Government spending as share of GDP in Sweden
Sweden: Government spending as share of GDP was 49.3% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
49.3%
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
15th
of 151 countries
All-time high
69.4%
in 1993
All-time low
4.1%
in 1829
Years of data
225
1800–2024
Government spending as share of GDP in Sweden, 1800–2024
Source: International Monetary Fund (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for government spending as share of gdp in Sweden is 49.3%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and down 2.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government spending as share of gdp in Sweden peaked at 69.4% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 4.1%, in 1829.
Sweden ranks 15th 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 Sweden, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1800 | 6.3% | — |
| 1801 | 5.4% | -14.1% |
| 1802 | 5.3% | -3.0% |
| 1803 | 7.1% | +34.8% |
| 1804 | 8.1% | +14.4% |
| 1805 | 7.7% | -6.0% |
| 1806 | 7.1% | -7.9% |
| 1807 | 6.8% | -4.0% |
| 1808 | 15.6% | +130.9% |
| 1809 | 12.6% | -19.6% |
| 1810 | 9.6% | -23.5% |
| 1811 | 7.0% | -27.2% |
| 1812 | 5.0% | -28.4% |
| 1813 | 13.0% | +159.7% |
| 1814 | 12.4% | -4.8% |
| 1815 | 5.2% | -58.0% |
| 1816 | 5.7% | +9.4% |
| 1817 | 5.3% | -7.5% |
| 1818 | 5.7% | +7.9% |
| 1819 | 5.9% | +3.5% |
| 1820 | 5.4% | -9.0% |
| 1821 | 6.3% | +18.1% |
| 1822 | 6.1% | -4.2% |
| 1823 | 5.5% | -8.8% |
| 1824 | 6.1% | +11.1% |
| 1825 | 5.6% | -8.3% |
| 1826 | 6.0% | +6.4% |
| 1827 | 5.8% | -2.4% |
| 1828 | 5.6% | -3.7% |
| 1829 | 4.1% | -27.7% |
| 1830 | 6.8% | +67.8% |
| 1831 | 6.4% | -6.6% |
| 1832 | 6.0% | -6.7% |
| 1833 | 5.9% | -1.0% |
| 1834 | 6.0% | +1.8% |
| 1835 | 5.7% | -4.5% |
| 1836 | 6.1% | +6.3% |
| 1837 | 6.7% | +9.5% |
| 1838 | 6.3% | -5.6% |
| 1839 | 5.8% | -8.5% |
| 1840 | 5.7% | -0.8% |
| 1841 | 5.7% | +0.3% |
| 1842 | 5.7% | -1.4% |
| 1843 | 5.3% | -5.9% |
| 1844 | 4.9% | -7.0% |
| 1845 | 5.4% | +10.0% |
| 1846 | 5.4% | -1.2% |
| 1847 | 5.1% | -4.2% |
| 1848 | 5.1% | -0.8% |
| 1849 | 5.4% | +5.2% |
| 1850 | 5.1% | -5.2% |
| 1851 | 5.5% | +7.2% |
| 1852 | 5.5% | +0.5% |
| 1853 | 5.0% | -9.8% |
| 1854 | 5.1% | +2.2% |
| 1855 | 4.8% | -4.2% |
| 1856 | 4.9% | +0.8% |
| 1857 | 5.0% | +1.4% |
| 1858 | 6.6% | +34.2% |
| 1859 | 6.6% | -0.9% |
| 1860 | 6.5% | -1.1% |
| 1861 | 5.9% | -9.1% |
| 1862 | 6.1% | +3.6% |
| 1863 | 6.6% | +7.7% |
| 1864 | 7.4% | +12.6% |
| 1865 | 7.3% | -1.8% |
| 1866 | 8.0% | +9.2% |
| 1867 | 5.9% | -26.2% |
| 1868 | 6.4% | +8.3% |
| 1869 | 6.1% | -5.2% |
| 1870 | 6.0% | -1.5% |
| 1871 | 5.7% | -3.9% |
| 1872 | 5.6% | -1.9% |
| 1873 | 5.4% | -4.2% |
| 1874 | 6.7% | +25.3% |
| 1875 | 7.0% | +4.3% |
| 1876 | 6.9% | -1.8% |
| 1877 | 7.1% | +2.6% |
| 1878 | 8.3% | +16.5% |
| 1879 | 7.7% | -7.3% |
| 1880 | 6.8% | -11.5% |
| 1881 | 6.6% | -2.1% |
| 1882 | 6.0% | -9.2% |
| 1883 | 6.1% | +2.0% |
| 1884 | 6.3% | +2.4% |
| 1885 | 6.6% | +5.0% |
| 1886 | 7.6% | +15.7% |
| 1887 | 8.0% | +4.9% |
| 1888 | 7.2% | -9.8% |
| 1889 | 6.9% | -5.0% |
| 1890 | 6.8% | -0.3% |
| 1891 | 7.1% | +4.5% |
| 1892 | 7.0% | -2.8% |
| 1893 | 7.1% | +1.7% |
| 1894 | 7.1% | +0.3% |
| 1895 | 6.5% | -8.3% |
| 1896 | 7.9% | +21.1% |
| 1897 | 6.4% | -18.5% |
| 1898 | 6.4% | -1.0% |
| 1899 | 6.6% | +4.2% |
| 1900 | 7.2% | +9.2% |
| 1901 | 8.0% | +10.0% |
| 1902 | 8.5% | +6.2% |
| 1903 | 7.9% | -6.0% |
| 1904 | 8.6% | +7.9% |
| 1905 | 8.6% | -0.2% |
| 1906 | 7.8% | -9.0% |
| 1907 | 7.8% | +0.7% |
| 1908 | 9.1% | +16.2% |
| 1909 | 9.4% | +3.1% |
| 1910 | 8.5% | -9.7% |
| 1911 | 8.3% | -1.9% |
| 1912 | 7.1% | -14.3% |
| 1913 | 6.7% | -6.3% |
| 1914 | 6.9% | +3.8% |
| 1915 | 9.3% | +34.2% |
| 1916 | 7.8% | -16.3% |
| 1917 | 10.0% | +28.1% |
| 1918 | 18.2% | +82.2% |
| 1919 | 7.9% | -56.5% |
| 1920 | 7.6% | -3.5% |
| 1921 | 12.0% | +56.9% |
| 1922 | 11.6% | -3.6% |
| 1923 | 5.3% | -54.0% |
| 1924 | 9.6% | +80.1% |
| 1925 | 9.5% | -1.0% |
| 1926 | 9.2% | -2.5% |
| 1927 | 9.4% | +2.2% |
| 1928 | 8.5% | -10.0% |
| 1929 | 8.7% | +2.3% |
| 1930 | 8.7% | +0.4% |
| 1931 | 9.6% | +10.1% |
| 1932 | 11.2% | +16.9% |
| 1933 | 13.6% | +21.5% |
| 1934 | 11.1% | -18.4% |
| 1935 | 12.1% | +8.7% |
| 1936 | 10.9% | -9.8% |
| 1937 | 10.4% | -4.9% |
| 1938 | 11.8% | +13.5% |
| 1939 | 13.1% | +11.6% |
| 1940 | 22.7% | +72.9% |
| 1941 | 27.4% | +20.8% |
| 1942 | 26.4% | -4.0% |
| 1943 | 26.8% | +1.6% |
| 1944 | 26.4% | -1.4% |
| 1945 | 26.0% | -1.4% |
| 1946 | 17.7% | -31.9% |
| 1947 | 16.6% | -6.2% |
| 1948 | 17.2% | +3.2% |
| 1949 | 19.5% | +13.4% |
| 1950 | 18.3% | -6.2% |
| 1951 | 17.0% | -6.8% |
| 1952 | 19.2% | +12.6% |
| 1953 | 21.9% | +14.0% |
| 1954 | 21.5% | -1.7% |
| 1955 | 21.2% | -1.4% |
| 1956 | 21.6% | +1.7% |
| 1957 | 22.3% | +3.2% |
| 1958 | 24.0% | +8.1% |
| 1959 | 24.3% | +1.0% |
| 1960 | 24.4% | +0.6% |
| 1961 | 23.7% | -3.0% |
| 1962 | 23.4% | -1.4% |
| 1963 | 24.4% | +4.2% |
| 1964 | 23.4% | -4.0% |
| 1965 | 24.6% | +5.2% |
| 1966 | 26.5% | +7.7% |
| 1967 | 27.7% | +4.7% |
| 1968 | 28.3% | +2.2% |
| 1969 | 28.7% | +1.3% |
| 1970 | 29.5% | +2.8% |
| 1971 | 29.8% | +1.1% |
| 1972 | 31.9% | +7.1% |
| 1973 | 31.1% | -2.8% |
| 1974 | 30.1% | -3.2% |
| 1975 | 30.6% | +1.7% |
| 1976 | 32.3% | +5.8% |
| 1977 | 35.7% | +10.3% |
| 1978 | 39.1% | +9.6% |
| 1979 | 39.9% | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 41.0% | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 46.1% | +12.4% |
| 1982 | 46.4% | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 48.6% | +4.9% |
| 1984 | 46.7% | -3.9% |
| 1985 | 47.6% | +1.9% |
| 1986 | 42.1% | -11.5% |
| 1987 | 40.9% | -2.9% |
| 1988 | 37.9% | -7.4% |
| 1989 | 35.8% | -5.5% |
| 1990 | 38.0% | +6.0% |
| 1991 | 41.0% | +8.0% |
| 1992 | 45.9% | +11.9% |
| 1993 | 69.4% | +51.3% |
| 1994 | 67.1% | -3.3% |
| 1995 | 63.0% | -6.1% |
| 1996 | 61.0% | -3.2% |
| 1997 | 58.7% | -3.8% |
| 1998 | 56.4% | -3.9% |
| 1999 | 56.0% | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 53.1% | -5.2% |
| 2001 | 52.5% | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 53.6% | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 53.8% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 52.5% | -2.4% |
| 2005 | 52.3% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 51.1% | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 49.3% | -3.5% |
| 2008 | 50.0% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 52.4% | +4.8% |
| 2010 | 50.4% | -3.8% |
| 2011 | 49.1% | -2.6% |
| 2012 | 50.2% | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 51.4% | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 50.7% | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 49.4% | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 49.5% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 49.2% | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 49.8% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 48.8% | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 52.0% | +6.6% |
| 2021 | 49.3% | -5.2% |
| 2022 | 48.3% | -2.0% |
| 2023 | 48.9% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 49.3% | +0.8% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 49.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 42.3%, 1.2× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 49.3% 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 Sweden 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1813 | +159.7% | 5.0% | 13.0% |
| 1808 | +130.9% | 6.8% | 15.6% |
| 1918 | +82.2% | 10.0% | 18.2% |
| 1924 | +80.1% | 5.3% | 9.6% |
| 1940 | +72.9% | 13.1% | 22.7% |
| 1830 | +67.8% | 4.1% | 6.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1800s | 8.2% | 5.3% | 15.6% | 10 |
| 1810s | 7.5% | 5.0% | 13.0% | 10 |
| 1820s | 5.7% | 4.1% | 6.3% | 10 |
| 1830s | 6.2% | 5.7% | 6.8% | 10 |
| 1840s | 5.4% | 4.9% | 5.7% | 10 |
| 1850s | 5.4% | 4.8% | 6.6% | 10 |
| 1860s | 6.6% | 5.9% | 8.0% | 10 |
| 1870s | 6.6% | 5.4% | 8.3% | 10 |
| 1880s | 6.8% | 6.0% | 8.0% | 10 |
| 1890s | 6.9% | 6.4% | 7.9% | 10 |
| 1900s | 8.3% | 7.2% | 9.4% | 10 |
| 1910s | 9.1% | 6.7% | 18.2% | 10 |
| 1920s | 9.1% | 5.3% | 12.0% | 10 |
| 1930s | 11.3% | 8.7% | 13.6% | 10 |
| 1940s | 22.7% | 16.6% | 27.4% | 10 |
| 1950s | 21.1% | 17.0% | 24.3% | 10 |
| 1960s | 25.5% | 23.4% | 28.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 33.0% | 29.5% | 39.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 43.3% | 35.8% | 48.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 55.6% | 38.0% | 69.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 52.1% | 49.3% | 53.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.8% | 48.8% | 51.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 49.6% | 48.3% | 52.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
More economy & growth data for Sweden
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.62 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.12 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 8.03 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.012 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 757.39 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 19.15 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -37.67 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0286 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1,807 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 18.58 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government spending as share of gdp in Sweden?
- Government spending as share of gdp in Sweden was 49.3% 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 Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 69.4% in 1993.
- What is the lowest government spending as share of gdp recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.1% in 1829.
- How does Sweden rank for government spending as share of gdp?
- Sweden ranks 15th out of 151 countries with data for 2024.
- Is government spending as share of gdp rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sweden 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 — 225 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.