Primary budget balance - Country rankings
* indicates monthly or quarterly data series
Primary budget balance, percent of GDP, 2024:
The average for 2024 based on 179 countries was -1.04 percent. The highest value was in Norway: 10.49 percent and the lowest value was in Libya: -25.05 percent. The indicator is available from 1990 to 2024. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.Measure: percent; Source: The World Bank
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* indicates monthly or quarterly data series
| Countries | Primary budget balance, 2024 | Global rank | Available data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norway | 10.49 | 1 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Lesotho | 10.28 | 2 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Grenada | 9.96 | 3 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Micronesia | 9.32 | 4 | 1995 - 2024 |
| R. of Congo | 8.28 | 5 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Aruba | 7.92 | 6 | 1995 - 2024 |
| Haiti | 7.19 | 7 | 1997 - 2024 |
| UA Emirates | 6.97 | 8 | 1991 - 2024 |
| Laos | 5.95 | 9 | 2000 - 2024 |
| Cyprus | 5.49 | 10 | 1995 - 2024 |
| Jamaica | 5.37 | 11 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Greece | 4.8 | 12 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Tonga | 4.62 | 13 | 1999 - 2024 |
| Ireland | 4.46 | 14 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Nicaragua | 4.42 | 15 | 2000 - 2024 |
| Azerbaijan | 4.41 | 16 | 1994 - 2024 |
| Barbados | 4.28 | 17 | 1994 - 2024 |
| Angola | 3.93 | 18 | 1996 - 2024 |
| Ant.& Barb. | 3.93 | 19 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Denmark | 3.71 | 20 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Oman | 3.63 | 21 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Zambia | 2.94 | 22 | 2000 - 2024 |
| Bahamas | 2.74 | 23 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 2.74 | 24 | 1995 - 2024 |
| Mongolia | 2.73 | 25 | 1991 - 2024 |
| Portugal | 2.6 | 26 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Belarus | 2.37 | 27 | 2001 - 2024 |
| Seychelles | 2.3 | 28 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Sri Lanka | 2.18 | 29 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Argentina | 2.17 | 30 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Qatar | 2.01 | 31 | 1991 - 2024 |
| Bhutan | 1.8 | 32 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Egypt | 1.71 | 33 | 1999 - 2024 |
| S.T.&Principe | 1.63 | 34 | 2001 - 2024 |
| Swaziland | 1.61 | 35 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Namibia | 1.57 | 36 | 1990 - 2024 |
| San Marino | 1.5 | 37 | 2004 - 2024 |
| Albania | 1.44 | 38 | 1997 - 2024 |
| Belize | 1.29 | 39 | 1996 - 2024 |
| Cape Verde | 1.28 | 40 | 1994 - 2024 |
| Saint Lucia | 1.1 | 41 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Tajikistan | 0.99 | 42 | 1998 - 2024 |
| Pakistan | 0.96 | 43 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Nigeria | 0.9 | 44 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Switzerland | 0.68 | 45 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Guatemala | 0.65 | 46 | 1995 - 2024 |
| Eq. Guinea | 0.54 | 47 | 1996 - 2024 |
| Fiji | 0.49 | 48 | 1992 - 2024 |
| Lebanon | 0.4 | 49 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Luxembourg | 0.4 | 50 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Puerto Rico | 0.37 | 51 | 2014 - 2024 |
| Suriname | 0.34 | 52 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Domin. Rep. | 0.3 | 53 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Italy | 0.29 | 54 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Somalia | 0.22 | 55 | 2013 - 2024 |
| Mexico | 0.18 | 56 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Serbia | 0.12 | 57 | 2000 - 2024 |
| El Salvador | 0.03 | 58 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Indonesia | -0.09 | 59 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Thailand | -0.09 | 60 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Paraguay | -0.14 | 61 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Ecuador | -0.18 | 62 | 1995 - 2024 |
| Brazil | -0.22 | 63 | 1996 - 2024 |
| Cameroon | -0.28 | 64 | 2000 - 2024 |
| Dominica | -0.29 | 65 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Slovenia | -0.32 | 66 | 1995 - 2024 |
| Honduras | -0.37 | 67 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Mauritania | -0.37 | 68 | 2004 - 2024 |
| Yemen | -0.37 | 69 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Afghanistan | -0.49 | 70 | 2005 - 2024 |
| Netherlands | -0.51 | 71 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Zimbabwe | -0.51 | 72 | 2005 - 2024 |
| Kenya | -0.52 | 73 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Lithuania | -0.56 | 74 | 1995 - 2024 |
| Armenia | -0.61 | 75 | 2005 - 2024 |
| South Africa | -0.61 | 76 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Vietnam | -0.65 | 77 | 1998 - 2024 |
| Georgia | -0.68 | 78 | 1995 - 2024 |
| Tanzania | -0.68 | 79 | 1991 - 2024 |
| South Korea | -0.7 | 80 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Uganda | -0.7 | 81 | 1997 - 2024 |
| Gabon | -0.76 | 82 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Hungary | -0.77 | 83 | 1995 - 2024 |
| Kazakhstan | -0.77 | 84 | 2002 - 2024 |
| Papua N.G. | -0.81 | 85 | 1992 - 2024 |
| Montenegro | -0.82 | 86 | 2002 - 2024 |
| Chad | -0.88 | 87 | 1995 - 2024 |
| Bosnia & Herz. | -0.89 | 88 | 1998 - 2024 |
| Latvia | -0.9 | 89 | 1995 - 2024 |
| Croatia | -0.91 | 90 | 1992 - 2024 |
| Mali | -0.92 | 91 | 2000 - 2024 |
| Gambia | -0.93 | 92 | 2000 - 2024 |
| Liberia | -0.95 | 93 | 2000 - 2024 |
| Uruguay | -0.97 | 94 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Iceland | -0.98 | 95 | 1990 - 2024 |
| DR Congo | -1 | 96 | 1996 - 2024 |
| Kuwait | -1.14 | 97 | 1992 - 2024 |
| Japan | -1.15 | 98 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Philippines | -1.2 | 99 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Estonia | -1.23 | 100 | 1995 - 2024 |
| Benin | -1.28 | 101 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Ivory Coast | -1.3 | 102 | 1997 - 2024 |
| Czechia | -1.31 | 103 | 1995 - 2024 |
| Spain | -1.34 | 104 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Nepal | -1.36 | 105 | 2000 - 2024 |
| Australia | -1.37 | 106 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Bangladesh | -1.4 | 107 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Ethiopia | -1.4 | 108 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Tr.&Tobago | -1.45 | 109 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Vanuatu | -1.47 | 110 | 1991 - 2024 |
| Russia | -1.5 | 111 | 1998 - 2024 |
| Sweden | -1.61 | 112 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Uzbekistan | -1.72 | 113 | 1997 - 2024 |
| Germany | -1.8 | 114 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Morocco | -1.8 | 115 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Jordan | -1.85 | 116 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Madagascar | -1.85 | 117 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Canada | -1.87 | 118 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Tunisia | -1.9 | 119 | 1991 - 2024 |
| Sierra Leone | -1.95 | 120 | 2000 - 2024 |
| Malaysia | -2 | 121 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Mozambique | -2.03 | 122 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Chile | -2.05 | 123 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Peru | -2.11 | 124 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Iran | -2.13 | 125 | 2001 - 2024 |
| Colombia | -2.3 | 126 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Djibouti | -2.36 | 127 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Cambodia | -2.4 | 128 | 1996 - 2024 |
| Saudi Arabia | -2.4 | 129 | 1991 - 2024 |
| Malta | -2.42 | 130 | 2000 - 2024 |
| New Zealand | -2.42 | 131 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Niger | -2.46 | 132 | 1995 - 2024 |
| Turkey | -2.48 | 133 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Moldova | -2.51 | 134 | 1995 - 2024 |
| North Macedonia | -2.55 | 135 | 1997 - 2024 |
| Comoros | -2.61 | 136 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Burma | -2.62 | 137 | 1998 - 2024 |
| Solomon Isl. | -2.62 | 138 | 1997 - 2024 |
| Bulgaria | -2.79 | 139 | 1995 - 2024 |
| Belgium | -2.85 | 140 | 1990 - 2024 |
| India | -2.91 | 141 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Venezuela | -2.93 | 142 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Burundi | -3.25 | 143 | 1992 - 2024 |
| Ghana | -3.31 | 144 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Sudan | -3.31 | 145 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Iraq | -3.54 | 146 | 2004 - 2024 |
| Austria | -3.6 | 147 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Burkina Faso | -3.62 | 148 | 1990 - 2024 |
| UK | -3.79 | 149 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Guinea | -3.83 | 150 | 1990 - 2024 |
| France | -3.87 | 151 | 1990 - 2024 |
| G.-Bissau | -3.93 | 152 | 1991 - 2024 |
| Bahrain | -4.08 | 153 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Rwanda | -4.17 | 154 | 1992 - 2024 |
| Mauritius | -4.21 | 155 | 2000 - 2024 |
| C.A. Republic | -4.22 | 156 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Finland | -4.31 | 157 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Poland | -4.38 | 158 | 1995 - 2024 |
| Malawi | -4.42 | 159 | 2002 - 2024 |
| Togo | -4.47 | 160 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Slovakia | -4.5 | 161 | 1995 - 2024 |
| Panama | -4.53 | 162 | 1994 - 2024 |
| USA | -4.61 | 163 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Israel | -5.09 | 164 | 1990 - 2024 |
| China | -6.39 | 165 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Romania | -6.66 | 166 | 1991 - 2024 |
| Botswana | -6.76 | 167 | 1999 - 2024 |
| Hong Kong | -7 | 168 | 2005 - 2024 |
| Guyana | -7.02 | 169 | 1997 - 2024 |
| Bolivia | -7.51 | 170 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Tuvalu | -8.09 | 171 | 2005 - 2024 |
| Senegal | -9.28 | 172 | 1994 - 2024 |
| Maldives | -9.75 | 173 | 1990 - 2024 |
| St. Vincent & ... | -10.09 | 174 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Brunei | -10.2 | 175 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Algeria | -12.67 | 176 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Ukraine | -13.23 | 177 | 1995 - 2024 |
| Kiribati | -21.86 | 178 | 1990 - 2024 |
| Libya | -25.05 | 179 | 1990 - 2024 |
Definition: The difference between a government's total revenue and its total expenditure, excluding interest payments on its outstanding debt. Source: Kose, M. Ayhan, Sergio Kurlat, Franziska Ohnsorge, and Naotaka Sugawara. 2022. "A Cross-Country Database of Fiscal Space." Journal of International Money and Finance 128 (November): 102682.
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10.49
10.28
9.96
9.32
8.28
7.92
7.19
6.97
5.95
5.49
5.37
4.80
4.62
4.46
4.42
4.41
4.28
3.93
3.93
3.71
3.63
2.94
2.74
2.74
2.73
2.60
2.37
2.30
2.18
2.17
2.01
1.80
1.71
1.63
1.61
1.57
1.50
1.44
1.29
1.28
1.10
0.99
0.96
0.90
0.68
0.65
0.54
0.49
0.40
0.40
0.37
0.34
0.30
0.29
0.22
0.18
0.12
0.03
-0.09
-0.09
-0.14
-0.18
-0.22
-0.28
-0.29
-0.32
-0.37
-0.37
-0.37
-0.49
-0.51
-0.51
-0.52
-0.56
-0.61
-0.61
-0.65
-0.68
-0.68
-0.70
-0.70
-0.76
-0.77
-0.77
-0.81
-0.82
-0.88
-0.89
-0.90
-0.91
-0.92
-0.93
-0.95
-0.97
-0.98
-1.00
-1.14
-1.15
-1.20
-1.23
-1.28
-1.30
-1.31
-1.34
-1.36
-1.37
-1.40
-1.40
-1.45
-1.47
-1.50
-1.61
-1.72
-1.80
-1.80
-1.85
-1.85
-1.87
-1.90
-1.95
-2.00
-2.03
-2.05
-2.11
-2.13
-2.30
-2.36
-2.40
-2.40
-2.42
-2.42
-2.46
-2.48
-2.51
-2.55
-2.61
-2.62
-2.62
-2.79
-2.85
-2.91
-2.93
-3.25
-3.31
-3.31
-3.54
-3.60
-3.62
-3.79
-3.83
-3.87
-3.93
-4.08
-4.17
-4.21
-4.22
-4.31
-4.38
-4.42
-4.47
-4.50
-4.53
-4.61
-5.09
-6.39
-6.66
-6.76
-7.00
-7.02
-7.51
-8.09
-9.28
-9.75
-10.09
-10.20
-12.67
-13.23
-21.86
-25.05
-25.05
-16.2
-7.3
1.6
10.49
Primary budget balance in Europe Primary budget balance in Asia Primary budget balance in Africa Primary budget balance in North America Primary budget balance in South America Primary budget balance in Australia/Oceania Primary budget balance in the European union Primary budget balance in Sub Sahara Africa Primary budget balance in MENA Primary budget balance in South East Asia Primary budget balance in Latin America