Central government spending as share of GDP in Lithuania
Lithuania: Central government spending as share of GDP was 33.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Central government spending as share of GDP in Lithuania, 1991–2023
Source: International Monetary Fund (IMF), OECD, and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2023, central government spending as share of gdp in Lithuania stood at 33.9%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.1% on the previous year and up 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, central government spending as share of gdp in Lithuania peaked at 48.9% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 17.1%, in 1993.
Lithuania ranks 42nd of 157 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 32 years of available data.
Central government spending as share of GDP in Lithuania, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 21.3% | — |
| 1993 | 17.1% | -20.1% |
| 1994 | 20.8% | +22.2% |
| 1995 | 32.6% | +56.3% |
| 1996 | 33.9% | +4.0% |
| 1997 | 48.9% | +44.2% |
| 1998 | 40.7% | -16.7% |
| 1999 | 38.0% | -6.6% |
| 2000 | 37.5% | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 35.0% | -6.5% |
| 2002 | 33.2% | -5.3% |
| 2003 | 31.8% | -4.0% |
| 2004 | 31.6% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 31.1% | -1.9% |
| 2006 | 31.0% | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 31.3% | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 34.4% | +10.0% |
| 2009 | 41.7% | +21.0% |
| 2010 | 40.1% | -3.7% |
| 2011 | 36.8% | -8.2% |
| 2012 | 34.1% | -7.4% |
| 2013 | 33.1% | -3.1% |
| 2014 | 32.8% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 32.7% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 32.7% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 31.1% | -4.9% |
| 2018 | 31.7% | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 32.4% | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 38.9% | +20.1% |
| 2021 | 35.2% | -9.6% |
| 2022 | 34.2% | -2.7% |
| 2023 | 33.9% | -1.1% |
Lithuania compared with similar countries
- Lithuania's 33.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 34.2%, 99% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- Lithuania's 33.9% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 34.5%, 98% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Central government spending as share of GDP in Lithuania changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +56.3% | 20.8% | 32.6% |
| 1997 | +44.2% | 33.9% | 48.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 31.7% | 17.1% | 48.9% | 8 |
| 2000s | 33.9% | 31.0% | 41.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.7% | 31.1% | 40.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.5% | 33.9% | 38.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Lithuania
More economy & growth data for Lithuania
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 127.67 million BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0013 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 44.19 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 3.09 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -34.32 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0324 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1,069 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate -4.7 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0741 includes gold, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per capita 2,444 includes gold, current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is central government spending as share of gdp in Lithuania?
- Central government spending as share of gdp in Lithuania was 33.9% in 2023, according to International Monetary Fund (IMF), OECD, and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest central government spending as share of gdp recorded in Lithuania?
- The highest recorded value was 48.9% in 1997.
- What is the lowest central government spending as share of gdp recorded in Lithuania?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.1% in 1993.
- How does Lithuania rank for central government spending as share of gdp?
- Lithuania ranks 42nd out of 157 countries with data for 2023.
- Is central government spending as share of gdp rising or falling in Lithuania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lithuania data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (IMF), OECD, and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Central government spending as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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.