Zambia

Government debt in Zambia

Government debt in Zambia: 261% of GDP in 2000 and 100.6% of GDP in 2025, by IMF estimates.

Latest, 2025
100.6% of GDP
Since 2000
−160.4 percentage points
Rank, 2025
13 of 149
counting from the highest
Projected, 2031
56.7% of GDP
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026)

% of GDP · IMF

Government debt in ZambiaGovernment debt in Zambia: 261% of GDP in 2000 and 100.6% of GDP in 2025, by IMF estimates. The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts it at 56.7% of GDP in 2031.
Estimates, IMFIMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026)

What the numbers say

  • The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts it at 56.7% of GDP in 2031.
  • The highest was 261% of GDP in 2000, the lowest 18.9% of GDP in 2010.

Every year

% of GDP · IMF

YearZambia
2025100.6
2024125.5
2023136.8
202299.5
2021111
2020140
2019103.3
201881.2
201766.6
201661.2
201561.9
201433.9
201325.9
201224.9
201120.8
201018.9
200920.5
200819.2
200721.9
200625
200575.8
2004129.9
2003159.5
2002180.2
2001210.2
2000261
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2026–2031
YearZambia
202682.1
202777
202872.3
202967.2
203061.9
203156.7

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

Zambia in numbers

Every measure for Zambia on one page

Health

People

Economy

Education

Politics

Conflict

Military

Climate

Technology and environment