National Debt (% of GDP): Nepal

Analysis# Nepal National Debt (% of GDP) Nepal's national debt reached 49.9% of GDP in 2026, approaching levels not seen since the early 2000s. The country's all-time peak of 53% occurred in 2003, while a historic low of 25% was achieved in 2016. Over the past 26 years, Nepal's debt burden has declined marginally by 1.8%, masking significant volatility across different periods. The most striking shift came after 2016, when debt began climbing sharply. From the 25% low point, it jumped to 31.1% by 2018, then accelerated through 43.3% by 2020. The trajectory has remained upward since, with consistent annual increases averaging roughly 1-2 percentage points. Current projections suggest debt will stabilize around 50% of GDP, indicating Nepal faces sustained fiscal pressures requiring policy attention.