Claims on central government in Zambia
Zambia: Claims on central government was 3.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Claims on central government in Zambia, 1966–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in annual growth as % of broad money.
Analysis
The most recent figure for claims on central government in Zambia is 3.0%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 250.9% on the previous year and down 41.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, claims on central government in Zambia peaked at 389.8% in 1991 and was at its lowest, -41.8%, in 2005.
Zambia ranks 79th of 167 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Claims on central government in Zambia, year by year
| Year | annual growth as % of broad money | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 2.8% | — |
| 1967 | 12.5% | +348.2% |
| 1968 | 18.5% | +48.8% |
| 1969 | -37.7% | -303.2% |
| 1970 | -16.0% | -57.5% |
| 1971 | 48.7% | -404.4% |
| 1972 | 35.3% | -27.6% |
| 1973 | 14.4% | -59.1% |
| 1974 | -29.7% | -306.0% |
| 1975 | 57.6% | -293.6% |
| 1976 | 45.2% | -21.5% |
| 1977 | 35.3% | -22.0% |
| 1978 | 39.0% | +10.5% |
| 1979 | 13.4% | -65.6% |
| 1980 | 30.1% | +124.3% |
| 1981 | 15.3% | -49.1% |
| 1982 | 50.7% | +231.4% |
| 1983 | 10.6% | -79.1% |
| 1984 | 14.1% | +33.1% |
| 1985 | 31.6% | +124.1% |
| 1986 | 48.2% | +52.4% |
| 1987 | 15.4% | -68.1% |
| 1988 | 184.8% | +1100.0% |
| 1989 | 151.8% | -17.9% |
| 1990 | 185.8% | +22.4% |
| 1991 | 389.8% | +109.8% |
| 1994 | 289.4% | -25.7% |
| 1995 | 185.8% | -35.8% |
| 1996 | 52.2% | -71.9% |
| 1997 | -5.2% | -109.9% |
| 1998 | 177.5% | -3520.4% |
| 1999 | 24.6% | -86.2% |
| 2000 | 162.0% | +559.4% |
| 2001 | -30.7% | -118.9% |
| 2002 | 49.6% | -261.6% |
| 2003 | -5.0% | -110.1% |
| 2004 | 12.1% | -342.6% |
| 2005 | -41.8% | -446.2% |
| 2006 | -36.7% | -12.4% |
| 2007 | -8.7% | -76.2% |
| 2008 | 2.0% | -123.0% |
| 2009 | 16.2% | +709.3% |
| 2010 | 11.5% | -29.1% |
| 2011 | -1.9% | -116.9% |
| 2012 | -9.0% | +361.9% |
| 2013 | 27.6% | -407.4% |
| 2014 | -3.7% | -113.5% |
| 2015 | 5.0% | -234.8% |
| 2016 | 7.8% | +55.1% |
| 2017 | 24.0% | +209.2% |
| 2018 | 6.8% | -71.7% |
| 2019 | 8.7% | +27.4% |
| 2020 | 36.7% | +322.6% |
| 2021 | 4.0% | -89.0% |
| 2022 | -16.6% | -510.3% |
| 2023 | 12.3% | -174.0% |
| 2024 | -2.0% | -116.0% |
| 2025 | 3.0% | -250.9% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 3.0% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.9%, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 3.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.7%, 62% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Claims on central government in Zambia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | +3520.4% | -5.2% | 177.5% |
| 1988 | +1100.0% | 15.4% | 184.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -1.0% | -37.7% | 18.5% | 4 |
| 1970s | 24.3% | -29.7% | 57.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 55.3% | 10.6% | 184.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 162.5% | -5.2% | 389.8% | 8 |
| 2000s | 11.9% | -41.8% | 162.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.7% | -9.0% | 27.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.2% | -16.6% | 36.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More financial sector data for Zambia
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 0.0011 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 0.0008 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 0.0011 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is claims on central government in Zambia?
- Claims on central government in Zambia was 3.0% in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest claims on central government recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 389.8% in 1991.
- What is the lowest claims on central government recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was -41.8% in 2005.
- How does Zambia rank for claims on central government?
- Zambia ranks 79th out of 167 countries with data for 2025.
- Is claims on central government rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 41.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Claims on central government (annual growth as % of broad money). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 58 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Claims on central government include loans to central government institutions net of deposits. Broad money is the sum of all liquid financial instruments held by money-holding sectors that are widely accepted in an economy as a medium of exchange, plus those that can be converted into a medium of exchange at short notice at, or close to, their full nominal value. This indicator represents the annual percentage growth in the ratio of claims to broad money.