Real interest rate in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Real interest rate was -20.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Real interest rate in Zimbabwe, 2012–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in %.
Analysis
Zimbabwe recorded -20.1% for real interest rate in 2025.
That represents a change of up 76.6% on the previous year and down 354.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, real interest rate in Zimbabwe peaked at 9.7% in 2014 and was at its lowest, -85.9%, in 2024.
That places Zimbabwe 147th out of 149 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Real interest rate in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 7.3% | — |
| 2013 | 0.3% | -95.4% |
| 2014 | 9.7% | +2788.7% |
| 2015 | 7.9% | -19.1% |
| 2016 | 4.8% | -38.5% |
| 2017 | -64.1% | -1421.6% |
| 2018 | 3.5% | -105.4% |
| 2019 | -76.6% | -2318.1% |
| 2020 | -80.6% | +5.2% |
| 2021 | -30.3% | -62.4% |
| 2022 | -38.1% | +25.6% |
| 2023 | -68.9% | +80.8% |
| 2024 | -85.9% | +24.7% |
| 2025 | -20.1% | -76.6% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's -20.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.2%. (38 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's -20.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.9%. (39 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Real interest rate in Zimbabwe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | +2788.7% | 0.3% | 9.7% |
| 2019 | -2318.1% | 3.5% | -76.6% |
| 2017 | -1421.6% | 4.8% | -64.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | -13.4% | -76.6% | 9.7% | 8 |
| 2020s | -54.0% | -85.9% | -20.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More financial sector data for Zimbabwe
- 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 0.0265 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 0.0194 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 0.0265 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is real interest rate in Zimbabwe?
- Real interest rate in Zimbabwe was -20.1% in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest real interest rate recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 9.7% in 2014.
- What is the lowest real interest rate recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was -85.9% in 2024.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for real interest rate?
- Zimbabwe ranks 147th out of 149 countries with data for 2025.
- Is real interest rate rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 354.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zimbabwe data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Real interest rate (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
An interest rate is the amount charged, expressed as a percentage of the principal over a period of time, by the owners of certain kinds of financial assets for putting the financial assets at the disposal of another institutional unit. The real interest rate is the lending interest rate adjusted for inflation as measured by the GDP deflator. The terms and conditions attached to lending rates differ by country, however, limiting their comparability. This indicator is expressed as a percentage (a÷b)*100.