Government spending as share of GDP in Norway
Norway: Government spending as share of GDP was 48.5% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
48.5%
Change on year
up 5.6%
World rank
16th
of 151 countries
All-time high
56.7%
in 2020
All-time low
4.1%
in 1916
Years of data
138
1881–2024
Government spending as share of GDP in Norway, 1881–2024
Source: International Monetary Fund (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2024, government spending as share of gdp in Norway stood at 48.5%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.6% on the previous year and up 7.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government spending as share of gdp in Norway peaked at 56.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 4.1%, in 1916.
That places Norway 16th out of 151 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 Norway, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1881 | 6.6% | — |
| 1882 | 6.3% | -3.8% |
| 1883 | 5.6% | -10.6% |
| 1884 | 6.4% | +12.6% |
| 1885 | 6.5% | +1.6% |
| 1886 | 6.7% | +3.1% |
| 1887 | 6.9% | +4.0% |
| 1888 | 6.6% | -5.2% |
| 1889 | 6.7% | +1.7% |
| 1890 | 6.8% | +2.3% |
| 1891 | 6.8% | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 7.6% | +10.5% |
| 1893 | 7.9% | +5.0% |
| 1894 | 7.9% | -0.6% |
| 1895 | 8.7% | +10.8% |
| 1896 | 9.1% | +4.1% |
| 1897 | 9.0% | -1.4% |
| 1898 | 9.9% | +11.0% |
| 1899 | 7.6% | -23.7% |
| 1900 | 9.9% | +30.4% |
| 1901 | 9.6% | -3.4% |
| 1902 | 9.6% | +0.3% |
| 1903 | 9.5% | -1.1% |
| 1904 | 8.8% | -6.9% |
| 1905 | 9.1% | +3.7% |
| 1906 | 9.2% | +1.1% |
| 1907 | 8.6% | -7.2% |
| 1908 | 10.8% | +25.8% |
| 1909 | 9.7% | -10.6% |
| 1910 | 8.6% | -10.8% |
| 1911 | 9.1% | +5.3% |
| 1912 | 9.9% | +9.2% |
| 1913 | 9.9% | +0.1% |
| 1914 | 6.4% | -35.3% |
| 1915 | 6.4% | -0.8% |
| 1916 | 4.1% | -35.8% |
| 1917 | 5.2% | +27.7% |
| 1918 | 9.9% | +90.8% |
| 1919 | 10.0% | +0.5% |
| 1920 | 8.6% | -13.5% |
| 1921 | 13.7% | +58.5% |
| 1922 | 11.7% | -14.2% |
| 1923 | 11.0% | -6.3% |
| 1924 | 8.6% | -22.1% |
| 1925 | 8.6% | +0.6% |
| 1926 | 9.6% | +11.0% |
| 1927 | 9.4% | -2.2% |
| 1928 | 9.4% | +0.4% |
| 1929 | 8.9% | -5.3% |
| 1930 | 8.6% | -3.6% |
| 1931 | 9.7% | +13.3% |
| 1932 | 9.3% | -4.0% |
| 1933 | 8.0% | -14.5% |
| 1934 | 7.4% | -7.1% |
| 1935 | 7.8% | +5.3% |
| 1936 | 7.9% | +1.3% |
| 1937 | 7.6% | -4.5% |
| 1938 | 8.1% | +7.1% |
| 1939 | 9.1% | +11.9% |
| 1946 | 18.5% | +103.6% |
| 1947 | 22.5% | +22.1% |
| 1948 | 18.0% | -20.3% |
| 1949 | 19.4% | +7.9% |
| 1950 | 18.1% | -6.9% |
| 1951 | 13.8% | -23.5% |
| 1952 | 14.3% | +3.5% |
| 1953 | 17.2% | +20.5% |
| 1954 | 17.5% | +1.6% |
| 1955 | 17.8% | +1.7% |
| 1956 | 16.7% | -6.4% |
| 1957 | 17.2% | +3.3% |
| 1958 | 17.6% | +2.5% |
| 1959 | 16.9% | -4.3% |
| 1960 | 18.0% | +6.5% |
| 1961 | 20.4% | +13.3% |
| 1962 | 30.6% | +50.2% |
| 1963 | 31.9% | +4.4% |
| 1964 | 32.0% | +0.1% |
| 1965 | 32.9% | +3.1% |
| 1966 | 33.5% | +1.5% |
| 1967 | 34.9% | +4.3% |
| 1968 | 36.2% | +3.7% |
| 1969 | 38.0% | +5.0% |
| 1970 | 38.9% | +2.4% |
| 1971 | 40.7% | +4.7% |
| 1972 | 42.2% | +3.7% |
| 1973 | 42.3% | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 42.2% | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 43.5% | +3.2% |
| 1976 | 45.2% | +3.9% |
| 1977 | 46.5% | +2.8% |
| 1978 | 47.9% | +3.0% |
| 1979 | 47.2% | -1.6% |
| 1980 | 46.1% | -2.2% |
| 1981 | 46.1% | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 46.6% | +1.1% |
| 1983 | 46.4% | -0.5% |
| 1984 | 44.5% | -4.1% |
| 1985 | 44.0% | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 48.1% | +9.4% |
| 1987 | 50.5% | +4.9% |
| 1988 | 52.6% | +4.2% |
| 1989 | 52.2% | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 53.3% | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 54.5% | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 55.8% | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 54.6% | -2.1% |
| 1994 | 53.7% | -1.6% |
| 1995 | 50.9% | -5.2% |
| 1996 | 48.5% | -4.8% |
| 1997 | 46.8% | -3.4% |
| 1998 | 49.1% | +4.8% |
| 1999 | 47.7% | -2.8% |
| 2000 | 42.3% | -11.3% |
| 2001 | 44.1% | +4.3% |
| 2002 | 47.1% | +6.7% |
| 2003 | 48.2% | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 45.4% | -5.7% |
| 2005 | 42.1% | -7.3% |
| 2006 | 40.5% | -3.9% |
| 2007 | 41.1% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 40.6% | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 46.3% | +14.1% |
| 2010 | 45.9% | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 43.3% | -5.8% |
| 2012 | 42.4% | -2.0% |
| 2013 | 43.5% | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 45.2% | +4.1% |
| 2015 | 48.2% | +6.6% |
| 2016 | 50.4% | +4.6% |
| 2017 | 49.2% | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 47.7% | -3.1% |
| 2019 | 50.2% | +5.3% |
| 2020 | 56.7% | +13.0% |
| 2021 | 46.3% | -18.3% |
| 2022 | 37.5% | -18.9% |
| 2023 | 45.9% | +22.3% |
| 2024 | 48.5% | +5.6% |
Norway compared with similar countries
- Norway's 48.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 42.3%, 1.1× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Norway's 48.5% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 44.4%, 1.1× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Government spending as share of GDP in Norway 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | +103.6% | 9.1% | 18.5% |
| 1918 | +90.8% | 5.2% | 9.9% |
| 1921 | +58.5% | 8.6% | 13.7% |
| 1962 | +50.2% | 20.4% | 30.6% |
| 1916 | -35.8% | 6.4% | 4.1% |
| 1914 | -35.3% | 9.9% | 6.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 6.5% | 5.6% | 6.9% | 9 |
| 1890s | 8.1% | 6.8% | 9.9% | 10 |
| 1900s | 9.5% | 8.6% | 10.8% | 10 |
| 1910s | 7.9% | 4.1% | 10.0% | 10 |
| 1920s | 10.0% | 8.6% | 13.7% | 10 |
| 1930s | 8.4% | 7.4% | 9.7% | 10 |
| 1940s | 19.6% | 18.0% | 22.5% | 4 |
| 1950s | 16.7% | 13.8% | 18.1% | 10 |
| 1960s | 30.8% | 18.0% | 38.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 43.7% | 38.9% | 47.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 47.7% | 44.0% | 52.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 51.5% | 46.8% | 55.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 43.8% | 40.5% | 48.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.6% | 42.4% | 50.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.0% | 37.5% | 56.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Norway
More economy & growth data for Norway
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.7416 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.42 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 1.11 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0021 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 198.35 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled -7.82 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -164.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0147 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -1,394 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 5.24 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government spending as share of gdp in Norway?
- Government spending as share of gdp in Norway was 48.5% 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 Norway?
- The highest recorded value was 56.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest government spending as share of gdp recorded in Norway?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.1% in 1916.
- How does Norway rank for government spending as share of gdp?
- Norway ranks 16th out of 151 countries with data for 2024.
- Is government spending as share of gdp rising or falling in Norway?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Norway 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 — 138 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.