Countries With the Highest Government Expense
Every country with a figure for government expense, ranked from highest to lowest. The top three are Naoero (104%), Kiribati (83.7%) and Ukraine (65.6%). The middle country of the 151 has 26.5%.
What this measures
Government expense (% of GDP). Source: World Bank. For this measure, no agreed better direction.
Total central government spending, as a share of GDP: buying, payments to people, subsidies and interest together. From the IMF's Government Finance Statistics. It is the fuller measure of government size, but it covers fewer countries. It counts central government only, so a country with large state and local budgets looks low. About forty fewer countries report it than report government consumption. No "better" direction is set.
The full ranking
Each country’s latest figure, from 2012–2024. The year beside each value says when it was measured.
| Rank | Country | Government expense | Year | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Naoero | 104% | 2020 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 2 | Kiribati | 83.7% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 3 | Ukraine | 65.6% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 4 | Marshall Islands | 59.4% | 2020 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 5 | Palau | 59% | 2020 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 6 | Timor-Leste | 52.5% | 2022 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 7 | Greece | 47.3% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 8 | Italy | 47.3% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 9 | France | 47.3% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 10 | Austria | 46% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 11 | Finland | 44.9% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 12 | Slovenia | 42.9% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 13 | Hungary | 42.4% | 2022 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 14 | Luxembourg | 42.2% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 15 | United Kingdom | 41.2% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 16 | San Marino | 40.5% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 17 | Lesotho | 40.2% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 18 | Netherlands | 40% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 19 | Slovak Republic | 39.8% | 2022 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 20 | Belgium | 39.7% | 2022 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 21 | Afghanistan | 39.2% | 2017 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 22 | Poland | 39.1% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 23 | Cyprus | 38.5% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 24 | Croatia | 38.1% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 25 | Estonia | 37.7% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 26 | Israel | 37.3% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 27 | Romania | 37.3% | 2022 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 28 | Portugal | 37.2% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 29 | Uruguay | 36.5% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 30 | Namibia | 36.2% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 31 | Bulgaria | 35.8% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 32 | New Zealand | 35.5% | 2022 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 33 | Serbia | 35.5% | 2022 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 34 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 35.3% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 35 | Tonga | 34.7% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 36 | Norway | 34.5% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 37 | Moldova | 34.5% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 38 | Czechia | 34.4% | 2022 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 39 | Latvia | 34.2% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 40 | Spain | 34% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 41 | Lithuania | 33.9% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 42 | Tunisia | 33.8% | 2012 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 43 | Malta | 33.7% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 44 | South Africa | 33.4% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 45 | North Macedonia | 33.4% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 46 | Denmark | 33.3% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 47 | Trinidad and Tobago | 33.3% | 2019 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 48 | Colombia | 33.3% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 49 | Turkiye | 33% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 50 | Sweden | 32.5% | 2022 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 51 | Brazil | 32.4% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 52 | Iceland | 32% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 53 | Mongolia | 31.7% | 2021 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 54 | Germany | 31.2% | 2022 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 55 | Cabo Verde | 30.9% | 2020 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 56 | Ecuador | 30.4% | 2022 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 57 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 30.2% | 2015 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 58 | Russian Federation | 30% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 59 | Maldives | 29.5% | 2021 | South Asia |
| 60 | Mauritius | 29.1% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 61 | Solomon Islands | 28.9% | 2022 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 62 | Barbados | 28.8% | 2016 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 63 | Costa Rica | 28.6% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 64 | Belarus | 28.5% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 65 | Korea, Rep. | 28.3% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 66 | El Salvador | 27.9% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 67 | Kenya | 27.8% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 68 | Fiji | 27.8% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 69 | Iraq | 27.6% | 2019 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 70 | Australia | 27.6% | 2022 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 71 | Jamaica | 27.5% | 2020 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 72 | St. Kitts and Nevis | 26.7% | 2020 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 73 | Samoa | 26.7% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 74 | Vanuatu | 26.6% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 75 | Morocco | 26.6% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 76 | Botswana | 26.5% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 77 | West Bank and Gaza | 26.2% | 2021 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 78 | Bahrain | 26.1% | 2020 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 79 | Mozambique | 26% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 80 | Jordan | 25.9% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 81 | Albania | 25.4% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 82 | Georgia | 25.2% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 83 | Zambia | 25.1% | 2021 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 84 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 24.7% | 2017 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 85 | Eswatini | 24.6% | 2021 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 86 | Chile | 24.6% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 87 | United States | 24.4% | 2023 | North America |
| 88 | Honduras | 24.4% | 2020 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 89 | Saudi Arabia | 24.2% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 90 | Bhutan | 24.1% | 2020 | South Asia |
| 91 | Kyrgyz Republic | 23.7% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 92 | Senegal | 23.6% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 93 | Micronesia, Fed. Sts. | 23.4% | 2020 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 94 | Azerbaijan | 23% | 2022 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 95 | Peru | 22.8% | 2021 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 96 | Ghana | 22.7% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 97 | Mexico | 22.5% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 98 | Uzbekistan | 22.3% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 99 | Belize | 22.3% | 2017 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 100 | Argentina | 21% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 101 | Armenia | 20.9% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 102 | Thailand | 20.7% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 103 | Bahamas, The | 20.3% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 104 | Papua New Guinea | 20.3% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 105 | Malawi | 20.2% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 106 | Japan | 20.1% | 2022 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 107 | Macao SAR, China | 19.6% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 108 | Burkina Faso | 19.6% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 109 | Nepal | 19.4% | 2021 | South Asia |
| 110 | Ireland | 19.2% | 2022 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 111 | Canada | 19.1% | 2023 | North America |
| 112 | Paraguay | 18.9% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 113 | Dominican Republic | 18.1% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 114 | Sri Lanka | 18% | 2023 | South Asia |
| 115 | Rwanda | 18% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 116 | Cote d'Ivoire | 17.9% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 117 | St. Lucia | 17.6% | 2017 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 118 | Kazakhstan | 17.4% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 119 | Panama | 17.1% | 2021 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 120 | Singapore | 17.1% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 121 | Malaysia | 17% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 122 | Philippines | 16.9% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 123 | Uganda | 16.6% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 124 | Tanzania | 16.3% | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 125 | Nicaragua | 16.3% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 126 | Congo, Rep. | 16.1% | 2021 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 127 | Switzerland | 16.1% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 128 | Togo | 16% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 129 | Guinea-Bissau | 15.5% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 130 | Angola | 14.6% | 2019 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 131 | Gabon | 14.1% | 2021 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 132 | Myanmar | 13.8% | 2019 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 133 | India | 13.7% | 2022 | South Asia |
| 134 | Guatemala | 13.5% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 135 | Cambodia | 12.9% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 136 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 12.4% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 137 | Cameroon | 12.4% | 2021 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 138 | Burundi | 12.3% | 2021 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 139 | Mali | 12.2% | 2020 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 140 | Central African Republic | 11.7% | 2021 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 141 | Equatorial Guinea | 11% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 142 | Madagascar | 11% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 143 | Tajikistan | 11% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 144 | Zimbabwe | 11% | 2018 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 145 | Lao PDR | 10.3% | 2022 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 146 | Sudan | 9.73% | 2016 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 147 | Bangladesh | 8.32% | 2021 | South Asia |
| 148 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 6.35% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 149 | Lebanon | 6.3% | 2021 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 150 | Ethiopia | 6.12% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 151 | United Arab Emirates | 3.77% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
More on government expense
- Countries With the Lowest Government Expense
- Government expense by country: trend over time and what it goes with
Related rankings
- Countries With the Highest Public Social Spending
- Countries With the Highest Family Benefits Spending
- Countries With the Highest Old-age Spending
- Countries With the Highest Aid Given
- Countries With the Highest Government Spending per Capita
- Countries With the Highest Corporate Tax Rates
- Countries With the Highest HDI
- Countries With the Highest Inequality-adjusted HDI
A ranking describes countries, not the people in them, and a high or low place does not by itself say why. All country rankings.