Government expense — all countries

Government expense — Iraq

Government expense in Iraq in 2019 — 27.61%. Ranked 61 in the world out of 138. Since 2014, the indicator has risen by 1.9 pp.

2019 27.61% +3.13 pp vs 2018
World rank 61of 138
Period maximum 27.61%2019
Period minimum 24.48%2018

Trend over time

2014–2019 · % of GDP

Government expense — Iraq, 2014–201924252627282014201520162017201820192014: 25.71%2015: 27.03%2016: 26.56%2017: 25.97%2018: 24.48%2019: 27.61%
Change over the period: +1.9 pp Annual average: 0.38 pp

Comparison, 2019

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Iraq

Iraq 27.61%
World 26.7%
Western Asia computed 26.73%
Government expense — Iraq, by year Iraq All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2019 27.61 +3.13 pp
2018 24.48 −1.49 pp
2017 25.97 −0.59 pp
2016 26.56 −0.47 pp
2015 27.03 +1.32 pp
2014 25.71

About the indicator

Central government expense as a percent of GDP: compensation of public employees, purchases of goods and services, interest on debt, subsidies, grants and social benefits. The indicator is broader than government consumption from the national accounts, because it includes transfers — pensions and benefits — which the accounts record as household income. The quantity is closely tied to the level of income: in advanced countries it is usually twice as high as in the poorest ones.

Important: Central government only. In federations the spending of regions is not included here, so comparing unitary and federal states by this indicator calls for a caveat.

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