Tax Revenue as a Percentage of GDPby Country

Tax Revenue as a 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 indicates a relatively stable global tax-to-GDP ratio throughout the decade. Global tax revenue accounted for 14.00% of GDP in 2015, increased to 14.16% in 2017, declined to 13.66% in 2020 amid pandemic-related economic disruptions, and recovered to 14.33% in 2021 and 14.50% in 2022, the highest level during the period. The ratio subsequently moderated to 13.89% in 2023 and 13.82% in 2024, reflecting evolving economic conditions, fiscal reforms, and post-pandemic normalization. Overall, the limited year-to-year variation demonstrates the resilience of global tax systems and sustained government revenue generation. Among the countries covered in this dataset, Denmark consistently recorded the highest tax-to-GDP ratio, peaking at 35.16% in 2021 and remaining at 33.36% in 2024, reflecting a strong public revenue base. The United Kingdom maintained robust fiscal performance, with tax revenue increasing from 24.92% in 2015 to 26.89% in 2024, while Sweden consistently recorded tax revenue above 27% throughout the period. Other economies, including France, Italy, the Netherlands, Brazil, Mexico, and South Africa, also demonstrated relatively stable tax revenue performance, contributing to broader global fiscal trends. This dataset is a valuable resource for policymakers, economists, financial institutions, investors, researchers, and international organizations evaluating fiscal sustainability, taxation efficiency, and government revenue performance. It supports cross-country benchmarking, tax policy evaluation, long-term fiscal 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 worldwide.