Iceland vs Sweden: Central government spending as share of GDP
Iceland
32.0%
in 2023
Sweden
32.5%
in 2022
Iceland rank
53rd
Sweden rank
51st
Central government spending as share of GDP over time
- Iceland
- Sweden
How they compare
Sweden currently reports 32.5% against 32.0% in Iceland, a difference of 0.5%.
The two have swapped places 7 times across 51 shared years of data; in 1972 it was Sweden ahead.
Iceland ranks 53rd and Sweden ranks 51st of 157 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, Iceland averaged higher in 3 and Sweden in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iceland | Sweden | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 23.3% | 27.1% | 3.8% | Sweden |
| 1980s | 25.2% | 36.5% | 11.3% | Sweden |
| 1990s | 29.0% | 39.3% | 10.3% | Sweden |
| 2000s | 33.9% | 33.0% | 0.9% | Iceland |
| 2010s | 33.9% | 32.6% | 1.4% | Iceland |
| 2020s | 34.5% | 33.5% | 1.0% | Iceland |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher central government spending as share of gdp, Iceland or Sweden?
- Sweden, at 32.5% against 32.0% in Iceland as of 2022.
- What is the difference in central government spending as share of gdp between Iceland and Sweden?
- 0.5%, with Sweden ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iceland and Sweden?
- 51 years are reported by both, from 1972 to 2022.
- How do Iceland and Sweden rank globally for central government spending as share of gdp?
- Iceland ranks 53rd and Sweden ranks 51st 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.