* indicates monthly or quarterly data series

Real interest rate: Bank lending rate minus inflation, 2024:

The average for 2024 based on 20 countries was 4.35 percent. The highest value was in Madagascar: 48.66 percent and the lowest value was in Zimbabwe: -85.89 percent. The indicator is available from 1961 to 2024. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Measure: percent; Source: The International Monetary Fund
Select indicator
* indicates monthly or quarterly data series


Countries Real interest rate, 2024 Global rank Available data
Madagascar 48.66 1 1989 - 2024
Gambia 15.32 2 1985 - 2024
Mozambique 14.33 3 1997 - 2024
Kenya 13.14 4 1971 - 2024
Rwanda 11.81 5 1996 - 2024
Seychelles 10.63 6 1989 - 2024
Malawi 9.92 7 1981 - 2024
Swaziland 9.39 8 1975 - 2024
Sierra Leone 9.17 9 1965 - 2024
Namibia 7.46 10 1991 - 2024
South Africa 7.42 11 1961 - 2024
Lesotho 7.35 12 1980 - 2024
Cape Verde 6.11 13 2006 - 2024
Mauritius 5.44 14 1980 - 2024
Algeria 4.47 15 1995 - 2024
Botswana 3.38 16 1980 - 2024
S.T.&Principe 0.12 17 2001 - 2024
Angola -4.18 18 1995 - 2024
Egypt -7.03 19 1976 - 2024
Zimbabwe -85.89 20 2012 - 2024


New - World map: Real interest rate




Definition: 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.

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