Claims on central government, etc. (% GDP) in Iceland
Iceland: Claims on central government, etc. (% GDP) was -3.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Claims on central government, etc. in Iceland, 1960–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, claims on central government, etc. in Iceland stood at -3.9%.
That represents a change of down 44.8% on the previous year and up 27.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, claims on central government, etc. in Iceland peaked at 7.8% in 1994 and was at its lowest, -16.4%, in 2006.
Iceland ranks 162nd of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Claims on central government, etc. (% GDP) in Iceland, year by year
| Year | % GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.3% | — |
| 1961 | 2.7% | +805.6% |
| 1962 | 2.6% | -3.6% |
| 1963 | 1.3% | -49.4% |
| 1964 | 1.9% | +47.8% |
| 1965 | 0.8% | -57.9% |
| 1966 | -0.4% | -154.1% |
| 1967 | 2.2% | -595.6% |
| 1968 | 2.7% | +25.3% |
| 1969 | 2.0% | -27.1% |
| 1970 | 0.7% | -65.7% |
| 1971 | -1.1% | -259.8% |
| 1972 | -1.2% | +10.6% |
| 1973 | -0.3% | -74.8% |
| 1974 | 1.2% | -483.9% |
| 1975 | 4.5% | +283.3% |
| 1976 | 3.4% | -23.3% |
| 1977 | 2.3% | -31.9% |
| 1978 | 1.7% | -28.1% |
| 1979 | 0.8% | -51.7% |
| 1980 | 0.9% | +13.2% |
| 1981 | 0.1% | -87.0% |
| 1982 | -0.3% | -337.5% |
| 1983 | 1.0% | -440.4% |
| 1984 | 1.2% | +21.0% |
| 1985 | 2.4% | +109.3% |
| 1986 | 1.4% | -41.2% |
| 1987 | 2.5% | +72.8% |
| 1988 | 4.0% | +62.0% |
| 1989 | 5.0% | +23.3% |
| 1990 | 5.4% | +9.0% |
| 1991 | 5.8% | +8.0% |
| 1992 | 5.2% | -11.3% |
| 1993 | 7.4% | +43.3% |
| 1994 | 7.8% | +5.8% |
| 1995 | 5.0% | -36.6% |
| 1996 | 3.3% | -33.5% |
| 1997 | 3.1% | -6.2% |
| 1998 | -0.3% | -109.9% |
| 1999 | -0.7% | +112.6% |
| 2000 | -1.1% | +68.6% |
| 2001 | -2.2% | +102.4% |
| 2002 | -1.4% | -38.4% |
| 2003 | -0.6% | -58.7% |
| 2004 | -1.3% | +137.9% |
| 2005 | -6.3% | +369.5% |
| 2006 | -16.4% | +158.9% |
| 2007 | -14.0% | -14.1% |
| 2008 | -8.1% | -42.5% |
| 2009 | -2.8% | -65.6% |
| 2010 | -2.4% | -14.3% |
| 2011 | -7.6% | +219.8% |
| 2012 | -5.7% | -24.6% |
| 2013 | -1.8% | -69.0% |
| 2014 | -11.8% | +561.3% |
| 2015 | -5.4% | -54.0% |
| 2016 | -3.1% | -42.8% |
| 2017 | -2.4% | -22.8% |
| 2018 | -6.5% | +171.2% |
| 2019 | -7.0% | +8.5% |
| 2020 | -8.0% | +14.0% |
| 2021 | -7.4% | -8.3% |
| 2022 | -5.0% | -32.4% |
| 2023 | -3.0% | -39.2% |
| 2024 | -2.7% | -10.6% |
| 2025 | -3.9% | +44.8% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's -3.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 11.8%. (61 countries reporting)
- Iceland's -3.9% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 8.3%. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Claims on central government, etc. (% GDP) in Iceland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | +805.6% | 0.3% | 2.7% |
| 1967 | +595.6% | -0.4% | 2.2% |
| 2014 | -561.3% | -1.8% | -11.8% |
| 1974 | +483.9% | -0.3% | 1.2% |
| 1983 | +440.4% | -0.3% | 1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.6% | -0.4% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.2% | -1.2% | 4.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.8% | -0.3% | 5.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.2% | -0.7% | 7.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | -5.4% | -16.4% | -0.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | -5.4% | -11.8% | -1.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | -5.0% | -8.0% | -2.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More financial sector data for Iceland
- 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 0.0025 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 243.62 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 0.0018 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 177.89 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 0.0025 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 243.62 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, etc. in Iceland?
- Claims on central government, etc. in Iceland was -3.9% in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest claims on central government, etc. recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 7.8% in 1994.
- What is the lowest claims on central government, etc. recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was -16.4% in 2006.
- How does Iceland rank for claims on central government, etc.?
- Iceland ranks 162nd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is claims on central government, etc. rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Claims on central government, etc. (% GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Claims on central government include loans to central government institutions net of deposits. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.