OECD · Tax Revenue (% of GDP)
Tax-to-GDP ratio by country
How much of its economy does a country collect in taxes?
Of the 127 countries compared in 2024, Denmark had the highest reading, 45.1771%, and Somalia had the lowest reading, 3.1103%. In the middle country the figure was 21.8543%. Among the 51 countries measured in every edition since 1990, the middle one moved from 22.4925% to 25.3336%.
Share
Tax-to-GDP ratio · 2024
Context statistic
Highest of 127Denmark
45.1771%012024 · values only
The highest and the lowest
The three countries with the highest values of 127 compared, the three with the lowest, and the highest on each continent. This statistic has no better end, so no country is shown as leading.
- 1
- 2
- 3
Lowest in 2024
Somalia3.1103%
Bangladesh6.7248%
Equatorial Guinea6.9105%
This statistic has no better end: the two ends describe size, not success.
02Every measured country
Tax-to-GDP ratio 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. This statistic has no better end, so the shades describe size, not success.
- 3.1103–13.8624%
- 14.3195–19.5121%
- 19.5489–24.8401%
- 25.0082–33.9750%
- 34.3539–45.1771%
- No reading in 2024 (14 measured in an earlier edition)
- Europe
36.6622%
the middle country, of 32 measured · 49 members
Denmark45.1771%
Liechtenstein21.0693%Highest and lowest reading in Europe.
- Oceania
22.9919%
the middle country, of 12 measured · 21 members
New Zealand32.8918%
Nauru15.0961%Highest and lowest reading in Oceania.
- Americas
22.3004%
the middle country, of 30 measured · 48 members
Canada34.9046%
Guyana9.1930%Highest and lowest reading in Americas.
- Asia
17.1791%
the middle country, of 25 measured · 52 members
Israel30.8773%Bangladesh6.7248%Highest and lowest reading in Asia.
- Africa
14.5531%
the middle country, of 28 measured · 55 members
Namibia31.1052%Somalia3.1103%Highest and lowest reading in Africa.
- Every region
22 sub-regions, highest middle country first
- Western Europe
40.0000%
the middle country, of 8 measured · 9 members
France43.4622%Liechtenstein21.0693%Highest and lowest reading in Western Europe.
- Southern Europe
38.2969%
the middle country, of 7 measured · 17 members
Italy42.7522%
Malta28.7416%Highest and lowest reading in Southern Europe.
- Northern Europe
36.0900%
the middle country, of 10 measured · 13 members
Denmark45.1771%
Ireland21.6943%Highest and lowest reading in Northern Europe.
- Eastern Europe
34.3539%
the middle country, of 7 measured · 10 members
Poland36.6423%
Bulgaria30.4555%Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Europe.
- Western Asia
23.9540%
the middle country, of 5 measured · 19 members
Israel30.8773%
Armenia22.6659%Highest and lowest reading in Western Asia.
- Caribbean
22.9067%
the middle country, of 9 measured · 24 members
Barbados30.7392%
Dominican Republic14.6885%Highest and lowest reading in Caribbean.
- Central America
22.3332%
the middle country, of 8 measured · 8 members
Nicaragua27.6113%
Panama11.3137%Highest and lowest reading in Central America.
- South America
20.4794%
the middle country, of 11 measured · 12 members
Brazil33.6775%Guyana9.1930%Highest and lowest reading in South America.
- Eastern Africa
16.0068%
the middle country, of 9 measured · 19 members
Seychelles30.9528%Somalia3.1103%Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Africa.
- Western Africa
13.8624%
the middle country, of 11 measured · 16 members
Mali19.5489%
Niger7.1649%Highest and lowest reading in Western Africa.
- South-eastern Asia
12.9967%
the middle country, of 9 measured · 11 members
Philippines18.0997%
Timor-Leste10.0193%Highest and lowest reading in South-eastern Asia.
- Southern Asia
12.5408%
the middle country, of 5 measured · 9 members
Maldives26.2513%Bangladesh6.7248%Highest and lowest reading in Southern Asia.
- Middle Africa
11.5495%
the middle country, of 5 measured · 9 members
Gabon15.1223%Equatorial Guinea6.9105%Highest and lowest reading in Middle Africa.
- Australia and New Zealand
1 of 2 measured — too few for a middle: New Zealand.
New Zealand32.8918%Highest and lowest reading in Australia and New Zealand.
- Central Asia
2 of 5 measured — too few for a middle: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan.
Kyrgyzstan21.8543%
Kazakhstan17.4740%Highest and lowest reading in Central Asia.
- Eastern Asia
4 of 8 measured — too few for a middle: China, Hong Kong, Mongolia, South Korea.
Mongolia29.5020%
Hong Kong13.2760%Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Asia.
- Melanesia
4 of 5 measured — too few for a middle: Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu.
Fiji23.9999%
Vanuatu15.5294%Highest and lowest reading in Melanesia.
- Micronesia
3 of 7 measured — too few for a middle: Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru.
Marshall Islands30.4864%Nauru15.0961%Highest and lowest reading in Micronesia.
- Northern Africa
2 of 6 measured — too few for a middle: Egypt, Morocco.
Morocco30.4235%
Egypt13.0017%Highest and lowest reading in Northern Africa.
- Northern America
2 of 4 measured — too few for a middle: Canada, United States.
Canada34.9046%
United States25.6183%Highest and lowest reading in Northern America.
- Polynesia
4 of 7 measured — too few for a middle: Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa, Tonga.
Cook Islands31.1083%
Tonga18.2332%Highest and lowest reading in Polynesia.
- Southern Africa
1 of 5 measured — too few for a middle: Namibia.
Namibia31.1052%Highest and lowest reading in Southern Africa.
03The whole field at once
The spread
127 countries, one dot each, on one scale — further right is a higher value. Half the countries are above 21.8543%; a quarter are above 31.0290%, and a quarter below 15.1277%. The bar in each row marks that continent’s middle country.
04All 141 ever measured
Every country
In order, highest value first. No rank or position is shown: too many countries share the same value for an order to mean anything. Neither end is better. A high share funds public services and transfers; a low one can mean a small state by choice, a large informal economy, or a government that lives on oil and mineral income, which is not tax at all. Social security contributions are counted, which lifts countries whose pensions and health insurance are funded that way.
Showing 25 of 141 countries
Values for 2024. The change column compares 2024 with 2023 only; the sparkline covers the recent editions.
051990–2024 · 35 reference years
Over time
Each point is one year from 1990, as the OECD’s current database gives it; the regional publications revise earlier years as better figures arrive. The newest year is still being filled in and holds fewer countries than the year before it.
- the middle country
- the middle half of countries
- the middle of the 51 countries measured every time
- each continent’s middle country
The same, year by year
| Year | Countries | Middle country | Middle half | Measured every time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 127 | 21.8543% | 15.1277% – 31.0290% | 25.3336% |
| 2023 | 140 | 21.7654% | 14.5015% – 29.8960% | 26.8711% |
| 2022 | 140 | 21.2884% | 14.6757% – 29.9401% | 26.6319% |
| 2021 | 140 | 20.4906% | 14.5580% – 29.7379% | 25.9266% |
| 2020 | 140 | 20.3234% | 13.5599% – 29.7481% | 25.6572% |
| 2019 | 140 | 21.2680% | 15.0473% – 30.0464% | 25.6781% |
| 2018 | 140 | 21.2367% | 14.3118% – 29.9832% | 25.2394% |
| 2017 | 140 | 20.1836% | 14.2188% – 29.5949% | 26.4594% |
| 2016 | 140 | 20.2753% | 13.7984% – 29.2097% | 25.7132% |
| 2015 | 140 | 20.1653% | 14.4522% – 29.3111% | 26.0875% |
| 2014 | 140 | 19.9676% | 14.7043% – 29.3632% | 25.7859% |
| 2013 | 138 | 20.1234% | 14.2938% – 28.2802% | 25.8299% |
| 2012 | 136 | 20.6973% | 14.0590% – 28.1366% | 25.9059% |
| 2011 | 131 | 20.2661% | 13.7537% – 28.3398% | 25.7061% |
| 2010 | 130 | 19.7807% | 13.3231% – 28.6444% | 24.9084% |
| 2009 | 123 | 20.5121% | 13.7533% – 28.9254% | 24.8997% |
| 2008 | 123 | 20.8028% | 14.0825% – 30.4448% | 25.6429% |
| 2007 | 121 | 19.7635% | 14.0900% – 30.8468% | 25.5427% |
| 2006 | 117 | 19.9361% | 13.9417% – 31.0408% | 25.0792% |
| 2005 | 112 | 19.6224% | 13.7770% – 31.0743% | 24.5316% |
| 2004 | 105 | 19.3269% | 13.9268% – 31.2416% | 24.3266% |
| 2003 | 102 | 20.0863% | 13.7228% – 30.7383% | 23.9041% |
| 2002 | 101 | 20.5198% | 13.5003% – 31.3557% | 21.8389% |
| 2001 | 100 | 20.7248% | 12.5807% – 32.0113% | 23.0298% |
| 2000 | 98 | 20.1293% | 12.1261% – 32.4424% | 22.2054% |
| 1999 | 85 | 21.1993% | 13.8898% – 33.0836% | 21.3236% |
| 1998 | 85 | 20.4907% | 13.1742% – 32.7744% | 20.6000% |
| 1997 | 82 | 20.3757% | 13.2009% – 33.4662% | 20.3884% |
| 1996 | 80 | 20.7738% | 13.6426% – 33.0596% | 19.8616% |
| 1995 | 79 | 20.7849% | 14.5366% – 34.4418% | 20.7849% |
| 1994 | 67 | 19.5306% | 14.1945% – 34.3844% | 19.8256% |
| 1993 | 66 | 19.4296% | 13.0282% – 33.1704% | 19.6077% |
| 1992 | 63 | 19.7767% | 13.6619% – 33.3364% | 20.5163% |
| 1991 | 60 | 21.2906% | 13.4894% – 32.6167% | 21.9223% |
| 1990 | 56 | 22.4801% | 14.2174% – 32.5090% | 22.4925% |
062023 → 2024
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.
Rose most
before → after- Namibia22.1337% → 31.1052%+8.9715
- Cook Islands25.2567% → 31.1083%+5.8516
Cuba17.8568% → 22.9067%+5.0499- Mongolia24.6813% → 29.5020%+4.8207
- Marshall Islands25.8018% → 30.4864%+4.6846
Fell most
before → after- Equatorial Guinea11.4998% → 6.9105%−4.5893
Chad13.1407% → 9.2297%−3.9110
Niue31.9794% → 28.4586%−3.5208
Trinidad and Tobago27.6345% → 24.5913%−3.0433- Nauru18.0778% → 15.0961%−2.9817
127 countries were measured in both 2023 and 2024. The field changed from 140 to 127 countries, so a place can move for reasons that have nothing to do with the country itself.
07Across every edition
Tax-to-GDP ratio in records
The extremes of the statistic. A record reached by more than one country names none of them.
Highest reading on record
50.0169%
Total tax revenue, all levels of government (% of GDP)
Lowest reading on record
0.5733%
Total tax revenue, all levels of government (% of GDP)
Biggest rise between editions
+14.8874
34.9575% → 49.8449%
Biggest fall between editions
−19.8024
37.5057% → 17.7033%
Biggest change since first measured
+17.7261
7.2821% → 25.0082%
Highest most often
23 of 35
editions, alone at the first-listed end
08The parts of the index
Inside the number
OECD publishes the parts the headline is built from. Each part’s highest and lowest country, and its middle value.
| Part | Highest | Lowest | Middle country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxes on income, profits and capital gains (% of GDP)127 countries | Denmark30.886 | 2 countries share 0.000 | 7.050 |
| Social security contributions (% of GDP)111 countries |  Slovenia16.867 | 15 countries share 0.000 | 2.979 |
| Taxes on payroll and workforce (% of GDP)126 countries |  Sweden5.296843 | 75 countries share 0.000000 | 0.000000 |
| Taxes on property (% of GDP)126 countries |  United Kingdom3.73776 | 12 countries share 0.00000 | 0.41976 |
| Taxes on goods and services (% of GDP)127 countries | Maldives20.6697 | Equatorial Guinea1.2059 | 9.9208 |
| Other taxes (% of GDP)127 countries |  Bolivia3.060336 |  Chile-0.407431 | 0.030917 |
09The measure
About tax-to-GDP ratio
Tax revenue as a share of GDP is how much of a country’s economy its governments collect in taxes — national, regional and local, social security contributions included. It is the OECD’s standard measure of a state’s tax take, compiled under one classification of taxes so that a country in Africa, Latin America or Asia can be read against an OECD member.
What the number is: Total tax revenue, all levels of government (% of GDP).
10Where 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 Economy & Innovation and Money & Public Finance, but does not help decide any Country Index standing.
Economy & InnovationMoney & Public FinanceWhich statistics vote, and why
Moves with
Where tax-to-GDP ratio is higher, these tend to be higher too.
- Women's Empowerment IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office and UN Women · 84 countries in commonρ 0.84
- General Government ConsumptionWorld Bank Group · 91 countries in commonρ 0.80
- Ecological FootprintKeyGlobal Footprint Network · 83 countries in commonρ 0.79
Moves against
Where tax-to-GDP ratio is higher, these tend to be lower.
- Children's Climate Risk IndexUNICEF · 105 countries in commonρ −0.79
- Gender Inequality IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 117 countries in commonρ −0.78
- Social Institutions and Gender IndexKeyOECD · 99 countries in commonρ −0.77
Rank correlation (ρ, from −1 to 1) across countries, on each statistic’s newest edition, out of 317 statistics sharing at least 80 countries with this one. Two statistics that move together do not cause each other.
11Keep reading
Explore further
The subject
The countries at either end
12Questions
Tax-to-GDP ratio: questions and answers
Which country has the highest tax-to-GDP ratio?
Denmark, at 45.1771%, among the 127 countries compared in 2024.
Which country has the lowest tax-to-GDP ratio?
Somalia, at 3.1103%, among the 127 countries compared in 2024.
How many countries does the Tax Revenue (% of GDP) cover?
127 in 2024, and 141 at least once across all editions. The number measured varies from 56 to 140 between editions.
What is the world average tax-to-GDP ratio?
This site does not calculate a world average, which would depend on how countries are weighted. In the middle country of the 127 compared in 2024, the figure was 21.8543%.
Is this OECD’s own ranking?
No ranking is shown. OECD publishes values only, and too many countries share the same value for an ordering to mean anything, so none is derived.
How often is the Tax Revenue (% of GDP) published?
This site holds 35 reference years, 1990–2024, all recalculated in OECD’s 2026 report on one method — not 35 separate publications.
Where does the data come from, and can I download it?
From OECD, under OECD Terms and Conditions — data clause. Read from the OECD’s Global Revenue Statistics database through its SDMX API: tax revenue reported by national ministries and tax administrations, harmonised by the OECD and its regional partners. The six main tax headings are stored beside the total; the OECD’s regional averages are left out. Every edition is on this site’s Datasets pages as a full table, and downloads as a CSV file with every value unrounded.
13Method
Sources, method and citation
Source
Tax Revenue (% of GDP) — OECD
Read from the OECD’s Global Revenue Statistics database through its SDMX API: tax revenue reported by national ministries and tax administrations, harmonised by the OECD and its regional partners. The six main tax headings are stored beside the total; the OECD’s regional averages are left out.
Newest edition
Report year 2024Data year 2024
Cite the source as: OECD (2026), Global Revenue Statistics - Comparative tax revenues, OECD Data Explorer, https://data-explorer.oecd.org/ (accessed on 29 September 2026).
Licence: OECD Terms and Conditions — data clause, checked 2026-09-29.
How this page reads the numbers
- No rank or position is shown: OECD publishes values only, and too many countries share the same value for an ordering to mean anything.
- This statistic has no better end, so the page describes higher and lower values and never calls a country a leader.
- 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.
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Tax-to-GDP ratio by country: Tax Revenue (% of GDP), data from OECD. https://nationsinquiry.com/statistics/tax-to-gdp