Tax revenue as share of GDP in Germany
Germany: Tax revenue as share of GDP was 37.5% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Tax revenue as share of GDP in Germany, 1980–2023
Source: UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for tax revenue as share of gdp in Germany is 37.5%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.6% on the previous year and up 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tax revenue as share of gdp in Germany peaked at 39.1% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 34.1%, in 2004.
That places Germany 14th out of 192 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 44 years of available data.
Tax revenue as share of GDP in Germany, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 36.1% | — |
| 1981 | 35.7% | -1.2% |
| 1982 | 35.5% | -0.7% |
| 1983 | 35.3% | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 35.5% | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 35.9% | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 35.5% | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 35.7% | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 35.5% | -0.8% |
| 1989 | 35.9% | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 34.4% | -4.2% |
| 1991 | 34.7% | +1.0% |
| 1992 | 35.6% | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 35.6% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 36.0% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 36.2% | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 35.5% | -1.9% |
| 1997 | 35.2% | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 35.4% | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 35.9% | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 36.0% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 34.8% | -3.5% |
| 2002 | 34.2% | -1.7% |
| 2003 | 34.3% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 34.1% | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 34.1% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 34.6% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 35.1% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 35.6% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 36.4% | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 35.2% | -3.4% |
| 2011 | 35.9% | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 36.6% | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 36.9% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 36.9% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 37.3% | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 37.8% | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 37.8% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 38.4% | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 38.7% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 38.1% | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 39.1% | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 38.9% | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 37.5% | -3.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 35.6% | 35.3% | 36.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 35.5% | 34.4% | 36.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 34.9% | 34.1% | 36.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 37.1% | 35.2% | 38.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.4% | 37.5% | 39.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Germany
- 11 Netherlands 38.5% compare
- 12 Serbia 38.4% compare
- 13 Croatia 38.0% compare
- 15 Bosnia and Herzegovina 37.1% compare
- 16 Montenegro 36.8% compare
- 17 Spain 36.4% compare
More economy & growth data for Germany
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.7761 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 0.6565 Percent per annum (2029)
- Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per capita 34,105 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), annual growth rate 9.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.9764 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), per capita 59,071 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current LCU), annual growth rate 4.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current LCU), per unit of GDP 0.8641 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current LCU), per capita 52,276 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 1.83 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is tax revenue as share of gdp in Germany?
- Tax revenue as share of gdp in Germany was 37.5% 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 Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 39.1% in 2021.
- What is the lowest tax revenue as share of gdp recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 34.1% in 2004.
- How does Germany rank for tax revenue as share of gdp?
- Germany ranks 14th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is tax revenue as share of gdp rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Germany 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.