Budget balance — all countries

Budget balance — High-income countries

Budget balance in high-income countries in 2031 — -4.26%. Since 1998, the indicator has fallen by 0.43 pp.

2031 -4.26% +0.05 pp vs 2030
World rank
Period maximum -0.67%2007
Period minimum -9.92%2020

Trend over time

1998–2031 · % of GDP

Budget balance — High-income countries, 1998–2031-10-7.5-5-2.501998200220062010201420182022202620301998: -3.83%1999: -2.31%2000: -1.79%2001: -1.54%2002: -3.36%2003: -3.76%2004: -2.87%2005: -1.82%2006: -0.71%2007: -0.67%2008: -2.52%2009: -8.28%2010: -7.07%2011: -5.31%2012: -4.59%2013: -3.1%2014: -2.79%2015: -2.7%2016: -2.86%2017: -2.49%2018: -2.17%2019: -2.73%2020: -9.92%2021: -6.77%2022: -2.49%2023: -4.57%2024: -4.63%2025: -4.26%2026: -4.52%2027: -4.45%2028: -4.49%2029: -4.35%2030: -4.31%2031: -4.26%
Change over the period: −0.43 pp Annual average: -0.01 pp

Comparison, 2031

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: High-income countries

High-income countries -4.26%
World computed -4.85%
Budget balance — High-income countries, by year High-income countries All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2031 -4.26 +0.05 pp
2030 -4.31 +0.04 pp
2029 -4.35 +0.14 pp
2028 -4.49 −0.03 pp
2027 -4.45 +0.06 pp
2026 -4.52 −0.25 pp
2025 -4.26 +0.37 pp
2024 -4.63 −0.06 pp
2023 -4.57 −2.08 pp
2022 -2.49 +4.28 pp
2021 -6.77 +3.15 pp
2020 -9.92 −7.19 pp
2019 -2.73 −0.56 pp
2018 -2.17 +0.32 pp
2017 -2.49 +0.37 pp
2016 -2.86 −0.16 pp
2015 -2.7 +0.09 pp
2014 -2.79 +0.31 pp
2013 -3.1 +1.49 pp
2012 -4.59 +0.71 pp
2011 -5.31 +1.76 pp
2010 -7.07 +1.21 pp
2009 -8.28 −5.76 pp
2008 -2.52 −1.86 pp
2007 -0.67 +0.04 pp
2006 -0.71 +1.11 pp
2005 -1.82 +1.05 pp
2004 -2.87 +0.89 pp
2003 -3.76 −0.4 pp
2002 -3.36 −1.82 pp
2001 -1.54 +0.25 pp
2000 -1.79 +0.52 pp
1999 -2.31 +1.52 pp
1998 -3.83

About the indicator

Net lending or net borrowing of general government as a percent of GDP — what is commonly called the budget deficit, taken with a plus sign when there is a surplus. General government includes regions, local authorities and extrabudgetary funds, so the quantity is fuller than the balance of the central budget alone. The IMF series runs with a forecast several years ahead.

Important: Negative values are deficits. Accumulated deficits are what government debt is, so the two indicators are worth looking at together: a country can live with a deficit for years and carry a small debt all the same, if its economy grows faster.

Source: World Economic Outlook (IMF), license IMF open data.