Government expense — all countries

Government expense — Eastern Africa

Government expense in Eastern Africa in 2020 — 15.51%. Since 2016, the indicator has fallen by 0.97 pp.

2020 15.51% +0.28 pp vs 2019
World rank
Period maximum 16.47%2016
Period minimum 15.22%2019

Trend over time

2016–2020 · % of GDP

Government expense — Eastern Africa, 2016–20201515.51616.5201620172018201920202016: 16.47%2017: 15.93%2018: 15.92%2019: 15.22%2020: 15.51%
Change over the period: −0.97 pp Annual average: -0.24 pp

Comparison, 2020

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

Eastern Africa 15.51%
World 33.42%
Government expense — Eastern Africa, by year Eastern Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2020 15.51 +0.28 pp
2019 15.22 −0.7 pp
2018 15.92 −0.01 pp
2017 15.93 −0.54 pp
2016 16.47

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.