Countries by government balance as a share of GDP, 2024

Norway had the highest government balance as a share of GDP of 38 countries in 2024, at 12.7% of GDP. Israel had the lowest, at -8.1% of GDP. The median was -2.6% of GDP. Source: the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Highest12.7Norway
Lowest-8.1Israel
Median-2.638 countries

All countries, 2024

Norway: 12.7 % of GDPNorway12.7Ireland: 4.1 % of GDPIreland4.1Denmark: 4.1 % of GDPDenmark4.1Costa Rica: 1.5 % of GDPCosta Rica1.5Greece: 1.3 % of GDPGreece1.3Luxembourg: 0.9 % of GDPLuxembourg0.9Portugal: 0.6 % of GDPPortugal0.6Switzerland: 0.5 % of GDPSwitzerland0.5Netherlands: -0.7 % of GDPNetherlands-0.7Slovenia: -0.9 % of GDPSlovenia-0.9Estonia: -1.1 % of GDPEstonia-1.1Lithuania: -1.3 % of GDPLithuania-1.3South Korea: -1.5 % of GDPSouth Korea-1.5Sweden: -1.6 % of GDPSweden-1.6Japan: -1.7 % of GDPJapan-1.7Latvia: -1.8 % of GDPLatvia-1.8Czechia: -2 % of GDPCzechia-2Canada: -2.1 % of GDPCanada-2.1Chile: -2.5 % of GDPChile-2.5Germany: -2.7 % of GDPGermany-2.7Spain: -3.2 % of GDPSpain-3.2Italy: -3.3 % of GDPItaly-3.3New Zealand: -3.9 % of GDPNew Zealand-3.9Australia: -4 % of GDPAustralia-4Iceland: -4.2 % of GDPIceland-4.2Finland: -4.3 % of GDPFinland-4.3Belgium: -4.4 % of GDPBelgium-4.4Austria: -4.6 % of GDPAustria-4.6South Africa: -5.1 % of GDPSouth Africa-5.1Hungary: -5.1 % of GDPHungary-5.1Colombia: -5.3 % of GDPColombia-5.3Slovakia: -5.3 % of GDPSlovakia-5.3France: -5.8 % of GDPFrance-5.8United Kingdom: -6 % of GDPUnited Kingdom-6Mexico: -6.3 % of GDPMexico-6.3Poland: -6.4 % of GDPPoland-6.4United States: -8 % of GDPUnited States-8Israel: -8.1 % of GDPIsrael-8.1
% of GDP. Source: OECD, OECD National Accounts at a Glance: net lending (+) or net borrowing (-) of general government, percentage of GDP (DSD_NAAG_VI@DF_NAAG_VI, B9S13). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCountries2024
% of GDP
Change on 2023
1Norway12.7-3.2 pts
2Ireland4.1+2.6 pts
3Denmark4.1+0.6 pts
4Costa Rica Estimated1.5+2.1 pts
5Greece Estimated1.3+2.8 pts
6Luxembourg0.9+1.6 pts
7Portugal Estimated0.6-0.5 pts
8Switzerland0.5+0.2 pts
9Netherlands-0.7-0.4 pts
10Slovenia-0.9+1.7 pts
11Estonia-1.1+1.5 pts
12Lithuania-1.3-0.6 pts
13South Korea Estimated-1.5-0.6 pts
14Sweden-1.6-0.7 pts
15Japan-1.7+0.7 pts
16Latvia-1.8+0.6 pts
17Czechia-2+1.7 pts
18Canada-2.1-2 pts
19Chile-2.5-0.4 pts
20Germany Estimated-2.7-0.2 pts
21Spain Estimated-3.2+0.1 pts
22Italy-3.3+3.8 pts
23New Zealand-3.9-0.3 pts
24Australia-4-1.6 pts
25Iceland-4.2-2.1 pts
26Finland-4.3-1.5 pts
27Belgium Estimated-4.4-0.3 pts
28Austria-4.6-2.1 pts
29South Africa-5.1+1 pts
30Hungary-5.1+1.8 pts
31Colombia Estimated-5.3-2.1 pts
32Slovakia-5.3-0 pts
33France Estimated-5.8-0.4 pts
34United Kingdom-60 pts
35Mexico Estimated-6.3-1.6 pts
36Poland-6.4-1.3 pts
37United States-8-0.1 pts
38Israel-8.1-2.6 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

General government net lending (+) or net borrowing (-) as a percentage of GDP.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the countries are compared on one definition. 9 countries with data in other periods have no value for 2024 and are left out rather than filled from another source. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

OECD. OECD National Accounts at a Glance: net lending (+) or net borrowing (-) of general government, percentage of GDP (DSD_NAAG_VI@DF_NAAG_VI, B9S13). https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&df[id]=DSD_NAAG_VI%40DF_NAAG_VI&df[ag]=OECD.SDD.NAD. Accessed 2026-10-12. Data reuse terms and downstream attribution: https://www.oecd.org/en/about/terms-conditions.html

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Questions

Which country has the highest government balance as a share of GDP?

Norway, with 12.7% of GDP in 2024, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Which country has the lowest government balance as a share of GDP?

Israel, with -8.1% of GDP in 2024.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD National Accounts at a Glance: net lending (+) or net borrowing (-) of general government, percentage of GDP (DSD_NAAG_VI@DF_NAAG_VI, B9S13). Retrieved 2026-10-12. 9 countries have no value for 2024 and are not ranked.

Government balance: other rankings

Countries: more rankings