Lower over the period
Germany Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP moved from 11.99 Percentage in 2015 to 10.89 Percentage in 2024 (−9.2%), an average of −1.1% a year. The series high was 11.99 Percentage in 2015 and the low 10.69 Percentage in 2023.
What Germany Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP shows
Germany Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP was 10.89 Percentage in 2024, up 1.9% on 2023. The Tax Revenue as a Percentage of GDP dataset for Germany provides a comprehensive overview of the country's tax collection performance relative to economic output, serving as a key indicator of fiscal capacity, government revenue generation, and public finance sustainability.
A 10.9% peak-to-trough swing
The gap between the series high (2015) and low (2023) is 1.30 Percentage. The sharpest single-year move was −6.2% in 2020.
Ranks 22 of 27 countries covered
Among the 27 countries in this dataset, Germany ranks 22 for 2024, behind Denmark (33.36 Percentage) and Sweden (27.23 Percentage). It accounts for 78.8% of the global total in 2024.
Full series
Germany Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP by year
Complete annual series with year-on-year change. Values are reported in Percentage.
Scroll the table sideways to see all columns.
| Year | Percentage | Change vs prior year |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 10.89 | +1.9% |
| 2023 Trough | 10.69 | −5.1% |
| 2022 | 11.26 | −1.9% |
| 2021 | 11.47 | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 11.16 | −6.2% |
| 2019 | 11.90 | −0.4% |
| 2018 | 11.95 | −0.2% |
| 2017 | 11.97 | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 11.83 | −1.3% |
| 2015Peak | 11.99 | — |
Regional context
How Germany compares in Europe & Central Asia
Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP by country, 2024, Percentage. Germany is highlighted.
1Denmark33.36
2Sweden27.23
3UK26.89
4Italy25.60
5Finland25.33
6Netherlands25.28
7France22.78
10Germany10.89
Data definition
Inclusions and exclusions
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.
About this indicator
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 that tax revenue remained relatively stable around 11–12% of GDP throughout the decade. The ratio stood at 11.99% in 2015, remained close to 12% through 2019, declined to 11.16% in 2020, recovered modestly to 11.47% in 2021, eased to 11.26% in 2022, reached a decade low of 10.69% in 2023, and improved slightly to 10.89% in 2024.
The year-wise trend reflects Germany's stable fiscal system while also highlighting the impact of changing economic conditions, pandemic-related disruptions, and subsequent adjustments in tax revenue collection. Despite moderate declines in the latter part of the period, the tax-to-GDP ratio demonstrates the country's continued ability to generate domestic revenue to support public services, infrastructure, healthcare, education, and long-term economic development.
The dataset is an essential resource for policymakers, economists, financial institutions, investors, researchers, and international organizations assessing fiscal sustainability, taxation efficiency, and macroeconomic performance. It supports benchmarking Germany against regional and global economies, evaluating tax policy effectiveness, monitoring long-term fiscal trends, forecasting government revenue, and analyzing the relationship between taxation and economic growth. Additionally, the data contributes to studies on public finance, fiscal resilience, government budgeting, and economic competitiveness.
Overall, the 2015–2024 dataset provides valuable insights into Germany's evolving tax revenue performance relative to GDP and serves as a reliable foundation for fiscal analysis, policy evaluation, investment decisions, and long-term economic forecasting.
- Indicator
- Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP
- Country
- Germany
- Region
- Europe & Central Asia
- Unit
- Percentage
- Coverage
- 2015–2024, annual
- Category
- BFSI
- Last updated
- July 2026
- Source
- data.worldbank.org
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Frequently asked questions
What is Germany Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP?
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.
What was Germany Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP in 2024?
Germany Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP was 10.89 Percentage in 2024, up 1.9% on 2023.
How has Germany Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP changed between 2015 and 2024?
Germany Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP moved from 11.99 Percentage in 2015 to 10.89 Percentage in 2024 (−9.2%), an average of −1.1% a year. The series high was 11.99 Percentage in 2015 and the low 10.69 Percentage in 2023.
Which year had the highest and lowest Germany Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP?
The highest value was 11.99 Percentage in 2015 and the lowest was 10.69 Percentage in 2023.
What does the Germany Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP data include and exclude?
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.
Where does the Germany Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP data come from?
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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