Government expense — all countries

Government expense — Nauru

Government expense in Nauru in 2020 — 103.6%. Ranked 1 in the world out of 136. Since 2014, the indicator has risen by 16.84 pp.

2020 103.6% +14.06 pp vs 2019
World rank 1of 136
Period maximum 103.6%2020
Period minimum 78.44%2018

Trend over time

2014–2020 · % of GDP

Government expense — Nauru, 2014–202070809010011020142015201620172018201920202014: 86.75%2015: 95.16%2016: 88.79%2017: 90.57%2018: 78.44%2019: 89.53%2020: 103.6%
Change over the period: +16.84 pp Annual average: 2.81 pp

Comparison, 2020

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

Nauru 103.6%
World 33.42%
Micronesia (subregion) computed 55.83%
Government expense — Nauru, by year Nauru All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2020 103.6 +14.06 pp
2019 89.53 +11.09 pp
2018 78.44 −12.13 pp
2017 90.57 +1.78 pp
2016 88.79 −6.37 pp
2015 95.16 +8.41 pp
2014 86.75

Micronesia, 2020

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

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.