– Tax Revenue (% of GDP) refers to the total tax revenue collected by the central government, expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
South Asia Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP was 6.95 Percentage in 2022. The Tax Revenue as a Percentage of GDP dataset for South Asia provides a comprehensive assessment of government tax revenue relative to the region's economic output, offering valuable insights into fiscal capacity, domestic revenue mobilization, and public finance performance. Measured as a Percentage, the dataset covers the available period 2015–2022.
South Asia Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP moved from 10.50 Percentage in 2015 to 6.95 Percentage in 2022 (−33.8%), an average of −5.7% a year. The series high was 11.73 Percentage in 2018 and the low 6.95 Percentage in 2022.
The gap between the series high (2018) and low (2022) is 4.79 Percentage. The sharpest single-year move was −40.8% in 2022.
Within South Asia, India has the highest value in 2022 at 6.93 Percentage, 99.8% of the regional total.
Country ranking
Percentage. Sort by any column, or search for a country.
South Asia average, 2022: 6.95 Percentage. Per-capita values are averages, not additive totals.
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| Rank↕ | Country↕ | Share of top | Percentage↕ | vs 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 6.93 | — |
By region
Percentage, 2022. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 Trough | 6.95 | −40.8% |
| 2018Peak | 11.73 | +5.5% |
| 2017 | 11.12 | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 10.91 | +4% |
| 2015 | 10.50 | — |
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.
Based on the available data, the regional tax-to-GDP ratio increased from 10.50% in 2015 to 11.73% in 2018, reflecting strengthening tax collection and improved fiscal capacity. The latest available regional value is 6.95% in 2022. As data for several intermediate years is unavailable, the dataset should be interpreted within the context of the reported observations rather than as a continuous trend. The regional performance is primarily represented by India, South Asia's largest economy, where the tax-to-GDP ratio increased steadily from 10.57% in 2015 to 12.02% in 2018, indicating improvements in tax administration, revenue mobilization, and fiscal reforms during the period. The latest available value for India is 6.93% in 2022. Although country coverage is limited in the available dataset, the reported figures provide a useful benchmark for assessing fiscal performance and domestic revenue generation across South Asia. This dataset is a valuable resource for policymakers, economists, financial institutions, investors, and researchers evaluating fiscal sustainability, taxation efficiency, and government revenue performance across the region. It supports regional and international benchmarking, tax policy evaluation, historical trend analysis, and revenue forecasting where updated data is available. Additionally, the dataset contributes to studies on public finance, macroeconomic stability, fiscal resilience, and sustainable economic development by illustrating the role of taxation in financing public services, infrastructure, and long-term economic growth across South 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.
South Asia Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP was 6.95 Percentage in 2022.
South Asia Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP moved from 10.50 Percentage in 2015 to 6.95 Percentage in 2022 (−33.8%), an average of −5.7% a year. The series high was 11.73 Percentage in 2018 and the low 6.95 Percentage in 2022.
The highest value was 11.73 Percentage in 2018 and the lowest was 6.95 Percentage in 2022.
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 2015–2022 and is reported in Percentage.
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