The budget balance in relation to the gross domestic product (GDP) in Sweden was estimated at about -1.72 percent in 2024. From 1980 to 2024, the budget balance rose by approximately 3.66 percentage points, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend. Between 2024 and 2030, the budget balance will rise by around 1.72 percentage points, showing an overall upward trend with periodic ups and downs.The indicator describes the general government net lending / borrowing, which is calculated as revenue minus total expenditure. The International Monetary Fund defines the general government expenditure as consisting of total expenses and the net acquisition of nonfinancial assets. The general government revenue consists of the revenue from taxes, social contributions, grants receivable, and other revenue.

Key information about Sweden Consolidated Fiscal Balance: % of GDP

• Sweden Consolidated Fiscal Balance recorded a deficit equal to 0.6 % of its Nominal GDP in Dec 2023, compared with a surplus equal to 1.0 % in the previous year
• Sweden Consolidated Fiscal Balance to GDP data is updated yearly, available from Dec 1995 to Dec 2023, with an average ratio of -0.1 %
• The data reached an all-time high of 3.4 % in Dec 2007 and a record low of -7.0 % in Dec 1995

CEIC calculates Consolidated Fiscal Balance as % of Nominal GDP from annual Consolidated Fiscal Balance and annual Nominal GDP. Statistics Sweden provides Consolidated Fiscal Balance in local currency and Nominal GDP in local currency.


Further information about Sweden Consolidated Fiscal Balance: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, Sweden National Government Debt reached 180.9 USD bn in Mar 2024
• Sweden Nominal GDP reached 145.3 USD bn in Mar 2023

Sweden recorded a Government Budget deficit equal to 1.40 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2025. This dataset provides - Sweden Government Budget - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The ratio of the Swedish central government debt to its gross domestic product (GDP) fell from 2014 to 2019, before increasing again in 2020, following the outbreak of COVID-19. In 2023, the central government debt in Sweden made up 16 percent of the GDP. In 2022, the debt was over one trillion Swedish kronor.

Negative budget balance in 2020

The government debt is affected by the relationship between the central government’s expenditures and incomes. In 2021, the governments income was close to 1.2 trillion Swedish kronor, which was higher than the expenditures that amounted to just above 1.1 trillion Swedish kronor. Hence, the Swedish government had a budget balance of 80 billion Swedish kronor that year.

 Government expenditure

The expenditure of the Swedish central government increased sharply in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Support packages to hardly affected industries and laid off employees took a toll on the Swedish national budget. The largest post of expenditure was financial support to the local municipalities, amounting to 150 billion Swedish kronor in 2021. Health care and social care was the second highest post, followed by health- and social care.

Sweden recorded a Government Debt to GDP of 33.50 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2024. This dataset provides - Sweden Government Debt To GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

After decreasing from 2015 to 2019, reaching 1.11 trillion Swedish kronor, it increased again in 2020 following the COVID-19 pandemic. The national debt fell slightly again the following years. In 2023, Sweden's national debt made up 16 percent of its GDP. Central government budget balance The central government debt is determined by the budget balance, which was 164 billion Swedish kronor in 2022. That year, the central government expenditure was over 1.1 trillion Swedish kronor. The Swedish government spent the highest sum on general aid to local municipalities. Central government income The largest source of central government income comes from direct tax from labor, which amounted to over 715 billion Swedish kronor in 2022. The second highest income source was consumption and input tax.

In 2024, the ratio of national debt to gross domestic product (GDP) of Sweden was estimated at approximately 32.64 percent. Between 1993 and 2024, the figure dropped by around 33.46 percentage points, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory. The ratio is forecast to decline by about 1.71 percentage points from 2024 to 2030, fluctuating as it trends downward.The general government gross debt consists of all liabilities that require payment or payments of interest and/or principal by the debtor to the creditor at a date or dates in the future. Here it is depicted in relation to the country's GDP, which refers to the total value of goods and services produced during a year.

Key information about Sweden Government Debt: % of GDP

• Sweden Government debt accounted for 32.1 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Sep 2024, compared with the ratio of 31.9 % in the previous quarter.
• Sweden government debt to GDP ratio data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1996 to Sep 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 67.4 % in Dec 1996 and a record low of 30.2 % in Jun 2023.

CEIC calculates quarterly Government Debt as % of Nominal GDP from quarterly Government Debt and rolling sum of quarterly Nominal GDP. Eurostat provides Government Debt in EUR. Statistics Sweden provides Nominal GDP in local currency. The Riksbank average market exchange rate is used for currency conversions.


Related information about Sweden Government Debt: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, Sweden National Government Debt reached 180.9 USD bn in Mar 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP reached 145.3 USD bn in Mar 2023.

In 2024, Finland had the highest debt rate of the Nordic countries, followed by Iceland. In 2011, Iceland's debt rate was over 138 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), but it had decreased to 59 percent in 2024. Finland's debt rate, on the other hand, increased from 50 percent in 2010 to 80 percent in 2024. Debt rates of the three other Nordic countries were more stable, and were between 29 and 38 percent in 2024.

The statistic shows the growth of the real gross domestic product (GDP) in the European Union and the Euro area from 2019 to 2023, with projections up until 2029. GDP refers to the total market value of all goods and services that are produced within a country per year. It is an important indicator of the economic strength of a country. Real GDP is adjusted for price changes and is therefore regarded as a key indicator for economic growth. In 2022, the GDP in the European Union increased by about 3.61 percent compared to the previous year. Growth trends in the EU compared to the euro area The euro area, which is also called the eurozone, is an economic and monetary union (EMU) which includes 19 of the 27 European Union member states which have formally adopted the euro. Those countries include Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain. Member states which have not yet adopted the euro include Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Additionally, there is the so-called Schengen Area, which is composed of EU and non-EU states, and has been established mainly to facilitate travelling in Europe. While some countries, such as Kosovo and Montenegro have adopted the euro unilaterally, they are not formally part of the eurozone. Others have established a monetary agreement with the EU to use the euro, such as Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican, but they do not form part of the official euro area. As can be seen in the chart, annual GDP growth slumped in 2012 and 2013, presumably as a result of the global financial crisis, in both the EU and the euro area. In 2013, growth began increasing ever so slightly and in 2014 the EU regained a bit of stability. However, overall recovery in the EU has been relatively moderate and gradual; growth throughout the EU has been slightly better than in the euro area and is projected to remain slightly better for the foreseeable future. Relatively new member states such as Romania and Czechia, which have not yet adopted the euro, reported the highest annual growth rates in the EU in 2015, and generally, new member states show slightly better growth rates. Also, unemployment has been slightly higher in the euro area compared to the EU for the last ten years (267906). The unemployment rate also remains relatively high for both the EU and the euro area. As for public spending as a share of GDP, these figures are slightly higher in the euro area than in the EU as a whole. The member states with the highest national debt include the United Kingdom, Italy, France and Germany - some of the oldest members of the euro area. The national debt of the euro area is slightly higher than the national debt of the EU as a whole, underlining the economic situation of both areas.