Government Revenue - Ranking 2015
In 2015, Kiribati (133.47%), Tuvalu (131.66%), and Nauru (96.10%) ranked highest in government revenue among all countries. Somalia, Fed. Rep. ranked lowest at 2.06%.
Data & analysis
- Nauru — 135.17
- Tuvalu — 123.02
- Kiribati — 111.15
- Kuwait — 77.67
- Micronesia, Federated States of — 68.60
The 2025 IMF data on government revenue as a percentage of GDP reveals a leaderboard dominated by small Pacific island states, where revenue figures far exceed typical global norms. Nauru leads at 135.171% of GDP, followed by Tuvalu at 123.017% and Kiribati at 111.149%. These extreme ratios are not a sign of high taxation but rather reflect very narrow GDP bases inflated by extraordinary external revenue streams, such as sovereign wealth fund returns, fishing license fees, and foreign aid grants, which can surpass the value of domestic economic output. At the bottom, Sudan’s 3.003% and Haiti’s 5.711% illustrate the opposite problem: states with collapsed fiscal capacity, often due to protracted conflict, institutional decay, or a large informal economy that evades taxation. As the global economy evolves, shifts in commodity prices, climate-related aid flows, or the depletion of resource-based funds could significantly reshuffle this ranking, particularly for the Pacific island leaders.
| Rank | Country | Value | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|