General government final consumption expenditure in North America
North America: General government final consumption expenditure was 14.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling
General government final consumption expenditure in North America, 1970–2024
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2024, general government final consumption expenditure in North America stood at 14.2%.
That represents a change of up 0.9% on the previous year and down 5.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, general government final consumption expenditure in North America peaked at 18.2% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 14.1%, in 2023.
That places North America 32nd out of 43 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
General government final consumption expenditure in North America, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 18.2% | — |
| 1971 | 18.2% | -0.0% |
| 1972 | 17.9% | -1.5% |
| 1973 | 17.1% | -4.6% |
| 1974 | 17.5% | +2.4% |
| 1975 | 18.1% | +3.2% |
| 1976 | 17.3% | -4.0% |
| 1977 | 17.0% | -2.0% |
| 1978 | 16.3% | -3.9% |
| 1979 | 15.9% | -2.4% |
| 1980 | 16.4% | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 16.3% | -0.4% |
| 1982 | 17.1% | +5.1% |
| 1983 | 16.9% | -1.2% |
| 1984 | 16.2% | -4.1% |
| 1985 | 16.4% | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 16.6% | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 16.5% | -0.7% |
| 1988 | 16.2% | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 16.1% | -0.0% |
| 1990 | 16.5% | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 17.0% | +3.0% |
| 1992 | 16.8% | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 16.3% | -2.9% |
| 1994 | 15.8% | -3.3% |
| 1995 | 15.4% | -2.0% |
| 1996 | 15.0% | -3.0% |
| 1997 | 14.6% | -2.3% |
| 1998 | 14.4% | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 14.4% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 14.4% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 14.9% | +3.4% |
| 2002 | 15.4% | +3.4% |
| 2003 | 15.6% | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 15.5% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 15.4% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 15.4% | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 15.6% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 16.3% | +4.7% |
| 2009 | 17.3% | +5.9% |
| 2010 | 17.1% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 16.6% | -3.1% |
| 2012 | 16.0% | -3.5% |
| 2013 | 15.6% | -3.0% |
| 2014 | 15.1% | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 14.8% | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 14.6% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 14.4% | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 14.4% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 14.5% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 15.4% | +6.6% |
| 2021 | 14.8% | -4.2% |
| 2022 | 14.2% | -4.1% |
| 2023 | 14.1% | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 14.2% | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 17.3% | 15.9% | 18.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 16.5% | 16.1% | 17.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.6% | 14.4% | 17.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.6% | 14.4% | 17.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.3% | 14.4% | 17.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.5% | 14.1% | 15.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near North America
- 29 Afghanistan 23.6% compare
- 30 Tonga 23.5% compare
- 31 New Caledonia 23.5% compare
- 32 Denmark 23.2% compare
- 33 Australia 23.1% compare
- 34 Latvia 22.9% compare
- 35 Cape Verde 22.9% compare
More economy & growth data for North America
- GDP (current US$), annual growth rate 4.82 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.7546 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2021)
- Services, value added (current US$), per capita 52,472 current US$ per person (2021)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), annual growth 11.31 % change on previous year (2021)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.9466 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2021)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per capita 65,820 current US$ per person (2021)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 2.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per capita 65,508 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.759 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), annual growth rate 10.37 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is general government final consumption expenditure in North America?
- General government final consumption expenditure in North America was 14.2% in 2024, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs).
- What is the highest general government final consumption expenditure recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 18.2% in 1970.
- What is the lowest general government final consumption expenditure recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.1% in 2023.
- How does North America rank for general government final consumption expenditure?
- North America ranks 32nd out of 43 groups with data for 2024.
- Is general government final consumption expenditure rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North America data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs), published as part of General government final consumption expenditure (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Final consumption expenditure is expenditure on goods and services by resident institutional units for the direct satisfaction of human needs or wants, whether individual or collective. General government FCE includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees), and most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. 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.