Which has higher central government spending as share of gdp, Canada or Sri Lanka?

Canada, at 19.1% against 18.0% in Sri Lanka as of 2023.

How many years of comparable data are there for Canada and Sri Lanka?

34 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2023.

Where does this data come from?

International Monetary Fund (IMF), OECD, and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Central government spending as share of GDP. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Canada vs Sri Lanka: Central government spending as share of GDP

Canada

19.1%

in 2023

Sri Lanka

18.0%

in 2023

Canada rank

115th

Sri Lanka rank

118th

Central government spending as share of GDP over time

Canada
Sri Lanka

How they compare

Canada currently reports 19.1% against 18.0% in Sri Lanka, a difference of 1.1%.

That makes Canada's figure about 1.1 times Sri Lanka's.

The two have swapped places 5 times across 34 shared years of data; in 1990 it was Sri Lanka ahead.

Canada ranks 115th and Sri Lanka ranks 118th of 157 countries.

Across the 4 decades both report, Canada averaged higher in 2 and Sri Lanka in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Canada	Sri Lanka	Difference	Ahead
1990s	23.0%	23.8%	0.8%	Sri Lanka
2000s	17.9%	21.2%	3.4%	Sri Lanka
2010s	17.6%	15.5%	2.1%	Canada
2020s	22.1%	17.6%	4.5%	Canada

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher central government spending as share of gdp, Canada or Sri Lanka?: Canada, at 19.1% against 18.0% in Sri Lanka as of 2023.
What is the difference in central government spending as share of gdp between Canada and Sri Lanka?: 1.1%, with Canada ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Canada and Sri Lanka?: 34 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2023.
How do Canada and Sri Lanka rank globally for central government spending as share of gdp?: Canada ranks 115th and Sri Lanka ranks 118th of 157 countries.
Where does this data come from?: International Monetary Fund (IMF), OECD, and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Central government spending as share of GDP. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Canada vs Sri Lanka: Central government spending as share of GDP. Statizoid, drawing on International Monetary Fund (IMF), OECD, and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/compare/total-gov-expenditure-gdp-wdi/canada/sri-lanka/

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About this data

Indicator: Central government spending as share of GDP
Unit: % of GDP
Source: International Monetary Fund (IMF), OECD, and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 157 places, 4,442 data points, 1972–2024
Last refreshed: 28 August 2026

Central government expense (cash payments for operating activities of the government in providing goods and services), as share of GDP. It excludes capital investment, such as infrastructure or equipment.