New Zealand vs Uruguay: Central government spending as share of GDP
New Zealand
35.5%
in 2022
Uruguay
36.5%
in 2023
New Zealand rank
32nd
Uruguay rank
29th
Central government spending as share of GDP over time
- New Zealand
- Uruguay
How they compare
Uruguay currently reports 36.5% against 35.5% in New Zealand, a difference of 1.0%.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 39 shared years of data; in 1972 it was New Zealand ahead.
New Zealand ranks 32nd and Uruguay ranks 29th of 157 countries.
New Zealand has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | New Zealand | Uruguay | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 29.9% | 21.2% | 8.7% | New Zealand |
| 1980s | 37.3% | 23.8% | 13.5% | New Zealand |
| 2000s | 31.6% | 26.9% | 4.7% | New Zealand |
| 2010s | 32.7% | 30.4% | 2.3% | New Zealand |
| 2020s | 35.1% | 34.1% | 1.0% | New Zealand |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher central government spending as share of gdp, New Zealand or Uruguay?
- Uruguay, at 36.5% against 35.5% in New Zealand as of 2023.
- What is the difference in central government spending as share of gdp between New Zealand and Uruguay?
- 1.0%, with Uruguay ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for New Zealand and Uruguay?
- 39 years are reported by both, from 1972 to 2022.
- How do New Zealand and Uruguay rank globally for central government spending as share of gdp?
- New Zealand ranks 32nd and Uruguay ranks 29th 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.