Afghanistan vs China

Afghanistan vs China: Government debt

Government debt in 2025: 7.6% of GDP in Afghanistan and 98.6% of GDP in China, by IMF estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in China, by 91 percentage points, or 13 times that in Afghanistan.

Watch it change on the map

% of GDP · IMF

Afghanistan vs China: Government debtGovernment debt in 2025: 7.6% of GDP in Afghanistan and 98.6% of GDP in China, by IMF estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in China, by 91 percentage points, or 13 times that in Afghanistan.
AfghanistanChinaIMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026)

What the numbers say

  • China has been higher since 2006, when it overtook Afghanistan.
  • In 2025, Afghanistan ranked 146 and China ranked 17 of 149 countries, counting from the highest.
  • The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts China at 122.1% of GDP in 2031.

Every year

% of GDP · IMF

YearAfghanistanChina
20257.698.6
20248.990.5
20238.384.1
202210.677.3
202111.172.1
20207.370.6
20196.159.9
20187.455.7
2017853.7
20168.450
20159.240.9
20148.739.4
20136.936.6
20126.833.9
20117.533
20107.733.1
200916.333.9
200819.126.6
200720.128.8
20062325.2
2005206.426
200424525.9
2003270.626.4
200234625.5
2001–24.2
2000–22.6
1999–21.6
1998–20.4
1997–20.4
1996–21.2
1995–21.4
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2026–2031
YearAfghanistanChina
2026–104.4
2027–109.1
2028–113.2
2029–116.4
2030–119.5
2031–122.1

Each country on its own

Good to know

  • What the government owes, as a share of the economy’s yearly output.
  • Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook, October 2026.
  • The dashed line is the IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026), a scenario rather than a forecast.
  • Ranks count the 149 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.

How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time

Afghanistan vs China

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