Central government spending as share of GDP by country
Central government expense (cash payments for operating activities of the government in providing goods and services), as share of GDP. It excludes capital investment, such as infrastructure or equipment.
Countries reporting
157
Highest
103.6%
Nauru
Lowest
3.8%
United Arab Emirates
Median
26.1%
Years covered
53
1972–2024
Data points
4,442
What the numbers show
Central government spending as share of GDP is currently reported for 157 countries. The highest value is 103.6% in Nauru; the lowest is 3.8% in United Arab Emirates.
The median across all reporting countries is 26.1%, and the mean is 27.4%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 27.
Over the past decade 105 countries rose and 50 fell. The largest increase was in Somalia (up 102.3%), and the largest decrease in Lebanon (down 76.1%).
Central government spending as share of GDP: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nauru | 103.6% | 2020 | up 19.4% | rising |
| 2 | Kiribati | 83.7% | 2023 | up 39.0% | rising |
| 3 | Ukraine | 65.6% | 2023 | up 69.5% | rising |
| 4 | Marshall Islands | 59.4% | 2020 | up 9.3% | rising |
| 5 | Palau | 59.0% | 2020 | up 15.5% | falling |
| 6 | East Timor | 52.5% | 2022 | down 32.8% | falling |
| 7 | Greece | 47.3% | 2023 | down 22.9% | rising |
| 8 | Italy | 47.3% | 2023 | up 8.1% | rising |
| 9 | France | 47.3% | 2023 | down 3.7% | rising |
| 10 | Austria | 46.0% | 2023 | down 2.6% | rising |
| 11 | Finland | 44.9% | 2023 | up 11.5% | rising |
| 12 | Slovenia | 42.9% | 2023 | down 21.4% | rising |
| 13 | Hungary | 42.4% | 2022 | down 5.1% | falling |
| 14 | Luxembourg | 42.2% | 2023 | up 9.5% | rising |
| 15 | United Kingdom | 41.2% | 2023 | up 3.0% | rising |
| 16 | San Marino | 40.5% | 2023 | down 12.0% | rising |
| 17 | Lesotho | 40.2% | 2022 | up 0.4% | rising |
| 18 | Netherlands | 40.0% | 2023 | down 5.8% | falling |
| 19 | Slovakia | 39.8% | 2022 | up 1.6% | falling |
| 20 | Belgium | 39.7% | 2022 | down 13.1% | falling |
| 21 | Afghanistan | 39.2% | 2017 | up 61.8% | rising |
| 22 | Poland | 39.1% | 2023 | up 8.9% | falling |
| 23 | Cyprus | 38.5% | 2023 | down 14.4% | rising |
| 24 | Croatia | 38.1% | 2023 | down 5.4% | falling |
| 25 | Estonia | 37.7% | 2023 | up 10.5% | rising |
| 26 | Israel | 37.3% | 2023 | up 3.1% | falling |
| 27 | Romania | 37.3% | 2022 | up 15.5% | flat |
| 28 | Portugal | 37.2% | 2023 | down 18.5% | rising |
| 29 | Uruguay | 36.5% | 2023 | up 24.5% | rising |
| 30 | Namibia | 36.2% | 2023 | up 2.0% | rising |
| 31 | Bulgaria | 35.8% | 2023 | up 8.6% | falling |
| 32 | New Zealand | 35.5% | 2022 | up 1.5% | flat |
| 33 | Serbia | 35.5% | 2022 | up 0.1% | rising |
| 34 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 35.3% | 2023 | down 5.5% | flat |
| 35 | Tonga | 34.7% | 2023 | up 25.3% | rising |
| 36 | Kuwait | 34.6% | 2006 | down 17.3% | volatile |
| 37 | Norway | 34.5% | 2023 | up 3.7% | rising |
| 38 | Moldova | 34.5% | 2023 | up 27.1% | flat |
| 39 | Czechia | 34.4% | 2022 | down 5.2% | falling |
| 40 | Latvia | 34.2% | 2023 | up 7.9% | rising |
| 41 | Spain | 34.0% | 2023 | down 3.7% | rising |
| 42 | Lithuania | 33.9% | 2023 | up 2.4% | rising |
| 43 | Tunisia | 33.8% | 2012 | up 31.5% | rising |
| 44 | Malta | 33.7% | 2023 | down 13.4% | rising |
| 45 | South Africa | 33.4% | 2022 | up 10.1% | rising |
| 46 | North Macedonia | 33.4% | 2023 | up 18.2% | rising |
| 47 | Denmark | 33.3% | 2023 | down 17.3% | rising |
| 48 | Trinidad and Tobago | 33.3% | 2019 | up 0.9% | rising |
| 49 | Colombia | 33.3% | 2023 | down 0.0% | rising |
| 50 | Turkey | 33.0% | 2023 | up 13.9% | rising |
| 51 | Sweden | 32.5% | 2022 | down 1.5% | rising |
| 52 | Brazil | 32.4% | 2023 | up 15.2% | rising |
| 53 | Iceland | 32.0% | 2023 | down 6.8% | rising |
| 54 | Mongolia | 31.7% | 2021 | up 29.7% | rising |
| 55 | Germany | 31.2% | 2022 | up 11.6% | rising |
| 56 | Cape Verde | 30.9% | 2020 | up 71.7% | flat |
| 57 | Ecuador | 30.4% | 2022 | down 9.2% | falling |
| 58 | Egypt | 30.2% | 2015 | up 10.4% | falling |
| 59 | Russia | 30.0% | 2023 | up 21.8% | rising |
| 60 | Maldives | 29.5% | 2021 | up 31.6% | rising |
| 61 | Mauritius | 29.1% | 2023 | up 36.6% | rising |
| 62 | Solomon Islands | 28.9% | 2022 | up 14.2% | rising |
| 63 | Barbados | 28.8% | 2016 | up 7.0% | rising |
| 64 | Costa Rica | 28.6% | 2023 | up 7.8% | rising |
| 65 | Belarus | 28.5% | 2023 | up 0.8% | flat |
| 66 | South Korea | 28.3% | 2023 | up 23.4% | rising |
| 67 | El Salvador | 27.9% | 2023 | up 21.4% | rising |
| 68 | Kenya | 27.8% | 2023 | up 35.6% | rising |
| 69 | Fiji | 27.8% | 2023 | up 13.8% | rising |
| 70 | Iraq | 27.6% | 2019 | up 7.4% | flat |
| 71 | Australia | 27.6% | 2022 | up 6.0% | rising |
| 72 | Jamaica | 27.5% | 2020 | down 5.0% | rising |
| 73 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 26.7% | 2020 | up 6.1% | rising |
| 74 | Samoa | 26.7% | 2023 | down 7.2% | rising |
| 75 | Vanuatu | 26.6% | 2023 | up 38.4% | rising |
| 76 | Morocco | 26.6% | 2023 | up 3.6% | rising |
| 77 | Botswana | 26.5% | 2024 | down 8.9% | falling |
| 78 | Palestine | 26.2% | 2021 | down 7.2% | falling |
| 79 | Bahrain | 26.1% | 2020 | up 39.8% | rising |
| 80 | Mozambique | 26.0% | 2022 | up 16.9% | rising |
| 81 | Jordan | 25.9% | 2023 | up 8.4% | falling |
| 82 | Albania | 25.4% | 2023 | up 5.4% | flat |
| 83 | Georgia | 25.2% | 2023 | up 2.6% | rising |
| 84 | Zambia | 25.1% | 2021 | up 73.4% | rising |
| 85 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 24.7% | 2017 | up 25.8% | rising |
| 86 | Seychelles | 24.6% | 2008 | down 43.2% | falling |
| 87 | Eswatini | 24.6% | 2021 | up 8.5% | rising |
| 88 | Chile | 24.6% | 2023 | up 21.6% | falling |
| 89 | United States | 24.4% | 2023 | up 6.8% | rising |
| 90 | Honduras | 24.4% | 2020 | up 7.2% | rising |
| 91 | Saudi Arabia | 24.2% | 2023 | down 4.5% | flat |
| 92 | Bhutan | 24.1% | 2020 | up 19.6% | flat |
| 93 | Kyrgyzstan | 23.7% | 2023 | down 8.8% | falling |
| 94 | Senegal | 23.6% | 2023 | up 28.8% | rising |
| 95 | Micronesia (country) | 23.4% | 2020 | up 37.3% | rising |
| 96 | Azerbaijan | 23.0% | 2022 | up 3.7% | rising |
| 97 | Peru | 22.8% | 2021 | up 29.6% | rising |
| 98 | Ghana | 22.7% | 2022 | down 15.6% | flat |
| 99 | Mexico | 22.5% | 2023 | up 8.5% | rising |
| 100 | Uzbekistan | 22.3% | 2023 | up 66.6% | rising |
| 101 | Belize | 22.3% | 2017 | up 24.5% | rising |
| 102 | Bolivia | 21.8% | 2007 | up 10.8% | rising |
| 103 | Argentina | 21.0% | 2023 | down 14.5% | rising |
| 104 | Armenia | 20.9% | 2023 | down 7.5% | rising |
| 105 | Thailand | 20.7% | 2023 | up 4.6% | rising |
| 106 | Bahamas | 20.3% | 2023 | up 25.2% | rising |
| 107 | Papua New Guinea | 20.3% | 2023 | down 6.6% | falling |
| 108 | Malawi | 20.2% | 2022 | up 69.9% | rising |
| 109 | Japan | 20.1% | 2022 | up 11.8% | rising |
| 110 | Iran | 19.6% | 2009 | up 18.4% | falling |
| 111 | Macao | 19.6% | 2023 | up 87.1% | volatile |
| 112 | Burkina Faso | 19.6% | 2023 | up 58.7% | rising |
| 113 | Nepal | 19.4% | 2021 | up 39.5% | rising |
| 114 | Ireland | 19.2% | 2022 | down 51.9% | falling |
| 115 | Canada | 19.1% | 2023 | up 11.5% | falling |
| 116 | Paraguay | 18.9% | 2023 | up 31.9% | rising |
| 117 | Dominican Republic | 18.1% | 2023 | up 16.7% | rising |
| 118 | Sri Lanka | 18.0% | 2023 | up 27.4% | falling |
| 119 | Rwanda | 18.0% | 2023 | up 1.8% | rising |
| 120 | Cote d'Ivoire | 17.9% | 2023 | up 80.1% | rising |
| 121 | Saint Lucia | 17.6% | 2017 | up 31.7% | rising |
| 122 | Kazakhstan | 17.4% | 2023 | up 19.4% | rising |
| 123 | Panama | 17.1% | 2021 | up 32.8% | rising |
| 124 | Singapore | 17.1% | 2023 | up 38.3% | falling |
| 125 | Malaysia | 17.0% | 2023 | down 17.4% | flat |
| 126 | Philippines | 16.9% | 2023 | up 27.8% | rising |
| 127 | Uganda | 16.6% | 2023 | up 54.1% | rising |
| 128 | Tanzania | 16.3% | 2024 | up 1.6% | rising |
| 129 | Nicaragua | 16.3% | 2023 | up 7.9% | volatile |
| 130 | Congo | 16.1% | 2021 | up 58.5% | falling |
| 131 | Switzerland | 16.1% | 2023 | down 2.3% | rising |
| 132 | Togo | 16.0% | 2023 | up 24.9% | rising |
| 133 | Guinea-Bissau | 15.5% | 2023 | up 18.0% | rising |
| 134 | Indonesia | 15.4% | 2009 | down 5.9% | rising |
| 135 | Angola | 14.6% | 2019 | down 33.6% | falling |
| 136 | Gabon | 14.1% | 2021 | down 13.7% | falling |
| 137 | Myanmar | 13.8% | 2019 | up 30.6% | volatile |
| 138 | India | 13.7% | 2022 | down 15.1% | rising |
| 139 | Guatemala | 13.5% | 2023 | up 3.7% | rising |
| 140 | Cambodia | 12.9% | 2023 | up 42.0% | rising |
| 141 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 12.4% | 2022 | down 10.3% | flat |
| 142 | Cameroon | 12.4% | 2021 | down 2.6% | flat |
| 143 | Burundi | 12.3% | 2021 | down 38.7% | falling |
| 144 | Mali | 12.2% | 2020 | up 13.8% | rising |
| 145 | Central African Republic | 11.7% | 2021 | down 13.4% | falling |
| 146 | Equatorial Guinea | 11.0% | 2022 | up 54.8% | rising |
| 147 | Madagascar | 11.0% | 2023 | up 17.3% | rising |
| 148 | Tajikistan | 11.0% | 2023 | — | rising |
| 149 | Zimbabwe | 11.0% | 2018 | up 16.0% | flat |
| 150 | Laos | 10.3% | 2022 | down 6.1% | flat |
| 151 | Niger | 10.2% | 1980 | — | flat |
| 152 | Sudan | 9.7% | 2016 | down 37.9% | volatile |
| 153 | Bangladesh | 8.3% | 2021 | down 15.4% | flat |
| 154 | Somalia | 6.3% | 2023 | up 102.3% | rising |
| 155 | Lebanon | 6.3% | 2021 | down 76.1% | falling |
| 156 | Ethiopia | 6.1% | 2023 | down 40.1% | falling |
| 157 | United Arab Emirates | 3.8% | 2023 | down 1.3% | falling |
About this data
Central government expense (cash payments for operating activities of the government in providing goods and services), as share of GDP. It excludes capital investment, such as infrastructure or equipment.