Government as a Percent of the Economy (FC001)

OECD statistics between 1983 and 2001 comparing size of government in 24 countries.

Published on October 1, 2000

Annex Table 28. General government total outlays (a)
As a percentage of nominal GDP calculated by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001
United States	33.9	33.1	33.8	34.2	33.9	32.9	32.8	33.6	34.2	34.8	34.1	33.1	32.9	32.4	31.4	30.5	30.1	29.9	29.7
Japan (b)	33.3	32.3	31.6	31.9	32.1	31.3	30.6	31.3	30.9	31.7	33.7	34.4	35.6	35.9	35	36.96	38.1	38.4	38.2
Germany ©	47.8	47.4	47	46.4	45.3	44.9	43.5	43.8	46	46.9	48.1	47.8	48.1	49.1	48.1	47.3	47.6	46.8	46.2
France	51	51.5	51.7	51.1	50.5	49.4	48.5	49.3	49.9	51.7	54	53.8	53.7	53.9	52.6	52.4	52.4	51.5	50.5
Italy	48.6	49.4	50.7	50.6	50.3	50.4	51.2	53.1	53.1	53.3	56.4	53.9	51.8	51.7	50	48.6	48.6	47.5	46.8
United Kingdom	..	..	..	..	43	40.6	39.8	41.8	43.4	45.2	45.4	44.7	44.4	43	40.9	40.1	39.7	39.5	39.5
Canada	45.8	45.3	46	45.4	44	43.4	43.9	46.7	50.1	51.1	50	47.5	46.3	44.4	42.4	42.6	41.2	40.9	40.7

Total above countries	38.3	37.8	38.1	38.2	38.2	37.3	36.9	37.9	38.7	39.6	40.1	39.4	39.3	39.1	37.9	37.6	37.5	37.3	36.9

Australia	35.4	36.4	36.4	37.3	37.4	35.7	33.1	31.9	33.6	34.7	36.3	35	35.7	34.7	33.2	32.7	32.4	32.5	32
Austria	49	49	49.3	50.4	51.2	51.7	50.5	49.1	48.6	49.4	50.2	52.5	52.6	51.8	49.8	49.7	49.7	49.1	48.9
Belgium	62	62	60.7	60.2	59.8	58.3	55.7	53.1	53.3	54.4	54.9	54.5	53.1	52.7	51.4	50.8	50.9	50	49.8
Czech Republic	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	42.2	44	43.1	41.7	40.9	40.6	44.7	45.4	47.4

Denmark	..	..	..	..	..	56.6	56.7	56	56.9	58	60.6	60.6	59	58.6	56.8	55.5	54.5	54.1	53.5
Finland	40.2	40.2	42.2	43.5	44	43	41	44.5	52.8	57.6	59	57.6	55.1	54.5	51.8	48.6	47	45.2	43.4
Greece	40.4	43.1	46.2	45	45.6	44.6	46.3	51	48	50.5	53.7	52.6	54.6	52.4	50.4	49.6	49.3	48.7	47.9
Hungary	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	54.7	52.3	49.2	43.7	44.5	44.3	43.7	43.4	43.4

Iceland	..	..	..	..	32.5	37	39.3	36.6	37.5	37.7	37.4	37.1	39	38.2	36.6	36.5	35.8	35	35
Ireland	49.4	47.7	48.6	48.3	46.6	43	36.9	37.8	39	39.4	39.1	38.9	36.4	34.5	33.2	31	30	29.2	28.6
Korea	18.5	17.7	17.6	16.8	15.9	16.1	17.2	18.1	19.3	20.5	19.8	19.6	19.1	20.4	22.1	25	25.2	24.4	23.6
Netherlands	54.7	53.8	51.9	52	53.3	51.3	48.9	49.4	49.5	50	49.9	47.6	47.7	45.6	44.6	43.5	43.8	43.2	42.9

New Zealand	..	..	..	52.6	48.8	50	48.4	48.8	45.8	45.4	42	39.6	38.8	38.6	38.9	39.6	40.9	39.7	39.2
Norway	44	42.1	41.5	45.4	47.7	49.5	49.1	49.7	50.6	52	51	49.9	47.6	45.4	44.1	46.4	46.1	44.9	45.3
Poland	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	54.3	49.3	47.2	45.8	44.9	43.4	44.1	42.4	41.4

Portugal	44.5	41.1	40.2	40.6	39.2	38.5	37.6	40.6	43.1	43.6	45.3	43.8	44.5	43.4	43.5	43.5	44.2	44.1	44
Spain	35.4	35.2	37.7	38.6	37.7	37.2	38.9	39.7	40.7	42	45.2	43.1	42.5	41.3	39.9	39.4	38.5	38	37.6
Sweden	61.6	59.2	60.5	58.9	55.2	55.4	55.7	56.4	58.6	64.3	67.9	65.7	62.7	60.9	59	56.6	56.4	54.7	53.1

Total of above smaller countries	39.6	39.1	39.7	40.1	39.3	39	38.8	39.8	40.9	42.3	44.5	43	42.3	41.3	40.5	40.4	40.4	39.7	39.2
Total of above OECD countries	38.6	38	38.4	38.5	38.4	37.6	37.2	38.3	39.1	40	40.9	40	39.8	39.5	38.4	38.1	38.1	37.7	37.4
Memorandum Items
Total of above European Union countries	48.4	48.3	48.8	48.5	47.1	46.3	45.7	46.8	47.9	49.2	51	49.9	49.4	49.1	47.7	46.8	46.7	46	45.4
Euro area	47.6	47.5	47.8	47.6	47.4	46.6	45.9	46.8	47.8	42.8	51	50	49.6	49.8	48.5	47.7	47.6	46.8	46
Source: OECD Economic Outlook Note: The numbers are subject to revision for countries that have changed their national accounts since there can be differences between the treatment of individual items of the government accounts in ESA95/SNA93ince therecan be differences between the treatment of individual items of the government accounts in ESA95/SNA93 and the Outlook Databank. For further details see “Sources and Methods”. a) Current outlays plus net capital outlays. b) The 1998 outlays would have risen by 5.4 percentage points of GDP if account were taken of the assumption by the central government of the debt of the Japan Railway Settlement Corporation and the National Forest Special Account. c) Includes outlays of the German Railways Fund from 1994 onwards and the Inherited Debt Fund from 1995 onwards.

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