Data / Rankings / Government balance / Countries

Countries by government balance as a share of GDP

Norway had the highest government balance as a share of GDP of 42 countries in 2015, at 5.8% of GDP. Brazil had the lowest, at -7.8% of GDP. The median was -2.1% of GDP. Source: the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

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Highest5.8Norway
Lowest-7.8Brazil
Median-2.142 countries

Map of countries, 2015

Austria: -0.5 % of GDPAustralia: -2.2 % of GDPBelgium: -2.5 % of GDPBrazil: -7.8 % of GDPCanada: -0.1 % of GDPSwitzerland: 0.5 % of GDPChile: -2.3 % of GDPChina: -1.6 % of GDPColombia: -3.4 % of GDPCosta Rica: -2.4 % of GDPCzechia: -0.7 % of GDPGermany: 0.9 % of GDPDenmark: -0.9 % of GDPEstonia: 0.2 % of GDPSpain: -5.3 % of GDPFinland: -2.4 % of GDPFrance: -3.9 % of GDPUnited Kingdom: -4.5 % of GDPGreece: -5.9 % of GDPHungary: -2 % of GDPIndonesia: -2.4 % of GDPIreland: -2 % of GDPIsrael: -1.2 % of GDPIceland: -0.1 % of GDPItaly: -2.5 % of GDPJapan: -3.6 % of GDPSouth Korea: 1.1 % of GDPLithuania: -0.8 % of GDPLuxembourg: 1.3 % of GDPLatvia: -1.5 % of GDPMexico: -5.2 % of GDPNetherlands: -1.8 % of GDPNorway: 5.8 % of GDPNew Zealand: -0 % of GDPPoland: -2.6 % of GDPPortugal: -4.5 % of GDPRussia: -1.4 % of GDPSweden: -0.3 % of GDPSlovenia: -2.8 % of GDPSlovakia: -2.8 % of GDPUnited States: -4.6 % of GDPSouth Africa: -3.7 % of GDP
  • Under -2.8
  • -2.8 to -1.7
  • -1.7 to 0
  • 0 to 0.8
  • 0.8 to 1.1
  • 1.1 and over
  • No data
% of GDP, 2015. Red areas are below zero and blue areas above it. Hatched areas have no value for this period. 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). Boundaries: Natural Earth (public domain).

All countries, 2015

Norway: 5.8 % of GDPNorway5.8Luxembourg: 1.3 % of GDPLuxembourg1.3South Korea: 1.1 % of GDPSouth Korea1.1Germany: 0.9 % of GDPGermany0.9Switzerland: 0.5 % of GDPSwitzerland0.5Estonia: 0.2 % of GDPEstonia0.2New Zealand: -0 % of GDPNew Zealand-0Canada: -0.1 % of GDPCanada-0.1Iceland: -0.1 % of GDPIceland-0.1Sweden: -0.3 % of GDPSweden-0.3Austria: -0.5 % of GDPAustria-0.5Czechia: -0.7 % of GDPCzechia-0.7Lithuania: -0.8 % of GDPLithuania-0.8Denmark: -0.9 % of GDPDenmark-0.9Israel: -1.2 % of GDPIsrael-1.2Russia: -1.4 % of GDPRussia-1.4Latvia: -1.5 % of GDPLatvia-1.5China: -1.6 % of GDPChina-1.6Netherlands: -1.8 % of GDPNetherlands-1.8Ireland: -2 % of GDPIreland-2Hungary: -2 % of GDPHungary-2Australia: -2.2 % of GDPAustralia-2.2Chile: -2.3 % of GDPChile-2.3Indonesia: -2.4 % of GDPIndonesia-2.4Finland: -2.4 % of GDPFinland-2.4Costa Rica: -2.4 % of GDPCosta Rica-2.4Italy: -2.5 % of GDPItaly-2.5Belgium: -2.5 % of GDPBelgium-2.5Poland: -2.6 % of GDPPoland-2.6Slovakia: -2.8 % of GDPSlovakia-2.8Slovenia: -2.8 % of GDPSlovenia-2.8Colombia: -3.4 % of GDPColombia-3.4Japan: -3.6 % of GDPJapan-3.6South Africa: -3.7 % of GDPSouth Africa-3.7France: -3.9 % of GDPFrance-3.9Portugal: -4.5 % of GDPPortugal-4.5United Kingdom: -4.5 % of GDPUnited Kingdom-4.5United States: -4.6 % of GDPUnited States-4.6Mexico: -5.2 % of GDPMexico-5.2Spain: -5.3 % of GDPSpain-5.3Greece: -5.9 % of GDPGreece-5.9Brazil: -7.8 % of GDPBrazil-7.8Norway: 5.8 % of GDPNorway5.8Luxembourg: 1.3 % of GDPLuxembourg1.3South Korea: 1.1 % of GDPSouth Korea1.1Germany: 0.9 % of GDPGermany0.9Switzerland: 0.5 % of GDPSwitzerland0.5Estonia: 0.2 % of GDPEstonia0.2New Zealand: -0 % of GDPNew Zealand-0Canada: -0.1 % of GDPCanada-0.1Iceland: -0.1 % of GDPIceland-0.1Sweden: -0.3 % of GDPSweden-0.3Austria: -0.5 % of GDPAustria-0.5Czechia: -0.7 % of GDPCzechia-0.7Lithuania: -0.8 % of GDPLithuania-0.8Denmark: -0.9 % of GDPDenmark-0.9Israel: -1.2 % of GDPIsrael-1.2Russia: -1.4 % of GDPRussia-1.4Latvia: -1.5 % of GDPLatvia-1.5China: -1.6 % of GDPChina-1.6Netherlands: -1.8 % of GDPNetherlands-1.8Ireland: -2 % of GDPIreland-2Hungary: -2 % of GDPHungary-2Australia: -2.2 % of GDPAustralia-2.2Chile: -2.3 % of GDPChile-2.3Indonesia: -2.4 % of GDPIndonesia-2.4Finland: -2.4 % of GDPFinland-2.4Costa Rica: -2.4 % of GDPCosta Rica-2.4Italy: -2.5 % of GDPItaly-2.5Belgium: -2.5 % of GDPBelgium-2.5Poland: -2.6 % of GDPPoland-2.6Slovakia: -2.8 % of GDPSlovakia-2.8Slovenia: -2.8 % of GDPSlovenia-2.8Colombia: -3.4 % of GDPColombia-3.4Japan: -3.6 % of GDPJapan-3.6South Africa: -3.7 % of GDPSouth Africa-3.7France: -3.9 % of GDPFrance-3.9Portugal: -4.5 % of GDPPortugal-4.5United Kingdom: -4.5 % of GDPUnited Kingdom-4.5United States: -4.6 % of GDPUnited States-4.6Mexico: -5.2 % of GDPMexico-5.2Spain: -5.3 % of GDPSpain-5.3Greece: -5.9 % of GDPGreece-5.9Brazil: -7.8 % of GDPBrazil-7.8
% 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

RankCountries2015
% of GDP		Change on 2014
1Norway5.8-2.5 pts
2Luxembourg1.3-0 pts
3South Korea1.1-0 pts
4Germany0.9+0.2 pts
5Switzerland0.5+0.7 pts
6Estonia0.2-0.6 pts
7New Zealand-0-0.3 pts
8Canada-0.1-0.2 pts
9Iceland-0.1-0.7 pts
10Sweden-0.3+1.6 pts
11Austria-0.5+1.4 pts
12Czechia-0.7+1.4 pts
13Lithuania-0.8+1 pts
14Denmark-0.9-2.3 pts
15Israel-1.2+1.1 pts
16Russia-1.4+0.9 pts
17Latvia-1.5+0.2 pts
18China-1.6-1.1 pts
19Netherlands-1.8+0.4 pts
20Ireland-2+1.5 pts
21Hungary-2+0.8 pts
22Australia-2.20 pts
23Chile Estimated-2.3-0.5 pts
24Indonesia-2.4-0.7 pts
25Finland-2.4+0.6 pts
26Costa Rica-2.4-1 pts
27Italy-2.5+0.4 pts
28Belgium-2.5+0.7 pts
29Poland-2.6+1.1 pts
30Slovakia-2.8+0.5 pts
31Slovenia-2.8+1.7 pts
32Colombia-3.4-0.3 pts
33Japan-3.6+1.9 pts
34South Africa-3.7+0.3 pts
35France-3.9+0.7 pts
36Portugal-4.5+2.9 pts
37United Kingdom-4.5+0.9 pts
38United States-4.6+0.6 pts
39Mexico-5.2-0.1 pts
40Spain-5.3+0.8 pts
41Greece-5.9-2.1 pts
42Brazil-7.8-1.9 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. 5 countries with data in other periods have no value for 2015 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

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2026). OECD National Accounts at a Glance: net lending (+) or net borrowing (-) of general government, percentage of GDP (DSD_NAAG_VI@DF_NAAG_VI, B9S13) (Countries by government balance as a share of GDP, 2015) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&df[id]=DSD_NAAG_VI%40DF_NAAG_VI&df[ag]=OECD.SDD.NAD

MLA 9

OECD National Accounts at a Glance: net lending (+) or net borrowing (-) of general government, percentage of GDP (DSD_NAAG_VI@DF_NAAG_VI, B9S13), Countries by government balance as a share of GDP, 2015. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 12 Oct. 2026, https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&df[id]=DSD_NAAG_VI%40DF_NAAG_VI&df[ag]=OECD.SDD.NAD. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/government-balance/countries?period=2015. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. 2026. OECD National Accounts at a Glance: net lending (+) or net borrowing (-) of general government, percentage of GDP (DSD_NAAG_VI@DF_NAAG_VI, B9S13). Countries by government balance as a share of GDP, 2015. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&df[id]=DSD_NAAG_VI%40DF_NAAG_VI&df[ag]=OECD.SDD.NAD. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/government-balance/countries?period=2015.

Harvard

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2026) OECD National Accounts at a Glance: net lending (+) or net borrowing (-) of general government, percentage of GDP (DSD_NAAG_VI@DF_NAAG_VI, B9S13), Countries by government balance as a share of GDP, 2015 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&df[id]=DSD_NAAG_VI%40DF_NAAG_VI&df[ag]=OECD.SDD.NAD, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/government-balance/countries?period=2015 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{organisation_countries_by_government_balance_2015,
  author = {{Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development}},
  title = {{OECD National Accounts at a Glance: net lending (+) or net borrowing (-) of general government, percentage of GDP (DSD\_NAAG\_VI@DF\_NAAG\_VI, B9S13): Countries by government balance as a share of GDP, 2015}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&df[id]=DSD_NAAG_VI%40DF_NAAG_VI&df[ag]=OECD.SDD.NAD},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/government-balance/countries?period=2015. Publisher attribution: 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.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
TI  - OECD National Accounts at a Glance: net lending (+) or net borrowing (-) of general government, percentage of GDP (DSD_NAAG_VI@DF_NAAG_VI, B9S13): Countries by government balance as a share of GDP, 2015
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/12
PB  - Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&df[id]=DSD_NAAG_VI%40DF_NAAG_VI&df[ag]=OECD.SDD.NAD
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/government-balance/countries?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/government-balance/countries?period=2015.
N1  - Publisher attribution: 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.
ER  -
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Questions

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

Norway, with 5.8% of GDP in 2015, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

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

Brazil, with -7.8% of GDP in 2015.

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. 5 countries have no value for 2015 and are not ranked.

Government balance: other rankings

Countries: more rankings