Government spending as share of GDP in Estonia
Estonia: Government spending as share of GDP was 43.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
43.6%
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
33rd
of 151 countries
All-time high
46.1%
in 2009
All-time low
33.5%
in 2006
Years of data
30
1995–2024
Government spending as share of GDP in Estonia, 1995–2024
Source: International Monetary Fund (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Estonia recorded 43.6% for government spending as share of gdp in 2024.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 16.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government spending as share of gdp in Estonia peaked at 46.1% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 33.5%, in 2006.
Estonia ranks 33rd of 151 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 30 years of available data.
Government spending as share of GDP in Estonia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 39.5% | — |
| 1996 | 38.6% | -2.3% |
| 1997 | 35.8% | -7.3% |
| 1998 | 38.9% | +8.7% |
| 1999 | 40.7% | +4.5% |
| 2000 | 36.4% | -10.5% |
| 2001 | 35.3% | -3.0% |
| 2002 | 35.9% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 35.0% | -2.3% |
| 2004 | 34.1% | -2.8% |
| 2005 | 33.7% | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 33.5% | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 33.8% | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 39.5% | +16.9% |
| 2009 | 46.1% | +16.6% |
| 2010 | 40.7% | -11.7% |
| 2011 | 37.6% | -7.6% |
| 2012 | 39.4% | +4.7% |
| 2013 | 38.3% | -2.8% |
| 2014 | 37.6% | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 39.3% | +4.5% |
| 2016 | 38.9% | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 38.9% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 38.8% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 39.1% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 44.7% | +14.4% |
| 2021 | 42.1% | -5.9% |
| 2022 | 40.1% | -4.7% |
| 2023 | 43.5% | +8.4% |
| 2024 | 43.6% | +0.3% |
Estonia compared with similar countries
- Estonia's 43.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 42.3%, 1.0× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Estonia's 43.6% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 44.4%, 98% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 38.7% | 35.8% | 40.7% | 5 |
| 2000s | 36.3% | 33.5% | 46.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 38.9% | 37.6% | 40.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.8% | 40.1% | 44.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Estonia
- 30 Netherlands 44.4% compare
- 31 United Kingdom 44.0% compare
- 32 Israel 43.8% compare
- 34 Bosnia and Herzegovina 43.3% compare
- 35 Saint Kitts and Nevis 43.2% compare
- 36 Portugal 42.8% compare
More economy & growth data for Estonia
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps -24.28 million BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0005 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -17.77 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled -838.20 million BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 75.62 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0178 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -613.4 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 17.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0519 includes gold, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per capita 1,785 includes gold, current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government spending as share of gdp in Estonia?
- Government spending as share of gdp in Estonia was 43.6% 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 Estonia?
- The highest recorded value was 46.1% in 2009.
- What is the lowest government spending as share of gdp recorded in Estonia?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.5% in 2006.
- How does Estonia rank for government spending as share of gdp?
- Estonia ranks 33rd out of 151 countries with data for 2024.
- Is government spending as share of gdp rising or falling in Estonia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Estonia 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 — 30 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.