V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · State Fiscal Source of Revenue
State revenue source by country
Does the state live on broad taxes, on resource rents, or on aid and loans?
Sweden placed first of the 176 countries compared in 2025, at 3.135, and Pakistan last, at -1.716. In the middle country the figure was 1.180. Among the 160 countries measured in every edition since 1990, the middle one moved from 0.698 to 1.207.
Share
State revenue source · 2025
Context statistic
Highest of 176Sweden
3.135012025 · position · derived
Who leads
The three countries at the highest end of 176 compared, the three at the other end, and the first on each continent.
1Photo: User:Pieter Kuiper · Public domain, greyscale
2Photo: Poco a poco derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3Photo: Kumaravels derivative work: ויקיג'אנקי · CC BY 2.5 in, greyscale
02Every measured country
State revenue source on a map
Each country is shaded by its value, in five groups holding the same number of countries. Hover a country for its value, or select it to open its profile. Below the map, each continent’s middle country.
Darker is a higher value — the better end.
- -1.716–-0.115
- -0.112–0.871
- 0.943–1.628
- 1.632–2.336
- 2.351–3.135
- No reading in 2025
- Europe
2.409
the middle country, of 40 measured · 49 members
Sweden3.135
Kosovo-0.530Highest and lowest reading in Europe.
- Americas
1.599
the middle country, of 27 measured · 48 members
Canada2.724
Haiti-0.826Highest and lowest reading in Americas.
- Oceania
1.050
the middle country, of 6 measured · 21 members
New Zealand2.629
Vanuatu-1.006Highest and lowest reading in Oceania.
- Asia
0.815
the middle country, of 48 measured · 52 members
India2.966
Pakistan-1.716Highest and lowest reading in Asia.
- Africa
0.701
the middle country, of 55 measured · 55 members
Mauritius2.481
Somalia-1.498Highest and lowest reading in Africa.
- Every region
20 sub-regions, highest middle country first
- Northern Europe
2.709
the middle country, of 10 measured · 13 members
Sweden3.135
United Kingdom2.351Highest and lowest reading in Northern Europe.
- Western Europe
2.574
the middle country, of 7 measured · 9 members
Switzerland2.914
Netherlands1.726Highest and lowest reading in Western Europe.
- Eastern Europe
2.093
the middle country, of 10 measured · 10 members
Bulgaria2.656
Ukraine-0.521Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Europe.
- Eastern Asia
1.863
the middle country, of 7 measured · 8 members
Taiwan2.737
North Korea-0.012Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Asia.
- Southern Europe
1.852
the middle country, of 13 measured · 17 members
Spain3.026Kosovo-0.530Highest and lowest reading in Southern Europe.
- South America
1.611
the middle country, of 12 measured · 12 members
Chile2.430
Venezuela-0.171Highest and lowest reading in South America.
- Southern Asia
1.556
the middle country, of 9 measured · 9 members
India2.966Pakistan-1.716Highest and lowest reading in Southern Asia.
- South-eastern Asia
1.537
the middle country, of 10 measured · 11 members
Vietnam1.992
Timor-Leste-0.506Highest and lowest reading in South-eastern Asia.
- Central America
1.227
the middle country, of 7 measured · 8 members
Costa Rica2.457
Nicaragua0.852Highest and lowest reading in Central America.
- Western Africa
1.003
the middle country, of 16 measured · 16 members
Benin2.449
Guinea-Bissau-1.116Highest and lowest reading in Western Africa.
- Central Asia
0.964
the middle country, of 5 measured · 5 members
Kyrgyzstan1.262
Uzbekistan0.344Highest and lowest reading in Central Asia.
- Southern Africa
0.951
the middle country, of 5 measured · 5 members
South Africa2.315
Botswana-0.433Highest and lowest reading in Southern Africa.
- Eastern Africa
0.943
the middle country, of 19 measured · 19 members
Mauritius2.481Somalia-1.498Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Africa.
- Caribbean
0.939
the middle country, of 6 measured · 24 members
Dominican Republic1.856Haiti-0.826Highest and lowest reading in Caribbean.
- Northern Africa
0.089
the middle country, of 6 measured · 6 members
Egypt0.871
Sudan-0.862Highest and lowest reading in Northern Africa.
- Middle Africa
-0.070
the middle country, of 9 measured · 9 members
Cameroon1.248
Central African Republic-1.046Highest and lowest reading in Middle Africa.
- Western Asia
-0.115
the middle country, of 17 measured · 19 members
Israel2.879
Yemen-1.473Highest and lowest reading in Western Asia.
- Australia and New Zealand
2 of 2 measured — too few for a middle: Australia, New Zealand.
New Zealand2.629
Australia2.583Highest and lowest reading in Australia and New Zealand.
- Melanesia
4 of 5 measured — too few for a middle: Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu.
Fiji1.930Vanuatu-1.006Highest and lowest reading in Melanesia.
- Northern America
2 of 4 measured — too few for a middle: Canada, United States.
Canada2.724
United States2.377Highest and lowest reading in Northern America.
03The whole field at once
The spread
176 countries, one dot each, on one scale — further right is a higher value. Half the countries are above 1.180; a quarter are above 2.036, and a quarter below -0.017. The bar in each row marks that continent’s middle country.
04All 176 ever measured
Every country
In order, highest value first. “=” marks a position shared with another country. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg ranks nobody on this measure; the position is derived here by ordering the published values. Higher is the end V-Dem treats as greater capacity to tax, which is not the same as being richer: a wealthy state that lives on oil or gas rents reads in the middle of the table, below poorer states that tax incomes and sales. It says where the money comes from, not how much of it there is.
Showing 25 of 176 countries
Values for 2025. The change column compares 2025 with 2024 only; the sparkline covers the recent editions.
051990–2025 · 36 reference years
Over time
Each point is one year from 1990, all of them re-estimated together in V-Dem's v16 release. The scale has no fixed ends, so read the movement and the gap to other countries rather than the number on its own.
- the middle country
- the middle half of countries
- the middle of the 160 countries measured every time
- each continent’s middle country
The same, year by year
| Year | Countries | Middle country | Middle half | Measured every time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 176 | 1.180 | -0.017 – 2.036 | 1.207 |
| 2024 | 176 | 1.180 | -0.058 – 2.029 | 1.189 |
| 2023 | 176 | 1.083 | 0.016 – 2.071 | 1.062 |
| 2022 | 176 | 1.119 | -0.017 – 2.072 | 1.116 |
| 2021 | 176 | 1.142 | -0.042 – 2.173 | 1.159 |
| 2020 | 176 | 1.133 | -0.061 – 2.211 | 1.133 |
| 2019 | 176 | 1.105 | 0.020 – 2.211 | 1.118 |
| 2018 | 176 | 1.040 | -0.035 – 2.231 | 1.040 |
| 2017 | 176 | 0.997 | -0.044 – 2.231 | 0.997 |
| 2016 | 176 | 0.997 | -0.051 – 2.194 | 0.997 |
| 2015 | 176 | 0.935 | -0.051 – 2.126 | 0.935 |
| 2014 | 176 | 0.924 | -0.075 – 2.137 | 0.924 |
| 2013 | 176 | 0.924 | -0.105 – 2.093 | 0.935 |
| 2012 | 176 | 0.924 | -0.105 – 2.106 | 0.935 |
| 2011 | 176 | 0.931 | -0.076 – 2.094 | 0.937 |
| 2010 | 175 | 0.928 | -0.055 – 2.038 | 0.956 |
| 2009 | 175 | 0.928 | -0.098 – 1.966 | 0.956 |
| 2008 | 175 | 0.928 | -0.098 – 1.942 | 0.956 |
| 2007 | 175 | 0.928 | -0.098 – 1.966 | 0.956 |
| 2006 | 175 | 0.928 | -0.081 – 2.010 | 0.956 |
| 2005 | 175 | 0.919 | -0.081 – 2.010 | 0.935 |
| 2004 | 167 | 0.928 | -0.122 – 2.068 | 0.935 |
| 2003 | 167 | 0.928 | -0.151 – 2.068 | 0.935 |
| 2002 | 167 | 0.941 | -0.164 – 2.068 | 0.956 |
| 2001 | 167 | 0.941 | -0.164 – 2.068 | 0.956 |
| 2000 | 167 | 0.884 | -0.164 – 1.956 | 0.913 |
| 1999 | 167 | 0.813 | -0.212 – 1.939 | 0.817 |
| 1998 | 166 | 0.817 | -0.213 – 1.945 | 0.817 |
| 1997 | 165 | 0.822 | -0.214 – 1.926 | 0.817 |
| 1996 | 165 | 0.813 | -0.214 – 1.951 | 0.810 |
| 1995 | 165 | 0.806 | -0.215 – 1.951 | 0.802 |
| 1994 | 165 | 0.797 | -0.221 – 1.951 | 0.769 |
| 1993 | 165 | 0.806 | -0.221 – 1.846 | 0.802 |
| 1992 | 164 | 0.780 | -0.223 – 1.774 | 0.758 |
| 1991 | 163 | 0.762 | -0.224 – 1.775 | 0.716 |
| 1990 | 160 | 0.698 | -0.223 – 1.688 | 0.698 |
062024 → 2025
Who rose and fell
The biggest changes in value between the two newest editions — reference years recalculated in one report, not two separate publications. Places are shown second, because they also move when other countries do.
Improved most
before → afterDeclined most
before → after
Portugal2.994 → 1.270 · 3rd → 82nd−1.724
Bhutan-0.421 → -1.415 · 152nd → 173rd−0.994
Burkina Faso1.387 → 0.668 · 78th → 117th−0.719- Ukraine0.167 → -0.521 · 125th → 158th−0.688
Japan2.750 → 2.146 · 10th → 42nd−0.604
176 countries were measured in both 2024 and 2025.
07Across every edition
State revenue source in records
The extremes of the statistic. A record reached by more than one country names none of them.
Highest reading on record
3.135
Original latent estimate (≈ −2.9 to +3.1); higher = broader taxation
Lowest reading on record
-2.858
Original latent estimate (≈ −2.9 to +3.1); higher = broader taxation
Biggest improvement between editions
+3.677
-2.858 → 0.819
Biggest decline between editions
−2.013
0.163 → -1.850
Most improved since first measured
+5.023
-2.858 → 2.165
At the top most often
36 of 36
editions, alone at the first-listed end
08The measure
About state revenue source
V-Dem's measure of a state's fiscal source of revenue asks what the central government mainly lives on: nothing it can raise itself, loans and foreign aid, natural-resource rents and state assets, taxes on property and trade, or broad taxes on sales, incomes and profits. It is an expert-coded estimate on an open-ended scale centred near zero, and a higher figure means reliance on broader taxation — the end V-Dem treats as greater fiscal capacity.
What the number is: Original latent estimate (≈ −2.9 to +3.1); higher = broader taxation.
What it does not measure
It says which source the state mainly relies on, not how much revenue it raises, how fairly it taxes, or how well it spends.
09Where it fits
Connections
Its part in the Country Index, the statistics whose values line up most closely with it across countries, and others on the same subject.
In the Country Index
Context, with no vote
This statistic is published in full under Governance & Institutions and Money & Public Finance, but does not help decide any Country Index standing.
Governance & InstitutionsMoney & Public FinanceWhich statistics vote, and why
Moves with
Where state revenue source is higher, these tend to be higher too.
- Statistical Performance IndicatorsKeyWorld Bank Group · 169 countries in commonρ 0.74
- State Capacity IndexJonathan K. Hanson (University of Michigan) and Rachel Sigman (Naval Postgraduate School) · 166 countries in commonρ 0.73
- Women's Empowerment IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office and UN Women · 113 countries in commonρ 0.72
Moves against
Where state revenue source is higher, these tend to be lower.
- Informal Employment RateILO · 86 countries in commonρ −0.71
- Average Household SizeUN DESA Population Division · 125 countries in commonρ −0.66
- Neopatrimonial Rule IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 176 countries in commonρ −0.66
Rank correlation (ρ, from −1 to 1) across countries, on each statistic’s newest edition, out of 379 statistics sharing at least 80 countries with this one. Two statistics that move together do not cause each other.
10Keep reading
Explore further
More from V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg
11Questions
State revenue source: questions and answers
Which country has the highest state revenue source?
Sweden, at 3.135, among the 176 countries compared in 2025.
Which country has the lowest state revenue source?
Pakistan, at -1.716, among the 176 countries compared in 2025.
How many countries does the State Fiscal Source of Revenue cover?
176 in 2025. The number measured varies from 160 to 176 between editions.
What is the world average state revenue source?
This site does not calculate a world average, which would depend on how countries are weighted. In the middle country of the 176 compared in 2025, the figure was 1.180.
Is this V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg’s own ranking?
No. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg publishes the values but ranks nobody; the position on this page is derived by Nations Inquiry by ordering the published values, and equal values share a position.
How often is the State Fiscal Source of Revenue published?
This site holds 36 reference years, 1990–2025, all recalculated in V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg’s 2026 report on one method — not 36 separate publications.
Where does the data come from, and can I download it?
From V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, under CC BY-SA 4.0. From the V-Dem Institute's Country-Year Full+Others dataset (v16), University of Gothenburg — this indicator is not in the smaller Core file — published under CC BY-SA 4.0. V-Dem's data runs back to 1789; the series here starts in 1990 so that every row belongs to a present-day country. Stored as the measurement model's original estimate, not V-Dem's 0–4 rescaling. Every edition is on this site’s Datasets pages as a full table, and downloads as a CSV file with every value unrounded.
12Method
Sources, method and citation
Source
State Fiscal Source of Revenue — V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg
From the V-Dem Institute's Country-Year Full+Others dataset (v16), University of Gothenburg — this indicator is not in the smaller Core file — published under CC BY-SA 4.0. V-Dem's data runs back to 1789; the series here starts in 1990 so that every row belongs to a present-day country. Stored as the measurement model's original estimate, not V-Dem's 0–4 rescaling.
Newest edition
Report year 2025Data year 2025
Cite the source as: Coppedge, M. et al. V-Dem Country-Year Dataset v16. Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Project, University of Gothenburg.
Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0, checked 2026-09-29.
How this page reads the numbers
- V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg ranks nobody on this measure. The position is derived by Nations Inquiry by ordering the published values; equal values share a position.
- Which end is better follows the publisher’s own reading of the measure.
- A country is named at an end only when it holds that value alone. Where several share it, the page says how many and names none first.
- Values are stored exactly as published and trimmed only for display. “The middle country” is the median of the countries measured, not a world average.
The file itself, column by column — where it came from, what each column holds, and every edition as a CSV — is on its dataset page.
Photographs
The countries at the top of this statistic, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Sweden — User:Pieter Kuiper, Public domain
- Spain — Poco a poco derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- India — Kumaravels derivative work: ויקיג'אנקי, CC BY 2.5 in
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). State revenue source by country: State Fiscal Source of Revenue, data from V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg. https://nationsinquiry.com/statistics/fiscal-source-of-revenue