Government Spending by Country (2020)
138 countries · % of GDP · Global avg: 28.1% · Source: World Bank
The Size of Government
Government expenditure as a share of GDP measures the size of the public sector. France and Nordic countries spend 50%+ of GDP through government, funding comprehensive welfare states. At the other extreme, some developing countries spend under 15%, reflecting limited fiscal capacity. The debate over optimal government size is unresolved — high-spending Denmark and low-spending Singapore are both highly competitive. What matters most is spending quality, not just quantity.
| # | Country | % of GDP |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Naoero | 103.6% |
| 2 | Kiribati | 83.7% |
| 3 | Ukraine | 65.6% |
| 4 | Marshall Islands | 59.4% |
| 5 | Palau | 59.0% |
| 6 | Timor-Leste | 52.5% |
| 7 | Greece | 47.3% |
| 8 | Italy | 47.3% |
| 9 | France | 47.3% |
| 10 | Austria | 46.0% |
| 11 | Finland | 44.9% |
| 12 | Slovenia | 42.9% |
| 13 | Hungary | 42.4% |
| 14 | Luxembourg | 42.2% |
| 15 | United Kingdom | 41.2% |
| 16 | San Marino | 40.5% |
| 17 | Lesotho | 40.2% |
| 18 | Netherlands | 40.0% |
| 19 | Slovak Republic | 39.8% |
| 20 | Belgium | 39.7% |
| 21 | Poland | 39.1% |
| 22 | Cyprus | 38.5% |
| 23 | Croatia | 38.1% |
| 24 | Estonia | 37.7% |
| 25 | Israel | 37.3% |
| 26 | Romania | 37.3% |
| 27 | Portugal | 37.2% |
| 28 | Uruguay | 36.5% |
| 29 | Namibia | 36.2% |
| 30 | Bulgaria | 35.8% |
| 31 | New Zealand | 35.5% |
| 32 | Serbia | 35.5% |
| 33 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 35.3% |
| 34 | Tonga | 34.7% |
| 35 | Norway | 34.5% |
| 36 | Moldova | 34.5% |
| 37 | Czechia | 34.4% |
| 38 | Latvia | 34.2% |
| 39 | Spain | 34.0% |
| 40 | Lithuania | 33.9% |
| 41 | Malta | 33.7% |
| 42 | South Africa | 33.4% |
| 43 | North Macedonia | 33.4% |
| 44 | Denmark | 33.3% |
| 45 | Colombia | 33.3% |
| 46 | Turkiye | 33.0% |
| 47 | Sweden | 32.5% |
| 48 | Brazil | 32.4% |
| 49 | Iceland | 32.0% |
| 50 | Mongolia | 31.7% |