Government expense — all countries

Government expense — Lower-middle-income countries

Government expense in lower-middle-income countries in 2021 — 19%. Since 2011, the indicator has risen by 1.12 pp.

2021 19% −0.34 pp vs 2020
World rank
Period maximum 19.34%2020
Period minimum 15.82%2016

Trend over time

2011–2021 · % of GDP

Government expense — Lower-middle-income countries, 2011–2021151617181920201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212011: 17.88%2012: 18.83%2013: 19.08%2014: 18.01%2015: 17.31%2016: 15.82%2017: 16.01%2018: 16.04%2019: 17.12%2020: 19.34%2021: 19%
Change over the period: +1.12 pp Annual average: 0.11 pp

Comparison, 2021

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

Lower-middle-income countries 19%
World 31.74%
Government expense — Lower-middle-income countries, by year Lower-middle-income countries All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2021 19 −0.34 pp
2020 19.34 +2.22 pp
2019 17.12 +1.08 pp
2018 16.04 +0.04 pp
2017 16.01 +0.19 pp
2016 15.82 −1.49 pp
2015 17.31 −0.7 pp
2014 18.01 −1.08 pp
2013 19.08 +0.25 pp
2012 18.83 +0.95 pp
2011 17.88

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.