Dominican Republic Government Spending
Government expenditure as % of GDP GC.XPN.TOTL.GD.ZS
Dominican Republic's government spending was 17.59% in 2025, ranked 94th globally. This represents a 2.7% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1972–2025.
Overview
Dominican Republic's government spending stood at 17.59% in 2025, a decline of +0.48% from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 17.59% by 2025. Dominican Republic ranked 94th globally.
The Dominican Republic's government spending has exhibited significant fluctuations over the past five decades, with a current ranking of 94 globally at 17.59% of GDP. The country's spending peaked in 2020 at 21.42%, reflecting the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. By contrast, the lowest point was reached in 1991 at 5.56%. In comparison, Sri Lanka, a peer country, has a similar spending ratio of 17.68%, while Kazakhstan's ratio is slightly lower at 17.56%. The relatively high spending ratio in 2020 was a departure from the trend of declining government spending observed in the late 1990s and early 2000s. As the economy continues to recover from the pandemic, the Dominican Republic's government spending is likely to moderate, potentially stabilizing at a level closer to its historical average. A decrease in government debt and a stable macroeconomic environment could further reduce the need for high levels of government spending.
Data & projection
| Year | Government Spending | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 17.36% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 17.59% | - | - |
| 2025 | 17.59% | −0.48% | #94 |
| 2023 | 18.07% | +0.01% | #18 |
| 2022 | 18.06% | +0.70% | #21 |
| 2021 | 17.36% | −4.06% | #28 |
| 2020 | 21.42% | +3.92% | #37 |
| 2019 | 17.50% | +1.47% | #36 |
| 2018 | 16.03% | −0.80% | #32 |
| 2017 | 16.84% | +0.41% | #35 |
| 2016 | 16.43% | +1.07% | #32 |
| 2015 | 15.36% | −0.32% | #27 |
| 2014 | 15.68% | +0.20% | #30 |
| 2013 | 15.48% | −0.38% | #27 |
| 2012 | 15.87% | +1.83% | #29 |
| 2011 | 14.04% | −0.19% | #20 |
| 2010 | 14.22% | −0.88% | #19 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Dominican Republic matched the Orthodox Tightening Cycle pattern in 2004. Historically, 57% of countries showing this pattern (177 out of 311) saw government spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Dominican Republic's government spending was 17.59% in 2025. Ranked 94th globally. This represents a 2.7% decrease from the previous year.
Dominican Republic's government spending peaked at 21.42% in 2020.
The lowest government spending in Dominican Republic was 5.56% in 1991.
Dominican Republic ranks 94th globally in government spending as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is GC.XPN.TOTL.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Dominican Republic's government spending is projected to reach 17.59% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The government spending of Dominican Republic in 2025 was 17.59%. This ranks 94th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_dominican-republic_government-spending,
title = {Dominican Republic Government Spending},
url = {https://historysaid.com/dominican-republic/government-spending/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}