Government spending as share of GDP in Uruguay
Uruguay: Government spending as share of GDP was 31.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Government spending as share of GDP in Uruguay, 1955–2024
Source: International Monetary Fund (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Uruguay recorded 31.1% for government spending as share of gdp in 2024.
The figure is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 7.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government spending as share of gdp in Uruguay peaked at 37.0% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 9.5%, in 1959.
Uruguay ranks 73rd of 151 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 70 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 10.8% | 9.5% | 12.0% | 5 |
| 1960s | 14.1% | 9.9% | 16.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 22.0% | 15.1% | 24.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 26.6% | 21.8% | 37.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.9% | 21.1% | 29.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 27.0% | 26.3% | 27.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.8% | 26.3% | 30.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.9% | 30.0% | 32.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Uruguay
- 70 Trinidad and Tobago 32.5% compare
- 71 Switzerland 31.9% compare
- 72 El Salvador 31.4% compare
- 74 Argentina 31.0% compare
- 75 Fiji 30.8% compare
- 76 Mexico 30.3% compare
More economy & growth data for Uruguay
- External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP 4.4% (2025)
- Inflation of consumer prices 4.7% (2025)
- GDP per capita 19,374 constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- Share of manufacturing in gross domestic product (GDP) 10.0% (2025)
- Gross domestic product (GDP) 65.58 billion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- GDP per capita in international and market dollars 19,374 constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- DEC alternative conversion factor 41.19 LCU per US$ (2025)
- Net secondary income (Net current transfers from abroad) 3.59 billion current LCU (2025)
- Net secondary income (Net current transfers from abroad) 87.13 million current US$ (2025)
- Taxes less subsidies on products 406.54 billion current LCU (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government spending as share of gdp in Uruguay?
- Government spending as share of gdp in Uruguay was 31.1% 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 Uruguay?
- The highest recorded value was 37.0% in 1989.
- What is the lowest government spending as share of gdp recorded in Uruguay?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.5% in 1959.
- How does Uruguay rank for government spending as share of gdp?
- Uruguay ranks 73rd out of 151 countries with data for 2024.
- Is government spending as share of gdp rising or falling in Uruguay?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Uruguay 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.
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About this data
The 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.