Sweden vs United Kingdom
Sweden vs United Kingdom: Government debt
Government debt in 2025: 34.6% of GDP in Sweden and 102.1% of GDP in United Kingdom, by IMF estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in United Kingdom, by 67.6 percentage points, or 2.96 times that in Sweden.
% of GDP · IMF
What the numbers say
- United Kingdom has been higher since 2007, when it overtook Sweden.
- In 2025, Sweden ranked 118 and United Kingdom ranked 12 of 149 countries, counting from the highest.
- The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts Sweden at 30.7% of GDP and United Kingdom at 100.2% of GDP in 2031.
Every year
% of GDP · IMF
| Year | Sweden | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 34.6 | 102.1 |
| 2024 | 33.9 | 99.4 |
| 2023 | 32.2 | 98.3 |
| 2022 | 34.4 | 97.1 |
| 2021 | 37.2 | 103 |
| 2020 | 40.5 | 104.4 |
| 2019 | 36 | 84.5 |
| 2018 | 40.2 | 85.3 |
| 2017 | 41.9 | 85.9 |
| 2016 | 43.2 | 87.2 |
| 2015 | 44.8 | 87.3 |
| 2014 | 46.1 | 86.4 |
| 2013 | 41.2 | 84.8 |
| 2012 | 38.1 | 84 |
| 2011 | 37.8 | 81 |
| 2010 | 38.7 | 75.5 |
| 2009 | 41.3 | 64.6 |
| 2008 | 38 | 50.7 |
| 2007 | 39.3 | 43.1 |
| 2006 | 43.9 | 42.1 |
| 2005 | 49 | 41 |
| 2004 | 48.7 | 39.8 |
| 2003 | 49.5 | 36.8 |
| 2002 | 49.9 | 35.5 |
| 2001 | 52 | 35 |
| 2000 | 50.4 | 37.7 |
| 1999 | 60.3 | 40.5 |
| 1998 | 65.4 | 42 |
| 1997 | 67.7 | 44.1 |
| 1996 | 68.9 | 43.7 |
| 1995 | 68.7 | 43.7 |
| 1994 | 68.6 | 40.8 |
| 1993 | 66.1 | 38 |
| 1992 | – | 33.3 |
| 1991 | – | 28.5 |
| 1990 | – | 28.5 |
| 1989 | – | 32.6 |
| 1988 | – | 37.1 |
| 1987 | – | 39.3 |
| 1986 | – | 41.4 |
| 1985 | – | 41.4 |
| 1984 | – | 42.3 |
| 1983 | – | 41.9 |
| 1982 | – | 43.1 |
| 1981 | – | 44.9 |
| 1980 | – | 42.7 |
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2026–2031
| Year | Sweden | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 35.1 | 102 |
| 2027 | 35.5 | 102.5 |
| 2028 | 34.8 | 102.3 |
| 2029 | 33.6 | 101.6 |
| 2030 | 32.3 | 100.9 |
| 2031 | 30.7 | 100.2 |
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
Sweden vs United Kingdom
Health
- Life expectancySweden: 83.3 years in 2023United Kingdom: 81.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySweden: 0.2 per 100 live births in 2024United Kingdom: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySweden: 1.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023United Kingdom: 3.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterSweden: 99.7% in 2022United Kingdom: 99.8% in 2022
- DepressionSweden: 4.49% in 2017United Kingdom: 4.12% in 2017
- Suicide rateSweden: 11.1 per 100,000 people in 2017United Kingdom: 7.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSweden: 10.6 million people in 2023United Kingdom: 68.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthSweden: 0.56% a year in 2023United Kingdom: 0.7% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSweden: 1.43 births per woman in 2023United Kingdom: 1.56 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSweden: 89.1% in 2025United Kingdom: 83.3% in 2025
- Median ageSweden: 39.9 years in 2023United Kingdom: 39.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSweden: 20.5% in 2023United Kingdom: 19.2% in 2023
- Net migration rateSweden: 5.2 per 1,000 people in 2023United Kingdom: 6.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSweden: 2.47% of GDP in 2025United Kingdom: 2.35% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSweden: $15B in 2025United Kingdom: $88B in 2025
- Military spending per personSweden: $1,549 in 2025United Kingdom: $1,283 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSweden: 5% of government spending in 2025United Kingdom: 5.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSweden: 15,000 people in 2020United Kingdom: 153,000 people in 2020
- National powerSweden: 0.19% of world capability in 2022United Kingdom: 1.25% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSweden: 0.27% of the labour force in 2020United Kingdom: 0.45% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSweden: 146 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 609 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSweden: 235 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 702 million TIV in 2025