– Tax Revenue (% of GDP) refers to the total tax revenue collected by the central government, expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Europe & Central Asia Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP was 19.71 Percentage in 2024, up 0.7% on 2023. The Tax Revenue as a Percentage of GDP dataset for Europe & Central Asia provides a comprehensive assessment of government tax revenue relative to the region's economic output, offering insights into fiscal capacity, revenue mobilization, and public finance performance.
Europe & Central Asia Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP moved from 19.20 Percentage in 2015 to 19.71 Percentage in 2024 (+2.7%), an average of +0.3% a year. The series high was 19.71 Percentage in 2024 and the low 19.01 Percentage in 2020.
The gap between the series high (2024) and low (2020) is 0.706 Percentage. The sharpest single-year move was +3% in 2021.
Within Europe & Central Asia, Denmark has the highest value in 2024 at 33.36 Percentage, 169.2% of the regional total.
Country ranking
Percentage. Sort by any column, or search for a country.
Europe & Central Asia average, 2024: 19.71 Percentage. Per-capita values are averages, not additive totals.
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| Rank↕ | Country↕ | Share of top | Percentage↕ | vs 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denmark | 33.36 | +4.3% | |
| 2 | Sweden | 27.23 | −0.5% | |
| 3 | UK | 26.89 | +0.1% | |
| 4 | Italy | 25.60 | +3.5% | |
| 5 | Finland | 25.33 | −0.1% | |
| 6 | Netherlands | 25.28 | +0.1% | |
| 7 | France | 22.78 | −1.7% | |
| 8 | Turkey | 17.62 | −3.3% | |
| 9 | Spain | 14.93 | −0.4% | |
| 10 | Germany | 10.89 | +1.9% |
By region
Percentage, 2024. Each bar is that region's total.
Full series
Complete annual series with year-on-year change. Values are reported in Percentage.
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| Year | Percentage | Change vs prior year |
|---|---|---|
| 2024Peak | 19.71 | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 19.58 | −0.5% |
| 2022 | 19.67 | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 19.58 | +3% |
| 2020 Trough | 19.01 | −1.7% |
| 2019 | 19.33 | −0.4% |
| 2018 | 19.40 | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 19.27 | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 19.09 | −0.5% |
| 2015 | 19.20 | — |
Data definition
Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP — – Tax Revenue (% of GDP) refers to the total tax revenue collected by the central government, expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Tax revenue consists of compulsory, unrequited payments made by individuals and businesses to the government for public purposes. The indicator measures the relative size of tax collections compared with the overall economy and is widely used to assess a government's revenue-generating capacity, fiscal performance, and tax effort.
The data includes compulsory tax payments collected by the central government, such as taxes on income, profits and capital gains, payroll taxes, property taxes, taxes on goods and services (including VAT, GST, and excise duties), taxes on international trade, customs duties, and other taxes recorded under the IMF Government Finance Statistics (GFS) framework. The indicator is expressed as a percentage of GDP using standardized national accounts and government finance statistics.
The data excludes non-tax government revenue such as grants, fees, licenses, administrative charges, dividends from state-owned enterprises, and income from government assets. It also excludes fines, penalties, most social security contributions, refunds treated as negative revenue, and informal or unrecorded tax collections not captured in official government finance statistics. For many countries, the indicator reflects central government tax revenue only and may not include taxes collected by state, provincial, or local governments.
Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP — – Tax Revenue (% of GDP) refers to the total tax revenue collected by the central government, expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Tax revenue consists of compulsory, unrequited payments made by individuals and businesses to the government for public purposes. The indicator measures the relative size of tax collections compared with the overall economy and is widely used to assess a government's revenue-generating capacity, fiscal performance, and tax effort.
Measured as a Percentage, the dataset covers 2015–2024 and shows a stable regional tax-to-GDP ratio, increasing from 19.20% in 2015 to 19.71% in 2024, with only moderate fluctuations throughout the decade. This consistent trend reflects the region's mature tax systems, diversified economies, and effective fiscal institutions.
Regional performance is driven by major economies including the United Kingdom, France, and Italy, all of which maintained relatively high tax-to-GDP ratios. The UK increased from 24.92% in 2015 to 26.89% in 2024, while France and Italy remained largely within the 23–26% range. Among Nordic countries, Denmark recorded the region's highest tax ratio, peaking at 35.16% in 2021, while Sweden consistently exceeded 27%. Other economies, including the Netherlands, Finland, Spain, Germany, and Turkey, also contributed to regional stability through relatively consistent tax revenue performance.
The dataset is valuable for policymakers, economists, financial institutions, investors, and researchers evaluating fiscal sustainability, taxation efficiency, and government revenue across the region. It supports regional and global benchmarking, tax policy evaluation, trend analysis, and revenue forecasting. Additionally, it contributes to research on public finance, macroeconomic stability, fiscal resilience, and sustainable economic development by illustrating how tax revenues support public services, infrastructure investment, and long-term economic growth across Europe & Central Asia.
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Definition – Tax Revenue (% of GDP) refers to the total tax revenue collected by the central government, expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Tax revenue consists of compulsory, unrequited payments made by individuals and businesses to the government for public purposes. The indicator measures the relative size of tax collections compared with the overall economy and is widely used to assess a government's revenue-generating capacity, fiscal performance, and tax effort.
Europe & Central Asia Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP was 19.71 Percentage in 2024, up 0.7% on 2023.
Europe & Central Asia Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP moved from 19.20 Percentage in 2015 to 19.71 Percentage in 2024 (+2.7%), an average of +0.3% a year. The series high was 19.71 Percentage in 2024 and the low 19.01 Percentage in 2020.
The highest value was 19.71 Percentage in 2024 and the lowest was 19.01 Percentage in 2020.
Included: The data includes compulsory tax payments collected by the central government, such as taxes on income, profits and capital gains, payroll taxes, property taxes, taxes on goods and services (including VAT, GST, and excise duties), taxes on international trade, customs duties, and other taxes recorded under the IMF Government Finance Statistics (GFS) framework. The indicator is expressed as a percentage of GDP using standardized national accounts and government finance statistics. Excluded: The data excludes non-tax government revenue such as grants, fees, licenses, administrative charges, dividends from state-owned enterprises, and income from government assets. It also excludes fines, penalties, most social security contributions, refunds treated as negative revenue, and informal or unrecorded tax collections not captured in official government finance statistics. For many countries, the indicator reflects central government tax revenue only and may not include taxes collected by state, provincial, or local governments.
The series is sourced from data.worldbank.org (https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/GC.TAX.TOTL.GD.ZS). It covers 2015–2024 and is reported in Percentage.
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