Tax revenue as share of GDP in Belgium
Belgium: Tax revenue as share of GDP was 42.6% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Tax revenue as share of GDP in Belgium, 1980–2023
Source: UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2023, tax revenue as share of gdp in Belgium stood at 42.6%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and down 5.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tax revenue as share of gdp in Belgium peaked at 47.2% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 42.1%, in 2021.
That places Belgium 4th out of 192 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 44 years of available data.
Tax revenue as share of GDP in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 43.6% | — |
| 1981 | 44.0% | +0.9% |
| 1982 | 45.3% | +2.9% |
| 1983 | 46.0% | +1.6% |
| 1984 | 46.7% | +1.5% |
| 1985 | 46.8% | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 46.6% | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 47.2% | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 45.8% | -3.0% |
| 1989 | 43.9% | -4.1% |
| 1990 | 44.4% | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 44.7% | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 44.3% | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 45.9% | +3.6% |
| 1994 | 46.2% | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 45.1% | -2.4% |
| 1996 | 45.6% | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 46.1% | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 46.7% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 46.5% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 46.1% | -0.9% |
| 2001 | 46.1% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 46.4% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 45.9% | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 45.9% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 45.7% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 45.6% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 45.2% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 46.1% | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 42.7% | -7.4% |
| 2010 | 42.9% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 43.5% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 44.3% | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 45.0% | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 44.8% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 44.1% | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 43.3% | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 43.8% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 43.8% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 42.4% | -3.3% |
| 2020 | 42.2% | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 42.1% | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 42.4% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 42.6% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 45.6% | 43.6% | 47.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 45.5% | 44.3% | 46.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 45.6% | 42.7% | 46.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.8% | 42.4% | 45.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.3% | 42.1% | 42.6% | 4 |
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)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), annual growth rate 5.18 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0337 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), per capita 2,048 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) 9.1 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 0.2395 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 14,552 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 4.5 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU), per 0.212 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is tax revenue as share of gdp in Belgium?
- Tax revenue as share of gdp in Belgium was 42.6% in 2023, according to UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest tax revenue as share of gdp recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 47.2% in 1987.
- What is the lowest tax revenue as share of gdp recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.1% in 2021.
- How does Belgium rank for tax revenue as share of gdp?
- Belgium ranks 4th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is tax revenue as share of gdp rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Tax revenue as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Direct and indirect taxes as well as social contributions included.