Samoa: Bank credit to the private sector
* indicates monthly or quarterly data series
Samoa |
Bank credit to the private sector as percent of GDP |
---|---|
Latest value | 44.26 |
Year | 2023 |
Measure | percent |
Data availability | 1970 - 2023 |
Average | 25.07 |
Min - Max | 4.84 - 54.07 |
Source | The World Bank |
The latest value from 2023 is 44.26 percent, a decline from 53.37 percent in 2022. In comparison, the world average is 51.31 percent, based on data from 140 countries. Historically, the average for Samoa from 1970 to 2023 is 25.07 percent. The minimum value, 4.84 percent, was reached in 1970 while the maximum of 54.07 percent was recorded in 2021.
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* indicates monthly or quarterly data series
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Bank credit in Samoa and other countries is defined as the credit extended by the banking institutions to the private sector only: both firms and households. It does not include lending to the government.
Credit is essential for the economy to function well. It funds new investments and allows people to purchase houses, cars, and other items. Of course, excessive lending and borrowing usually end up in financial crises but, in principle, credit availability is good for economic development.
If the banking credit to the private sector is about 70 percent of GDP and more, then the country has a relatively well developed financial system. The amount of credit can even exceed 200 percent of GDP in some very advanced economies. In some poor countries, the credit could be less than 15 percent of GDP. In these countries, firms and households essentially do not have access to credit for investment and various purchases.
Credit is essential for the economy to function well. It funds new investments and allows people to purchase houses, cars, and other items. Of course, excessive lending and borrowing usually end up in financial crises but, in principle, credit availability is good for economic development.
If the banking credit to the private sector is about 70 percent of GDP and more, then the country has a relatively well developed financial system. The amount of credit can even exceed 200 percent of GDP in some very advanced economies. In some poor countries, the credit could be less than 15 percent of GDP. In these countries, firms and households essentially do not have access to credit for investment and various purchases.
Definition: Domestic credit to private sector by banks refers to financial resources provided to the private sector by other depository corporations (deposit taking corporations except central banks), such as through loans, purchases of nonequity securities, and trade credits and other accounts receivable, that establish a claim for repayment. For some countries these claims include credit to public enterprises.
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Related indicators | Latest | Reference | Measure |
---|---|---|---|
ATMs per 100,000 adults | 61.96 | 2021 | ATMs per 100,000 adults |
Bank accounts per 1000 adults | 1,345.00 | 2020 | bank accounts |
Bank branches per 100,000 people | 24.08 | 2020 | bank branches |
Firms using credit to finance investment | 48.30 | 2009 | percent |
Small firms with bank credit | 45.30 | 2009 | percent |
Domestic credit to the private sector | 93.67 | 2020 | percent |
Bank credit to the private sector | 44.26 | 2023 | percent |
Liquid liabilities, percent of GDP | 51.93 | 2021 | percent |
Bank assets to GDP | 58.86 | 2021 | percent |
Financial system deposits, percent of GDP | 59.18 | 2021 | percent |
Bank credit to government | 1.01 | 2020 | percent |
Banking system concentration | 100.00 | 2006 | percent |