Lesotho vs United Kingdom: Central government spending as share of GDP
Lesotho
40.2%
in 2022
United Kingdom
41.2%
in 2023
Lesotho rank
17th
United Kingdom rank
15th
Central government spending as share of GDP over time
- Lesotho
- United Kingdom
How they compare
United Kingdom currently reports 41.2% against 40.2% in Lesotho, a difference of 1.0%.
The two have swapped places 9 times across 35 shared years of data; in 1987 it was Lesotho ahead.
Lesotho ranks 17th and United Kingdom ranks 15th of 157 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Lesotho averaged higher in 3 and United Kingdom in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Lesotho | United Kingdom | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 36.9% | 31.3% | 5.6% | Lesotho |
| 1990s | 32.2% | 35.7% | 3.5% | United Kingdom |
| 2000s | 37.8% | 37.6% | 0.2% | Lesotho |
| 2010s | 40.1% | 39.4% | 0.7% | Lesotho |
| 2020s | 40.5% | 43.7% | 3.2% | United Kingdom |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher central government spending as share of gdp, Lesotho or United Kingdom?
- United Kingdom, at 41.2% against 40.2% in Lesotho as of 2023.
- What is the difference in central government spending as share of gdp between Lesotho and United Kingdom?
- 1.0%, with United Kingdom ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Lesotho and United Kingdom?
- 35 years are reported by both, from 1987 to 2022.
- How do Lesotho and United Kingdom rank globally for central government spending as share of gdp?
- Lesotho ranks 17th and United Kingdom ranks 15th 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.