Government spending as share of GDP in Belgium
Belgium: Government spending as share of GDP was 54.5% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
54.5%
Change on year
up 2.2%
World rank
9th
of 151 countries
All-time high
62.2%
in 1983
All-time low
4.5%
in 1872
Years of data
169
1835–2024
Government spending as share of GDP in Belgium, 1835–2024
Source: International Monetary Fund (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Belgium recorded 54.5% for government spending as share of gdp in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.2% on the previous year and down 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government spending as share of gdp in Belgium peaked at 62.2% in 1983 and was at its lowest, 4.5%, in 1872.
Belgium ranks 9th of 151 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Government spending as share of GDP in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1835 | 6.0% | — |
| 1836 | 6.2% | +2.9% |
| 1837 | 6.1% | -1.8% |
| 1838 | 6.8% | +12.5% |
| 1839 | 6.7% | -2.0% |
| 1840 | 9.0% | +34.5% |
| 1841 | 6.2% | -31.5% |
| 1842 | 6.7% | +8.5% |
| 1843 | 6.9% | +2.7% |
| 1844 | 11.3% | +64.2% |
| 1845 | 7.5% | -33.9% |
| 1846 | 6.4% | -14.3% |
| 1847 | 5.9% | -8.3% |
| 1848 | 7.3% | +24.9% |
| 1849 | 6.0% | -17.6% |
| 1850 | 6.3% | +5.0% |
| 1851 | 6.2% | -2.5% |
| 1852 | 6.4% | +3.7% |
| 1853 | 5.8% | -10.0% |
| 1854 | 5.2% | -10.2% |
| 1855 | 5.2% | -0.6% |
| 1856 | 4.9% | -4.8% |
| 1857 | 4.9% | -0.3% |
| 1858 | 5.1% | +3.6% |
| 1859 | 5.3% | +5.1% |
| 1860 | 5.0% | -5.3% |
| 1861 | 5.1% | +0.7% |
| 1862 | 5.4% | +6.5% |
| 1863 | 5.6% | +4.0% |
| 1864 | 5.2% | -6.9% |
| 1865 | 5.2% | -0.0% |
| 1866 | 5.2% | -0.5% |
| 1867 | 4.9% | -5.4% |
| 1868 | 4.7% | -3.9% |
| 1869 | 4.7% | -0.8% |
| 1870 | 4.8% | +2.2% |
| 1871 | 5.1% | +6.3% |
| 1872 | 4.5% | -11.6% |
| 1873 | 5.9% | +30.2% |
| 1874 | 5.2% | -11.2% |
| 1875 | 5.6% | +7.6% |
| 1876 | 5.8% | +3.3% |
| 1877 | 7.6% | +31.0% |
| 1878 | 7.0% | -8.1% |
| 1879 | 7.0% | +0.6% |
| 1880 | 6.2% | -12.1% |
| 1881 | 6.3% | +2.3% |
| 1882 | 6.7% | +6.0% |
| 1883 | 7.0% | +5.0% |
| 1884 | 8.0% | +14.1% |
| 1885 | 8.3% | +3.7% |
| 1886 | 8.7% | +4.4% |
| 1887 | 8.3% | -4.6% |
| 1888 | 8.3% | -0.4% |
| 1889 | 8.2% | -1.0% |
| 1890 | 8.7% | +7.0% |
| 1891 | 8.4% | -3.9% |
| 1892 | 8.7% | +3.3% |
| 1893 | 8.5% | -1.8% |
| 1894 | 8.8% | +3.1% |
| 1895 | 9.2% | +5.0% |
| 1896 | 9.5% | +3.2% |
| 1897 | 10.9% | +14.8% |
| 1898 | 14.4% | +31.7% |
| 1899 | 10.7% | -25.3% |
| 1900 | 9.9% | -7.8% |
| 1901 | 10.4% | +5.4% |
| 1902 | 10.7% | +2.3% |
| 1903 | 10.8% | +1.0% |
| 1904 | 8.5% | -20.7% |
| 1905 | 9.6% | +12.5% |
| 1906 | 10.8% | +11.9% |
| 1907 | 10.4% | -3.1% |
| 1908 | 10.4% | -0.7% |
| 1909 | 11.1% | +6.8% |
| 1910 | 10.8% | -2.6% |
| 1911 | 10.2% | -5.5% |
| 1912 | 10.6% | +3.6% |
| 1913 | 10.8% | +2.3% |
| 1924 | 31.5% | +191.5% |
| 1927 | 19.3% | -38.8% |
| 1930 | 19.1% | -0.9% |
| 1933 | 22.7% | +18.7% |
| 1934 | 22.5% | -0.9% |
| 1935 | 22.7% | +1.0% |
| 1936 | 21.2% | -6.5% |
| 1937 | 21.7% | +2.5% |
| 1938 | 22.2% | +2.2% |
| 1939 | 24.3% | +9.4% |
| 1943 | 36.4% | +49.6% |
| 1946 | 33.4% | -8.2% |
| 1947 | 36.2% | +8.4% |
| 1948 | 21.0% | -41.9% |
| 1949 | 19.4% | -7.7% |
| 1950 | 22.9% | +17.7% |
| 1951 | 22.0% | -3.7% |
| 1952 | 23.5% | +6.8% |
| 1953 | 21.8% | -7.1% |
| 1954 | 22.5% | +3.2% |
| 1955 | 20.8% | -7.5% |
| 1956 | 19.8% | -4.8% |
| 1957 | 19.6% | -1.2% |
| 1958 | 22.3% | +13.7% |
| 1959 | 24.5% | +9.9% |
| 1960 | 23.7% | -3.0% |
| 1961 | 22.1% | -6.9% |
| 1962 | 22.5% | +1.7% |
| 1963 | 23.1% | +2.8% |
| 1964 | 22.5% | -2.5% |
| 1965 | 23.4% | +4.1% |
| 1966 | 25.1% | +7.2% |
| 1967 | 25.5% | +1.4% |
| 1968 | 26.7% | +4.6% |
| 1969 | 26.5% | -0.6% |
| 1970 | 42.7% | +61.0% |
| 1971 | 43.9% | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 45.0% | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 45.0% | -0.1% |
| 1974 | 44.5% | -1.0% |
| 1975 | 50.2% | +12.7% |
| 1976 | 50.4% | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 52.2% | +3.5% |
| 1978 | 52.8% | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 54.8% | +3.9% |
| 1980 | 54.9% | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 61.5% | +12.1% |
| 1982 | 59.6% | -3.1% |
| 1983 | 62.2% | +4.3% |
| 1984 | 59.1% | -5.0% |
| 1985 | 58.4% | -1.2% |
| 1986 | 57.6% | -1.4% |
| 1987 | 55.8% | -3.1% |
| 1988 | 53.9% | -3.4% |
| 1989 | 52.3% | -2.9% |
| 1990 | 52.3% | -0.0% |
| 1991 | 53.5% | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 53.8% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 54.9% | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 52.6% | -4.2% |
| 1995 | 52.1% | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 52.4% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 51.2% | -2.4% |
| 1998 | 50.4% | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 50.1% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 49.1% | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 49.1% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 49.8% | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 51.0% | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 49.3% | -3.3% |
| 2005 | 52.1% | +5.5% |
| 2006 | 48.6% | -6.7% |
| 2007 | 48.3% | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 49.9% | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 53.8% | +7.9% |
| 2010 | 52.9% | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 55.0% | +3.9% |
| 2012 | 56.2% | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 55.9% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 55.4% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 53.9% | -2.8% |
| 2016 | 53.4% | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 52.3% | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 52.5% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 51.8% | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 58.5% | +13.0% |
| 2021 | 54.9% | -6.0% |
| 2022 | 52.3% | -4.9% |
| 2023 | 53.3% | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 54.5% | +2.2% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 54.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 42.3%, 1.3× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 54.5% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 44.4%, 1.2× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Government spending as share of GDP in Belgium changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 | +191.5% | 10.8% | 31.5% |
| 1844 | +64.2% | 6.9% | 11.3% |
| 1970 | +61.0% | 26.5% | 42.7% |
| 1943 | +49.6% | 24.3% | 36.4% |
| 1948 | -41.9% | 36.2% | 21.0% |
| 1927 | -38.8% | 31.5% | 19.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1830s | 6.4% | 6.0% | 6.8% | 5 |
| 1840s | 7.3% | 5.9% | 11.3% | 10 |
| 1850s | 5.5% | 4.9% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 1860s | 5.1% | 4.7% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 1870s | 5.9% | 4.5% | 7.6% | 10 |
| 1880s | 7.6% | 6.2% | 8.7% | 10 |
| 1890s | 9.8% | 8.4% | 14.4% | 10 |
| 1900s | 10.3% | 8.5% | 11.1% | 10 |
| 1910s | 10.6% | 10.2% | 10.8% | 4 |
| 1920s | 25.4% | 19.3% | 31.5% | 2 |
| 1930s | 22.0% | 19.1% | 24.3% | 8 |
| 1940s | 29.3% | 19.4% | 36.4% | 5 |
| 1950s | 22.0% | 19.6% | 24.5% | 10 |
| 1960s | 24.1% | 22.1% | 26.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 48.1% | 42.7% | 54.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 57.5% | 52.3% | 62.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 52.3% | 50.1% | 54.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 50.1% | 48.3% | 53.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.9% | 51.8% | 56.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.7% | 52.3% | 58.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More economy & growth data for Belgium
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.04 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.25 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps -19.31 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0266 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -1,617 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled -28.79 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 30.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0397 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -2,411 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 33.22 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government spending as share of gdp in Belgium?
- Government spending as share of gdp in Belgium was 54.5% in 2024, according to International Monetary Fund (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest government spending as share of gdp recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 62.2% in 1983.
- What is the lowest government spending as share of gdp recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.5% in 1872.
- How does Belgium rank for government spending as share of gdp?
- Belgium ranks 9th out of 151 countries with data for 2024.
- Is government spending as share of gdp rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Government spending as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 169 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Sum of all the money spent by the government on goods and services, as a percentage of GDP. It includes interest paid on government debt.