Fiscal balance, sometimes also referred to as the government budget balance, is calculated as the difference between a government’s revenues (taxes and proceeds from asset sales) and its expenditures. It is often expressed as a ratio of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). If the balance is positive, the government has a surplus (it spends less than it receives). If the balance is negative, the government has a deficit (it spends more than it receives). The fiscal balance as a percentage of GDP is used as an instrument to measure a government’s ability to meet its financing needs and to ensure good management of public finances.
This chart displays Fiscal Balance (% of GDP) for Middle East & North Africa, Latin America, Euro Area, South Asia, Major Economies from 2010 to 2023.
Fiscal Balance (% of GDP) Data
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | -2.2 | -0.5 | -1.0 | -1.2 | - |
| Albania | -6.7 | -4.6 | -3.6 | -1.3 | -0.7 |
| Algeria | -10.5 | -6.3 | -3.0 | -5.2 | -9.3 |
| Andorra | -1.1 | -1.2 | 4.8 | 2.3 | - |
| Angola | -1.7 | 3.4 | 0.6 | -1.9 | - |
| Antigua and Barbuda | -3.7 | -2.3 | -0.3 | 0.4 | - |
| Argentina | -8.4 | -3.6 | -3.8 | -4.4 | 0.3 |
| Armenia | -5.1 | -4.5 | -2.2 | -1.9 | -3.5 |
| Aruba | -11.1 | -4.8 | 3.4 | 6.3 | - |
| Australia | -4.3 | -6.4 | -1.4 | 0.9 | 0.6 |
| Austria | -8.2 | -5.7 | -3.3 | -2.6 | - |
| Azerbaijan | -6.4 | 4.2 | 6.0 | - | - |
| Bahamas, The | -4.3 | -8.9 | -1.3 | 0.3 | - |
| Bahrain | -17.3 | -10.6 | -5.1 | -10.6 | - |
| Bangladesh | -4.8 | -3.6 | -4.1 | -4.6 | - |
| Barbados | -0.9 | -0.8 | 2.4 | 3.5 | 3.8 |
| Belarus | -2.9 | -0.2 | -2.1 | 0.7 | - |
| Belgium | -9.0 | -5.4 | -3.6 | -4.2 | - |
| Belize | -8.6 | -3.3 | -0.5 | - | - |
| Benin | -2.7 | -3.5 | -3.9 | -2.5 | - |
| Bhutan | -1.4 | -4.8 | -5.5 | -3.1 | - |
| Bolivia | -12.7 | -9.3 | -7.1 | - | - |
| Bosnia-Herz. | -4.6 | 0.6 | 0.9 | -1.7 | - |
| Botswana | -10.9 | -2.4 | 0.0 | -4.7 | - |
| Brazil | -13.3 | -4.3 | -4.6 | -8.8 | -8.5 |
| Brunei | -15.8 | -8.2 | 2.5 | -10.8 | - |
| Bulgaria | -3.8 | -3.9 | -2.9 | -2.0 | - |
| Burkina Faso | -3.8 | -5.7 | -8.8 | -4.5 | - |
| Burundi | -3.4 | -2.3 | -8.0 | -5.6 | - |
| Cabo Verde | -6.7 | -5.3 | -2.0 | - | - |
| Cambodia | -2.5 | -5.2 | -0.3 | -2.8 | - |
| Cameroon | -3.2 | -3.0 | -1.1 | - | - |
| Canada | -10.9 | -2.9 | 0.1 | -0.6 | - |
| CdI | -5.4 | -4.9 | -6.8 | -5.2 | - |
| Central African Republic | -3.1 | -5.7 | -4.9 | - | - |
| Chad | 2.0 | -0.6 | 5.4 | - | - |
| Chile | -7.3 | -7.7 | 1.1 | -2.4 | -2.8 |
| China | -6.1 | -3.7 | -4.6 | -4.5 | -4.8 |
| Colombia | -7.8 | -7.0 | -5.3 | -4.2 | -6.7 |
| Comoros | -0.3 | -2.5 | -3.8 | - | - |
| Congo | -1.1 | 1.6 | 8.9 | 5.8 | - |
| Costa Rica | -8.0 | -5.0 | -2.4 | -3.3 | -3.8 |
| Croatia | -7.2 | -2.6 | 0.1 | -0.9 | - |
| Cuba | -17.7 | -11.7 | -11.1 | - | - |
| Cyprus | -5.6 | -1.6 | 2.6 | 2.0 | - |
| Czech Republic | -5.6 | -5.0 | -3.1 | -3.8 | - |
| Denmark | 0.4 | 4.1 | 3.5 | 3.4 | - |
| Djibouti | -2.5 | -3.1 | -1.4 | -3.4 | - |
| Dominica | -5.4 | -5.6 | -4.3 | 0.2 | - |
| Dominican Republic | -7.6 | -2.5 | -2.7 | -3.1 | -3.2 |
| DR Congo | -3.1 | -1.6 | -0.5 | - | - |
| Ecuador | -7.4 | -1.6 | 0.0 | -3.6 | - |
| Egypt | -7.5 | -7.1 | -6.2 | -6.1 | -3.6 |
| El Salvador | -10.3 | -5.9 | -2.8 | -2.3 | -3.3 |
| Equatorial Guinea | -0.4 | 3.7 | 12.9 | 3.6 | - |
| Estonia | -5.4 | -2.6 | -1.1 | -2.8 | - |
| Ethiopia | -2.8 | -4.2 | -2.6 | - | - |
| Euro Area | -7.0 | -5.1 | -3.5 | -3.6 | - |
| Fiji | -4.8 | -9.7 | -8.5 | -3.3 | - |
| Finland | -5.5 | -2.7 | -0.2 | -3.0 | - |
| France | -8.9 | -6.6 | -4.7 | -5.5 | - |
| Gabon | 1.2 | 0.9 | 1.7 | - | - |
| Gambia, The | 0.8 | -1.8 | -2.8 | -1.6 | - |
| Georgia | -9.2 | -6.0 | -2.6 | -2.3 | - |
| Germany | -4.4 | -3.2 | -2.1 | -2.6 | - |
| Ghana | -17.4 | -12.0 | -11.8 | -3.6 | - |
| Greece | -9.6 | -6.9 | -2.5 | -1.3 | - |
| Grenada | -2.6 | 2.1 | 2.5 | 9.5 | - |
| Guatemala | -4.9 | -1.2 | -1.7 | -1.3 | - |
| Guinea | -2.4 | -1.1 | 0.1 | -1.2 | - |
| Guinea-Bissau | -8.1 | -4.3 | -4.7 | - | - |
| Guyana | -7.3 | -6.8 | -4.9 | -5.4 | - |
| Haiti | -2.1 | -2.3 | -1.8 | 0.9 | - |
| Honduras | -7.0 | -5.1 | -1.3 | -3.6 | -1.8 |
| Hong Kong | -8.7 | 1.0 | -4.4 | -3.4 | -2.7 |
| Hungary | -7.5 | -7.1 | -6.2 | -6.7 | - |
| Iceland | -8.9 | -8.4 | -4.0 | -2.3 | -3.5 |
| India | -9.2 | -6.7 | -6.5 | -5.5 | - |
| Indonesia | -6.1 | -4.6 | -2.4 | -1.6 | -2.8 |
| Iran | -5.2 | -3.2 | -2.8 | -2.8 | - |
| Iraq | -12.8 | -0.4 | 8.1 | -1.2 | - |
| Ireland | -4.9 | -1.4 | 1.7 | 1.5 | - |
| Israel | -11.3 | -4.3 | 0.6 | -4.1 | -6.8 |
| Italy | -9.4 | -8.9 | -8.1 | -7.2 | - |
| Jamaica | -3.1 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 |
| Japan | -9.1 | -6.1 | -4.4 | - | - |
| Jordan | -7.0 | -6.1 | -4.5 | -5.1 | -5.5 |
| Kazakhstan | -4.0 | -3.0 | -2.1 | -2.4 | -2.7 |
| Kenya | -8.1 | -7.2 | -6.1 | -5.8 | - |
| Kiribati | 3.8 | -10.4 | -18.1 | - | - |
| Korea | -3.5 | -1.4 | -2.8 | -1.5 | -1.7 |
| Kosovo | -7.8 | -1.2 | -0.7 | -0.2 | - |
| Kuwait | -31.7 | -6.7 | 11.4 | -3.1 | - |
| Kyrgyzstan | -3.1 | -0.7 | -0.3 | 1.8 | - |
| Laos | -5.4 | -0.7 | 0.1 | 0.7 | - |
| Latvia | -4.1 | -7.2 | -4.9 | -2.4 | - |
| Lebanon | -3.5 | 0.8 | - | - | - |
| Lesotho | 1.5 | -4.0 | -3.7 | 11.2 | - |
| Liberia | -2.7 | -1.6 | -4.4 | -6.1 | - |
| Libya | -22.3 | 14.8 | 23.6 | 8.2 | - |
| Lithuania | -6.3 | -1.1 | -0.7 | -0.7 | - |
| Luxembourg | -3.1 | 1.0 | 0.2 | -0.7 | - |
| Macao | -21.4 | -12.9 | -37.7 | - | - |
| Madagascar | -3.2 | -2.2 | -5.0 | - | - |
| Malawi | -4.8 | -4.3 | -4.6 | -4.0 | - |
| Malaysia | -6.2 | -6.4 | -5.6 | -5.1 | -4.1 |
| Maldives | -21.1 | -11.6 | -7.6 | - | - |
| Mali | -4.2 | -3.5 | -3.5 | - | - |
| Malta | -8.7 | -7.0 | -5.2 | -4.5 | - |
| Marshall Islands | 2.8 | 0.4 | 0.9 | - | - |
| Mauritania | 3.7 | 3.4 | -2.3 | -1.8 | - |
| Mauritius | -7.8 | -1.6 | -0.6 | -1.6 | - |
| Mexico | -2.8 | -2.8 | -3.2 | -3.3 | -4.9 |
| Micronesia, Federated States of | 6.7 | 4.7 | - | - | - |
| Moldova | -5.3 | -2.6 | -3.2 | -5.2 | - |
| Mongolia | -9.2 | 7.8 | 0.7 | 2.7 | - |
| Montenegro | -10.2 | -2.0 | -4.2 | 0.1 | -3.1 |
| Morocco | -7.1 | -6.0 | -5.4 | -4.4 | -4.3 |
| Mozambique | -4.5 | -3.9 | -5.1 | -4.1 | - |
| Myanmar | -5.9 | -7.0 | -4.6 | -5.7 | - |
| Namibia | -3.9 | -4.5 | -1.6 | 1.7 | - |
| Nauru | 42.8 | 44.5 | 23.6 | 19.0 | - |
| Nepal | -4.7 | -3.2 | -2.3 | -4.5 | - |
| Netherlands | -3.6 | -2.2 | 0.0 | -0.4 | - |
| New Zealand | -7.3 | -1.3 | -2.7 | -2.4 | - |
| Nicaragua | -2.5 | -1.6 | 0.7 | 2.9 | - |
| Niger | -3.8 | -5.0 | -5.5 | -4.0 | - |
| Nigeria | -5.6 | -5.5 | -5.4 | -4.2 | - |
| North Macedonia | -8.0 | -5.3 | -4.4 | -4.6 | -4.4 |
| Norway | -2.6 | 10.3 | 25.5 | 16.5 | - |
| Oman | -17.2 | -3.6 | 2.8 | 2.3 | - |
| Pakistan | -7.0 | -6.0 | -7.8 | -7.7 | -6.7 |
| Palau | -13.0 | -7.5 | -0.6 | -2.8 | - |
| Panama | -10.0 | -6.4 | -4.0 | -3.0 | - |
| Papua New Guinea | -6.2 | -4.4 | -2.9 | - | - |
| Paraguay | -6.1 | -3.6 | -2.9 | -4.1 | -2.6 |
| Peru | -8.9 | -2.5 | -1.7 | -2.8 | -3.5 |
| Philippines | -7.6 | -8.6 | -7.3 | -6.2 | -5.7 |
| Poland | -6.9 | -1.7 | -3.4 | -5.3 | - |
| Portugal | -5.8 | -2.8 | -0.3 | 1.2 | - |
| Qatar | -2.0 | 0.2 | 10.4 | 5.5 | - |
| Romania | -9.2 | -7.1 | -6.4 | -6.5 | - |
| Russia | -3.8 | 0.4 | -2.1 | -1.8 | -1.7 |
| Rwanda | -9.5 | -7.0 | -5.7 | -5.1 | - |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | -1.9 | 6.4 | -3.0 | - | - |
| Saint Lucia | -7.6 | -1.7 | 1.2 | 0.7 | - |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | -4.2 | -4.9 | -7.1 | -10.1 | - |
| Samoa | 5.4 | 1.7 | 5.4 | 3.0 | - |
| San Marino | -36.6 | -14.5 | 1.7 | - | - |
| Sao Tome and Principe | 3.3 | -1.3 | -1.7 | 1.8 | - |
| Saudi Arabia | -10.7 | -2.2 | 2.5 | -2.0 | -2.8 |
| Senegal | -6.4 | -6.3 | -6.6 | -4.9 | -7.5 |
| Serbia | -7.7 | -3.9 | -3.0 | -2.1 | -2.0 |
| Seychelles | -13.2 | -2.9 | 1.2 | 1.7 | - |
| Sierra Leone | -1.7 | -2.6 | -4.1 | -2.6 | - |
| Singapore | -10.7 | 0.2 | -0.1 | -0.9 | 0.4 |
| Slovakia | -5.3 | -5.1 | -1.7 | -5.2 | - |
| Slovenia | -7.7 | -4.6 | -3.0 | -2.6 | - |
| Solomon Islands | -2.2 | -0.2 | -1.8 | - | - |
| South Africa | -9.8 | -5.1 | -4.6 | -4.6 | - |
| South Sudan | -4.5 | -9.0 | 4.5 | 7.5 | - |
| Spain | -9.9 | -6.7 | -4.6 | -3.5 | - |
| Sri Lanka | -12.2 | -11.7 | -10.2 | -8.3 | -7.3 |
| Sudan | -6.0 | -0.2 | -2.0 | -3.6 | - |
| Suriname | -8.3 | -0.5 | 1.0 | - | - |
| Swaziland | -2.4 | -2.7 | -4.1 | 1.5 | - |
| Sweden | -3.2 | -0.1 | 1.0 | -0.6 | - |
| Switzerland | -3.0 | -0.3 | 1.2 | 0.2 | - |
| Taiwan | -1.0 | -0.2 | 0.2 | -0.6 | - |
| Tajikistan | -4.3 | -0.7 | -0.2 | -1.3 | - |
| Tanzania | -2.6 | -3.5 | -3.9 | -3.5 | - |
| Thailand | -5.2 | -4.8 | -3.5 | -3.3 | -4.1 |
| Timor-Leste | -18.8 | -19.4 | -30.2 | -31.2 | - |
| Togo | -4.7 | -2.5 | -5.9 | -4.0 | - |
| Tonga | 6.7 | -0.6 | -0.2 | 6.7 | - |
| Trinidad and Tobago | -11.8 | -8.3 | 0.9 | -1.1 | - |
| Tunisia | -9.7 | -7.8 | -8.0 | -7.7 | - |
| Turkey | -3.5 | -2.8 | -1.0 | -5.2 | -4.9 |
| Turkmenistan | -0.1 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 1.2 | - |
| Tuvalu | 8.2 | -15.8 | 2.7 | 5.3 | - |
| UAE | -2.5 | 4.0 | 10.0 | 5.0 | - |
| Uganda | -7.8 | -7.4 | -5.9 | -4.9 | - |
| Ukraine | -5.3 | -3.4 | -16.1 | -20.4 | -17.6 |
| United Kingdom | -13.2 | -7.7 | -4.7 | -6.1 | -5.8 |
| United States | -14.7 | -12.1 | -5.4 | -6.2 | -6.3 |
| Uruguay | -5.1 | -3.5 | -3.2 | -3.7 | -4.1 |
| Uzbekistan | -2.9 | -4.1 | -3.7 | -4.0 | - |
| Vanuatu | -1.1 | 3.3 | -5.8 | - | - |
| Venezuela | -6.6 | -5.9 | -6.8 | -4.2 | - |
| Vietnam | -2.9 | -1.4 | 0.7 | -2.5 | - |
| Yemen | -4.5 | -0.9 | -2.7 | -6.1 | - |
| Zambia | -13.8 | -8.1 | -7.8 | - | - |
| Zimbabwe | 0.3 | -2.2 | -6.0 | -6.2 | - |