Government revenue — all countries

Government revenue — Upper-middle-income countries

Government revenue in upper-middle-income countries in 2021 — 16.92%. Since 2008, the indicator has fallen by 0.12 pp.

2021 16.92% +0.71 pp vs 2020
World rank
Period maximum 19.2%2014
Period minimum 15.97%2009

Trend over time

2008–2021 · % of GDP

Government revenue — Upper-middle-income countries, 2008–2021151617181920200820102012201420162018202020212008: 17.05%2009: 15.97%2010: 17.65%2011: 17.56%2012: 17.23%2013: 16.83%2014: 19.2%2015: 18.91%2016: 18.58%2017: 18.48%2018: 18.78%2019: 18.49%2020: 16.21%2021: 16.92%
Change over the period: −0.12 pp Annual average: -0.01 pp

Comparison, 2021

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

Upper-middle-income countries 16.92%
World 23.96%
Government revenue — Upper-middle-income countries, by year Upper-middle-income countries All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2021 16.92 +0.71 pp
2020 16.21 −2.28 pp
2019 18.49 −0.29 pp
2018 18.78 +0.3 pp
2017 18.48 −0.1 pp
2016 18.58 −0.33 pp
2015 18.91 −0.29 pp
2014 19.2 +2.37 pp
2013 16.83 −0.4 pp
2012 17.23 −0.32 pp
2011 17.56 −0.09 pp
2010 17.65 +1.68 pp
2009 15.97 −1.08 pp
2008 17.05

About the indicator

Central government revenue excluding grants, as a percent of GDP. Beyond taxes it includes non-tax receipts: dividends of state-owned companies, revenue from the sale of extraction rights, duties and fees. That is why the difference between this indicator and tax revenue says something about the structure of a state: in commodity countries it is large, because a substantial part of the budget comes not from taxes but from rent.

Important: Grants are excluded deliberately: in the poorest countries foreign aid can make up a substantial part of the budget, and with it included the indicator would no longer measure the ability of a state to raise revenue.

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