Eswatini vs Zambia: Central government spending as share of GDP
Eswatini
24.6%
in 2021
Zambia
25.1%
in 2021
Eswatini rank
87th
Zambia rank
84th
Central government spending as share of GDP over time
- Eswatini
- Zambia
How they compare
Zambia currently reports 25.1% against 24.6% in Eswatini, a difference of 0.5%.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 21 shared years of data; in 1999 it was Eswatini ahead.
Eswatini ranks 87th and Zambia ranks 84th of 157 countries.
Eswatini has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Eswatini | Zambia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 23.0% | 16.0% | 7.0% | Eswatini |
| 2000s | 21.8% | 15.7% | 6.1% | Eswatini |
| 2010s | 25.5% | 19.4% | 6.1% | Eswatini |
| 2020s | 25.3% | 25.3% | 0.1% | Eswatini |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher central government spending as share of gdp, Eswatini or Zambia?
- Zambia, at 25.1% against 24.6% in Eswatini as of 2021.
- What is the difference in central government spending as share of gdp between Eswatini and Zambia?
- 0.5%, with Zambia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Eswatini and Zambia?
- 21 years are reported by both, from 1999 to 2021.
- How do Eswatini and Zambia rank globally for central government spending as share of gdp?
- Eswatini ranks 87th and Zambia ranks 84th 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.
Individual pages
About this data
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.