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

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Sweden's net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (current LCU) fell 51.35 billion on 2023 (from 8.34 billion to -43.01 billion).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +7.03 billion and a typical year strayed about 62.55 billion from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.9 standard deviations below 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 116.6 billion in 2021 and the biggest yearly fall was 225.99 billion in 2020. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 17% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

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

How it compares

In 2024, Sweden had the 51st highest value of the 90 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Sweden in the 2024 ranking

• Albania — 48th of 90: -26.12 billion
• Canada — 49th of 90: -36.34 billion
• North Macedonia — 50th of 90: -41.88 billion
• Spain — 52nd of 90: -50.45 billion
• Mauritius — 53rd of 90: -56.16 billion
• Mozambique — 54th of 90: -62.58 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 53 values

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

• Albania — -26.12 billion (2024)
• Armenia — -369.71 billion (2024)
• Austria — -17.68 billion (2024)
• Azerbaijan — 4.96 billion (2024)
• Belarus — 3.24 billion (2024)
• Belgium — -16.5 billion (2024)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — -804.04 million (2024)
• Bulgaria — -2.76 billion (2024)
• Croatia — -1.14 billion (2023)
• Cyprus — 1.45 billion (2024)

More public sector data for Sweden

• Military expenditure (current USD) — 16.47 billion (2025)
• Military expenditure (current LCU) — 161.67 billion (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 2.47% (2025)
• Arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 235 million (2025)
• Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 146 million (2025)
• Net investment in nonfinancial assets (current LCU) — 185.59 billion (2024)
• Net investment in nonfinancial assets (% of GDP) — 2.9% (2024)
• Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (% of GDP) — -0.67% (2024)
• Grants and other revenue (current LCU) — 154.63 billion (2024)
• Grants and other revenue (% of revenue)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

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

-43.01 billion in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1972?

It is down 550.84% from 9.54 billion in 1972. The highest value was 110.23 billion in 2007 and the lowest -202.52 billion in 1993.

How does Sweden rank?

51st highest of 90 economies with data for 2024.

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

In 2024, Sweden's net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (current LCU) fell 51.35 billion on 2023 (from 8.34 billion to -43.01 billion). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +7.03 billion and a typical year strayed about 62.55 billion from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.9 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

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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