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Government consumption (% of GDP) — all countries

Government consumption (% of GDP) — Euro area

Government consumption (% of GDP) in the Euro area in 2025 — 21.6%. Since 1970, the indicator has risen by 5.8 pp.

2025 21.6% +0.2 pp vs 2024
World rank —
Period maximum 22.5%2020
Period minimum 15.8%1970

Trend over time

1970–2025 · % of GDP

Government consumption (% of GDP) — Euro area, 1970–202514161820222419701976198219881994200020062012201820241970: 15.8%1971: 16.6%1972: 16.9%1973: 17.1%1974: 17.6%1975: 18.8%1976: 18.8%1977: 19%1978: 19.3%1979: 19.3%1980: 19.6%1981: 20.3%1982: 20.4%1983: 20.4%1984: 20.2%1985: 20.3%1986: 20.1%1987: 20.4%1988: 20%1989: 19.5%1990: 19.6%1991: 19.8%1992: 20.2%1993: 20.6%1994: 20.3%1995: 20.1%1996: 20.2%1997: 19.9%1998: 19.6%1999: 19.7%2000: 19.6%2001: 19.6%2002: 20%2003: 20.2%2004: 20.1%2005: 20.2%2006: 20%2007: 19.7%2008: 20.2%2009: 21.8%2010: 21.6%2011: 21.2%2012: 21.2%2013: 21.3%2014: 21.1%2015: 20.8%2016: 20.8%2017: 20.6%2018: 20.5%2019: 20.6%2020: 22.5%2021: 22%2022: 21.4%2023: 21.1%2024: 21.4%2025: 21.6%
Change over the period: +5.8 pp Annual average: 0.1 pp
Government consumption (% of GDP) — Euro area, by year Euro area All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 21.6 +0.2 pp
2024 21.4 +0.3 pp
2023 21.1 −0.3 pp
2022 21.4 −0.7 pp
2021 22 −0.5 pp
2020 22.5 +1.9 pp
2019 20.6 +0.1 pp
2018 20.5 −0.1 pp
2017 20.6 −0.2 pp
2016 20.8 −0 pp
2015 20.8 −0.4 pp
2014 21.1 −0.2 pp
2013 21.3 +0.1 pp
2012 21.2 +0 pp
2011 21.2 −0.4 pp
2010 21.6 −0.3 pp
2009 21.8 +1.7 pp
2008 20.2 +0.5 pp
2007 19.7 −0.3 pp
2006 20 −0.2 pp
2005 20.2 +0.1 pp
2004 20.1 −0.1 pp
2003 20.2 +0.3 pp
2002 20 +0.3 pp
2001 19.6 +0 pp
2000 19.6 −0.1 pp
1999 19.7 +0.1 pp
1998 19.6 −0.3 pp
1997 19.9 −0.2 pp
1996 20.2 +0.1 pp
1995 20.1 −0.1 pp
1994 20.3 −0.3 pp
1993 20.6 +0.4 pp
1992 20.2 +0.4 pp
1991 19.8 +0.2 pp
1990 19.6 +0.1 pp
1989 19.5 −0.5 pp
1988 20 −0.3 pp
1987 20.4 +0.2 pp
1986 20.1 −0.2 pp
1985 20.3 +0.1 pp
1984 20.2 −0.2 pp
1983 20.4 +0.1 pp
1982 20.4 +0 pp
1981 20.3 +0.7 pp
1980 19.6 +0.3 pp
1979 19.3 −0 pp
1978 19.3 +0.3 pp
1977 19 +0.2 pp
1976 18.8 −0.1 pp
1975 18.8 +1.2 pp
1974 17.6 +0.6 pp
1973 17.1 +0.2 pp
1972 16.9 +0.3 pp
1971 16.6 +0.8 pp
1970 15.8 —

About the indicator

General government final consumption expenditure as a percent of GDP: compensation of public employees, purchases of goods and services for delivering public services, and spending on defense and security. It leaves out public investment and social transfers, so the indicator is lower than the overall size of the budget.

Source: World Development Indicators (World Bank), license CC BY 4.0.

Other indicators for the Euro area

Economy Government consumption in US dollars

How much the state spends on running itself: public sector wages, purchases, defense.

Euro area by year Economy Household consumption (% of GDP)

What share of GDP is made up of household final consumption spending.

Euro area by year Public Finance Tax revenue (% of GDP)

Taxes collected as a percent of GDP — the fiscal capacity of the state.

Euro area by year Public Finance Government debt

Gross general government debt as a percent of GDP.

Euro area by year
All indicators for the Euro area