Government consumption (% of GDP) — all countries

Government consumption (% of GDP) — Central America

Government consumption (% of GDP) in Central America in 2025 — 12%. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 5.8 pp.

2025 12% +0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 12.7%2020
Period minimum 6.2%1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of GDP

Government consumption (% of GDP) — Central America, 1960–20256810121419601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 6.2%1962: 6.6%1964: 6.8%1966: 7%1968: 7.3%1970: 7.8%1972: 9%1974: 9.4%1976: 11.1%1978: 11.1%1980: 10%1982: 10.4%1984: 9.8%1986: 10.1%1988: 9.5%1990: 9%1992: 10.1%1994: 9.1%1996: 7.9%1998: 8.2%2000: 9.2%2002: 10.1%2004: 10.2%2006: 10.1%2008: 10.5%2010: 11.6%2012: 11.7%2014: 12%2016: 11.9%2018: 11.6%2020: 12.7%2022: 11.6%2024: 11.9%2025: 12%
Change over the period: +5.8 pp Annual average: 0.09 pp
Government consumption (% of GDP) — Central America, by year Central America All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 12 +0.1 pp
2024 11.9 +0.3 pp
2023 11.6 +0 pp
2022 11.6 −0.4 pp
2021 12 −0.8 pp
2020 12.7 +1.2 pp
2019 11.5 −0.1 pp
2018 11.6 +0.1 pp
2017 11.5 −0.3 pp
2016 11.9 −0.3 pp
2015 12.1 +0.2 pp
2014 12 −0 pp
2013 12 +0.3 pp
2012 11.7 +0.1 pp
2011 11.6 +0 pp
2010 11.6 −0.1 pp
2009 11.7 +1.2 pp
2008 10.5 +0.3 pp
2007 10.2 +0.1 pp
2006 10.1 −0.2 pp
2005 10.3 +0 pp
2004 10.2 −0.5 pp
2003 10.7 +0.6 pp
2002 10.1 +0.5 pp
2001 9.7 +0.4 pp
2000 9.2 +0.3 pp
1999 8.9 +0.7 pp
1998 8.2 +0.2 pp
1997 8 +0.1 pp
1996 7.9 −0.4 pp
1995 8.3 −0.8 pp
1994 9.1 +0.3 pp
1993 8.8 −1.3 pp
1992 10.1 +0.7 pp
1991 9.3 +0.4 pp
1990 9 −0 pp
1989 9 −0.5 pp
1988 9.5 −0.4 pp
1987 9.9 −0.2 pp
1986 10.1 +0.5 pp
1985 9.6 −0.2 pp
1984 9.8 +0.4 pp
1983 9.4 −1 pp
1982 10.4 −0.1 pp
1981 10.5 +0.5 pp
1980 10 −1.2 pp
1979 11.2 +0.1 pp
1978 11.1 +0.3 pp
1977 10.9 −0.2 pp
1976 11.1 +0.7 pp
1975 10.5 +1.1 pp
1974 9.4 −0 pp
1973 9.4 +0.3 pp
1972 9 +0.9 pp
1971 8.1 +0.3 pp
1970 7.8 +0.4 pp
1969 7.4 +0.1 pp
1968 7.3 +0.2 pp
1967 7.1 +0.1 pp
1966 7 +0.2 pp
1965 6.8 +0 pp
1964 6.8 −0.1 pp
1963 6.9 +0.3 pp
1962 6.6 +0.4 pp
1961 6.3 +0.1 pp
1960 6.2

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.