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United Kingdom - Government Spending 2021

Government expenditure as % of GDP · World Bank
42.95% −4.59% from 2020 Global rank: 118th

United Kingdom's government spending was 42.95% in 2021, decreased +4.59% from 47.53% in 2020. This was the 118th highest globally.

Global Ranking - 2021▾
Government Spending by Country - 2021
RankCountryValueYoY
1st United Arab Emirates 4.26% -17.2%
2nd Lebanon 6.30% -57.9%
3rd Bangladesh 8.32% 2.2%
4th Congo, Democratic Republic of 8.65% -8.7%
5th Equatorial Guinea 10.36% -15.5%
6th Madagascar 10.69% -9.4%
7th Lao PDR 10.76% -6.0%
8th Central African Republic 11.66% -16.5%
9th Burundi 12.22% -15.8%
10th Cameroon 12.42% 3.0%
11th Tajikistan 12.46% -9.4%
12th Cambodia 12.58% -2.8%
13th Togo 13.18% -7.5%
14th Guatemala 13.28% -11.5%
15th Gabon 14.05% -14.6%
16th Guinea-Bissau 14.23% -5.7%
17th Tanzania 15.13% 5.8%
18th Uganda 15.59% 14.0%
19th Congo, Republic of 16.13% -9.3%
20th Singapore 16.28% -36.8%
21st Côte d'Ivoire 16.38% 2.2%
22nd Paraguay 16.74% -9.4%
23rd Kazakhstan 17.12% 1.7%
24th Panama 17.14% -11.0%
25th Nicaragua 17.18% 4.6%
26th Malawi 17.19% 4.2%
27th Malaysia 17.25% -6.6%
28th Dominican Republic 17.36% -19.0%
29th Sri Lanka 17.47% -8.4%
30th Switzerland 18.97% -5.4%
31st Philippines 19.14% -2.2%
32nd Nepal 19.44% -3.6%
33rd Senegal 19.59% -6.5%
34th Papua New Guinea 19.83% -5.1%
35th Burkina Faso 19.86% 10.2%
36th Rwanda 20.29% -5.8%
37th Ghana 20.75% -5.2%
38th Mexico 20.89% -3.7%
39th Japan 21.62% -8.4%
40th Ireland 22.26% -11.4%
41st Canada 22.50% -21.3%
42nd Peru 22.85% -15.1%
43rd Argentina 22.90% -11.4%
44th Uzbekistan 22.95% 20.5%
45th Mozambique 23.30% 1.7%
46th Kyrgyz Republic 23.41% -9.2%
47th Kenya 23.59% 18.0%
48th Albania 24.40% -0.8%
49th Eswatini 24.62% -5.6%
50th Bahamas, The 24.66% -4.6%
51st Armenia 24.97% -6.1%
52nd Saudi Arabia 25.01% -21.8%
53rd Thailand 25.13% 10.1%
54th Zambia 25.14% -0.9%
55th Morocco 25.63% -5.8%
56th West Bank and Gaza 26.17% -10.5%
57th Azerbaijan 27.14% -20.0%
58th Georgia 27.20% -6.2%
59th Belarus 27.87% -6.9%
60th Botswana 28.39% -16.2%
61st Jordan 28.51% 1.2%
62nd Korea 28.55% 1.9%
63rd Maldives 29.48% -16.6%
64th Brazil 29.50% -15.5%
65th El Salvador 29.51% -13.1%
66th Moldova 29.96% -8.5%
67th Türkiye 30.20% -9.7%
68th Solomon Islands 30.38% -4.8%
69th Russian Federation 30.78% -12.8%
70th Chile 30.82% 17.4%
71st Costa Rica 30.82% -3.3%
72nd Mongolia 31.70% -4.5%
73rd Uruguay 31.73% -8.5%
74th Macao SAR, China 31.76% -26.5%
75th United States 31.79% -1.5%
76th Ecuador 31.93% -6.2%
77th Mauritius 32.55% 4.1%
78th Australia 32.55% 8.0%
79th Germany 32.67% 1.6%
80th Sweden 33.20% -5.0%
81st Ukraine 33.26% -10.6%
82nd North Macedonia 33.33% -4.6%
83rd New Zealand 33.61% -7.5%
84th Vanuatu 34.26% 0.6%
85th Samoa 34.44% 15.5%
86th South Africa 34.61% -8.5%
87th Iceland 34.67% -4.6%
88th Bosnia and Herzegovina 34.86% -9.1%
89th Lithuania 35.19% -9.6%
90th Colombia 35.66% -2.4%
91st Tonga 36.00% 14.3%
92nd Fiji 36.29% 11.6%
93rd Denmark 36.42% -6.0%
94th Norway 36.52% -19.5%
95th Czechia 36.85% -2.1%
96th Poland 37.00% -8.7%
97th Malta 37.15% -6.8%
98th Romania 37.20% -2.7%
99th Namibia 37.60% -6.7%
100th Serbia 37.70% -11.4%
101st Bulgaria 37.70% 3.3%
102nd Lesotho 38.11% -12.0%
103rd Israel 38.19% -8.6%
104th Estonia 38.24% -6.5%
105th Spain 38.36% -5.0%
106th Latvia 38.53% 6.4%
107th Luxembourg 39.01% -9.1%
108th Finland 40.10% -3.3%
109th Croatia 40.66% -9.4%
110th Cyprus 40.68% -6.9%
111th European Union 41.05% -2.7%
112th Timor-Leste 41.20% -21.1%
113th Belgium 41.41% -5.1%
114th Netherlands 41.80% -2.9%
115th Hungary 42.27% -4.1%
116th Slovak Republic 42.40% 0.7%
117th Portugal 42.45% -4.7%
118th United Kingdom 42.95% -9.6%
119th San Marino 44.07% -7.1%
120th Slovenia 46.61% -5.1%
121st Italy 49.65% -1.4%
122nd France 49.99% -3.8%
123rd Austria 50.02% -2.2%
124th Greece 54.83% -5.6%
125th Kiribati 84.12% 10.7%
Source: World Bank (GC.XPN.TOTL.GD.ZS)

FAQ

What was United Kingdom's government spending in 2021?▾

United Kingdom's government spending in 2021 was 42.95%. This ranked 118th globally.

How did United Kingdom's government spending change in 2021?▾

United Kingdom's government spending decreased by 9.6% in 2021 compared to 2020.

Which country had the highest government spending in 2021?▾

Kiribati had the highest government spending in 2021 at 84.12%.

What is the government spending of United Kingdom in 2021?▾

The government spending of United Kingdom in 2021 was 42.95%. This ranked 118th globally.

How does 2021 compare to 2020 for United Kingdom's government spending?▾

United Kingdom's government spending went from 47.53% in 2020 to 42.95% in 2021, a 9.6% decrease.

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