Tax revenue as share of GDP in Gambia
Gambia: Tax revenue as share of GDP was 9.5% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Tax revenue as share of GDP in Gambia, 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 Gambia stood at 9.5%.
The figure is up 3.9% on the previous year and up 2.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tax revenue as share of gdp in Gambia peaked at 11.6% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 5.4%, in 2001.
That places Gambia 163rd out of 192 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 44 years of available data.
Tax revenue as share of GDP in Gambia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 7.8% | — |
| 1981 | 6.1% | -21.6% |
| 1982 | 6.3% | +3.3% |
| 1983 | 6.3% | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 7.8% | +23.5% |
| 1985 | 7.3% | -6.7% |
| 1986 | 7.4% | +1.8% |
| 1987 | 8.4% | +13.6% |
| 1988 | 7.9% | -6.0% |
| 1989 | 8.8% | +11.1% |
| 1990 | 8.1% | -8.1% |
| 1991 | 7.9% | -2.6% |
| 1992 | 8.3% | +5.2% |
| 1993 | 8.8% | +6.2% |
| 1994 | 8.2% | -6.6% |
| 1995 | 7.0% | -15.0% |
| 1996 | 6.7% | -4.5% |
| 1997 | 7.0% | +5.3% |
| 1998 | 7.0% | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 6.6% | -6.3% |
| 2000 | 6.7% | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 5.4% | -19.4% |
| 2002 | 5.9% | +8.5% |
| 2003 | 5.8% | -2.3% |
| 2004 | 7.8% | +34.8% |
| 2005 | 7.7% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 9.1% | +17.3% |
| 2007 | 9.5% | +5.4% |
| 2008 | 9.1% | -4.9% |
| 2009 | 9.1% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 8.2% | -10.4% |
| 2011 | 9.1% | +11.5% |
| 2012 | 9.3% | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 9.3% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 10.8% | +16.4% |
| 2015 | 11.6% | +7.8% |
| 2016 | 11.0% | -5.8% |
| 2017 | 10.1% | -7.6% |
| 2018 | 10.1% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 11.0% | +8.6% |
| 2020 | 11.1% | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 10.3% | -7.2% |
| 2022 | 9.1% | -11.3% |
| 2023 | 9.5% | +3.9% |
Gambia compared with similar countries
- Gambia's 9.5% is above the median for low income countries, which is 9.5%, 1.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Gambia's 9.5% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13.5%, 70% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 7.4% | 6.1% | 8.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.5% | 6.6% | 8.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.6% | 5.4% | 9.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.0% | 8.2% | 11.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.0% | 9.1% | 11.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Gambia
- 160 Guyana 10.3% compare
- 161 Indonesia 10.3% compare
- 162 Sri Lanka 9.8% compare
- 164 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 9.3% compare
- 165 Guinea-Bissau 9.2% compare
- 166 Timor-Leste 8.7% compare
More economy & growth data for Gambia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.69 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 5.02 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps -665,150 BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0003 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -0.241 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 232.36 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 13.05 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0966 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 84.19 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 8.98 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is tax revenue as share of gdp in Gambia?
- Tax revenue as share of gdp in Gambia was 9.5% 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 Gambia?
- The highest recorded value was 11.6% in 2015.
- What is the lowest tax revenue as share of gdp recorded in Gambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.4% in 2001.
- How does Gambia rank for tax revenue as share of gdp?
- Gambia ranks 163rd out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is tax revenue as share of gdp rising or falling in Gambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Gambia 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.