Expense in South Asia

South Asia: Expense was 13.8% in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
13.8%
Rank
22nd
of 24 groups
All-time high
16.7%
in 2008
All-time low
8.7%
in 1974
Years of data
46
1974–2022

Expense in South Asia, 1974–2022

051015197419982022

Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.

Analysis

The most recent figure for expense in South Asia is 13.8%, measured in 2022.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 11.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, expense in South Asia peaked at 16.7% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 8.7%, in 1974.

That places South Asia 22nd out of 24 groups with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 46 years of available data.

Expense in South Asia, year by year

Annual values for Expense (% of GDP) in South Asia, 1974 to 2022.
Year % of GDP Change
1974 8.7%
1975 10.1% +15.8%
1976 10.6% +5.1%
1977 10.5% -1.2%
1978 11.3% +7.3%
1979 12.3% +9.3%
1980 11.7% -5.0%
1981 11.4% -2.8%
1982 12.0% +5.2%
1983 12.1% +1.0%
1984 13.1% +8.8%
1985 14.4% +9.4%
1986 15.3% +6.6%
1987 15.8% +2.8%
1988 15.5% -1.5%
1989 16.0% +2.9%
1990 15.8% -1.0%
1991 15.7% -0.7%
1992 15.4% -1.7%
1993 15.4% -0.1%
1994 15.0% -3.0%
1995 14.7% -1.9%
1996 14.5% -1.3%
1997 14.9% +2.9%
1998 14.7% -1.5%
1999 15.1% +2.5%
2000 15.7% +4.3%
2001 15.2% -3.2%
2002 15.6% +2.8%
2003 15.1% -3.2%
2004 14.7% -2.7%
2005 14.8% +0.6%
2006 14.9% +0.4%
2007 14.9% +0.3%
2008 16.7% +11.9%
2009 16.4% -1.4%
2010 15.9% -3.2%
2011 14.2% -11.1%
2012 15.6% +10.0%
2013 15.9% +2.3%
2014 14.4% -9.9%
2015 14.7% +2.4%
2016 14.7% -0.1%
2017 15.0% +2.0%
2018 15.1% +0.4%
2022 13.8% -8.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 10.6% 8.7% 12.3% 6
1980s 13.7% 11.4% 16.0% 10
1990s 15.1% 14.5% 15.8% 10
2000s 15.4% 14.7% 16.7% 10
2010s 15.0% 14.2% 15.9% 9
2020s 13.8% 13.8% 13.8% 1

Countries ranked near South Asia

  1. 19 Slovakia 39.8% compare
  2. 20 Belgium 39.7% compare
  3. 21 Afghanistan 39.2% compare
  4. 22 Poland 39.1% compare
  5. 23 Cyprus 38.5% compare
  6. 24 Croatia 38.1% compare
  7. 25 Estonia 37.7% compare

See the full ranking of 183 places →

More economy & growth data for South Asia

All data for South Asia →

Frequently asked questions

What is expense in South Asia?
Expense in South Asia was 13.8% in 2022, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
What is the highest expense recorded in South Asia?
The highest recorded value was 16.7% in 2008.
What is the lowest expense recorded in South Asia?
The lowest recorded value was 8.7% in 1974.
How does South Asia rank for expense?
South Asia ranks 22nd out of 24 groups with data for 2022.
Is expense rising or falling in South Asia?
Over the last ten years it is down 11.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Asia data come from?
The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Expense (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Expense in South Asia. Statizoid, drawing on Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/expense-percent-of-gdp/south-asia/

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About this data

Indicator
Expense (% of GDP)
Unit
% of GDP
Source
Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
183 places, 5,211 data points, 1972–2024
Last refreshed

Expense is a decrease in net worth resulting from a transaction. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.