidated into one account, but for others only budgetary central government accounts are available. Countries reporting budgetary data are noted in the country metadata. Because budgetary accounts may not include all central government units (such as social security funds), they usually provide an incomplete picture. In federal states the central government accounts provide an incomplete view of total public finance. Data on government revenue and expense are collected by the IMF through questionnaires to member countries and by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

All 22 values

Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (current LCU) in nearby economies

• Angola — -1.35 trillion (2024)
• Botswana — -11.15 billion (2023)
• Burkina Faso — -758.19 billion (2024)
• Burundi — -47.83 billion (2021)
• Cabo Verde — -16.52 billion (2020)
• Cameroon — -686.91 billion (2021)
• Central African Republic — -56.35 billion (2021)
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — -2.92 trillion (2022)
• Congo, Rep. — 107.42 billion (2021)
• Côte d'Ivoire

More public sector data for Eswatini

• Military expenditure (current USD) — 93.36 million (2025)
• Military expenditure (current LCU) — 1.67 billion (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 1.6% (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) — 5.17% (2025)
• Intentional homicides (per 100,000 people) — 12.51 (2021)
• Net investment in nonfinancial assets (current LCU) — 3.79 billion (2021)
• Net investment in nonfinancial assets (% of GDP) — 5.33% (2021)
• Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (% of GDP) — -4.63% (2021)
• Grants and other revenue (current LCU) — 683.54 million (2021)

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Questions people ask

What is Eswatini's net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (current LCU)?

-3.29 billion in 2021, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1999?

It is down 2,406% from -131.4 million in 1999. The highest value was 1.17 billion in 2012 and the lowest -4.86 billion in 2016.

Is the latest change in net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (current LCU) unusual for Eswatini?

In 2021, Eswatini's net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (current LCU) rose 1.15 billion on 2020 (from -4.44 billion to -3.29 billion). Across the 19 yearly changes before that (2000 to 2020), the average change was −143.93 million and a typical year strayed about 1.58 billion from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.8 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Where does this data come from?

The World Bank's World Development Indicators, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator GC.NLD.TOTL.CN, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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