Government debt % GDP in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) stood at 46.57% in 2018, according to World Bank. The latest value is down 1.06 percentage points from 47.63% in 2017. Ten years earlier, in 2008, the value was 57.1% (down 10.53 percentage points since). The latest value is the lowest since 1990; the highest was 63.93% in 2004.
Data source: World Bank · Unit: % · Category: Macroeconomics · Explore more indicators on EconDash
Government debt % GDP, measured in %, measures the government's fiscal obligations and borrowing levels in South Asia (IDA & IBRD), serving as a critical indicator of fiscal sustainability, creditworthiness, and the capacity to finance public services and respond to crises. Government debt accumulates when spending exceeds revenues over time, requiring borrowing from domestic and international creditors through bond issuance. In South Asia (IDA & IBRD), Government debt % GDP is typically expressed as a percentage of GDP to account for the economy's capacity to service the debt — a country with larger economic output can sustain higher debt levels than a smaller economy. Key considerations include debt composition (domestic vs foreign currency, short vs long-term), interest rates, and who holds the debt (domestic investors, foreign governments, central banks). Sustainable debt levels vary by country depending on institutional strength, growth prospects, and investor confidence, but ratios above 90-100% of GDP often raise concerns among credit rating agencies.
Government debt % GDP in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) stood at 46.57% in 2018, according to World Bank.
The latest value is down 1.06 percentage points from 47.63% in 2017. Ten years earlier, in 2008, the value was 57.1% (down 10.53 percentage points since).
The latest value is the lowest since 1990; the highest was 63.93% in 2004.
| Indicator | Government debt % GDP |
|---|---|
| Country | South Asia (IDA & IBRD) |
| Category | Macroeconomics |
| Unit | % |
| Source | World Bank |
| Interactive chart | View on EconDash |
| API access | EconDash API documentation |
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World Bank. (2026). Government debt % GDP — South Asia (IDA & IBRD) [Data set]. Retrieved November 13, 2026, from EconDash: https://econdash.org/chart/government-debt-percent-gdp/TSA. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/GC.DOD.TOTL.GD.ZS
World Bank. "Government debt % GDP — South Asia (IDA & IBRD)." EconDash, 2026, https://econdash.org/chart/government-debt-percent-gdp/TSA. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/GC.DOD.TOTL.GD.ZS.
World Bank. 2026. "Government debt % GDP — South Asia (IDA & IBRD)." EconDash. Accessed November 13, 2026. https://econdash.org/chart/government-debt-percent-gdp/TSA. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/GC.DOD.TOTL.GD.ZS.
@misc{econdash_government_debt_percent_gdp_tsa,
author = {{World Bank}},
title = {{Government debt \% GDP --- South Asia (IDA \& IBRD)}},
howpublished = {EconDash},
year = {2026},
url = {https://econdash.org/chart/government-debt-percent-gdp/TSA},
note = {Accessed: 2026-11-13. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/GC.DOD.TOTL.GD.ZS}
}Browse indicators available for South Asia (IDA & IBRD). Click any indicator to view its interactive chart, compare with other countries, and download historical data.
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