Government expense — all countries

Government expense — Panama

Government expense in Panama in 2021 — 17.14%. Ranked 101 in the world out of 125. Since 2014, the indicator has risen by 4.23 pp.

2021 17.14% −2.13 pp vs 2020
World rank 101of 125
Period maximum 19.27%2020
Period minimum 12.91%2014

Trend over time

2014–2021 · % of GDP

Government expense — Panama, 2014–20211214161820201420152016201720182019202020212014: 12.91%2015: 14%2016: 13.7%2017: 13.94%2018: 13.59%2019: 15.04%2020: 19.27%2021: 17.14%
Change over the period: +4.23 pp Annual average: 0.6 pp

Comparison, 2021

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

Panama 17.14%
World 31.74%
Central America computed 20.84%
Government expense — Panama, by year Panama All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2021 17.14 −2.13 pp
2020 19.27 +4.23 pp
2019 15.04 +1.45 pp
2018 13.59 −0.35 pp
2017 13.94 +0.25 pp
2016 13.7 −0.3 pp
2015 14 +1.09 pp
2014 12.91

Central America, 2021

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.