* indicates monthly or quarterly data series

Government spending as percent of GDP, 2023:

The average for 2023 based on 27 countries was 20.16 percent. The highest value was in Sweden: 25.68 percent and the lowest value was in Ireland: 12.3 percent. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Measure: percent; Source: The World Bank
Select indicator
* indicates monthly or quarterly data series


Countries Government spending, percent of GDP, 2023 Global rank Available data
Sweden 25.68 1 1960 - 2023
Netherlands 25.3 2 1969 - 2023
Finland 25.18 3 1970 - 2023
Belgium 24.24 4 1970 - 2023
France 23.28 5 1960 - 2023
Denmark 22.64 6 1966 - 2023
Germany 21.56 7 1970 - 2023
Croatia 21.06 8 1995 - 2023
Estonia 20.92 9 1993 - 2023
Czechia 20.39 10 1990 - 2023
Austria 20.29 11 1970 - 2023
Slovakia 20.12 12 1990 - 2023
Hungary 20.03 13 1991 - 2023
Spain 19.95 14 1970 - 2023
Greece 19.72 15 1960 - 2023
Latvia 19.72 16 1995 - 2023
Slovenia 19.49 17 1990 - 2023
Cyprus 19.15 18 1975 - 2023
Luxembourg 18.99 19 1970 - 2023
Poland 18.62 20 1995 - 2023
Bulgaria 18.18 21 1980 - 2023
Italy 18.15 22 1970 - 2023
Lithuania 17.71 23 1995 - 2023
Malta 17.71 24 1970 - 2023
Portugal 17 25 1970 - 2023
Romania 16.92 26 1990 - 2023
Ireland 12.3 27 1970 - 2023



Definition: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation.

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