Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP (9/26/2025) (Percent) in Iran
Iran: Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP (9/26/2025) (Percent) was 12.97 in 2031. ▼ Falling
Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP in Iran, 1990–2031
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
The most recent figure for expenditure, general government, percent of gdp in Iran is 12.97, measured in 2031.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 2.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure, general government, percent of gdp in Iran peaked at 27.23 in 1993 and was at its lowest, 11.4, in 2012.
That places Iran 25th out of 26 countries with data for 2031, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 42 years of available data.
Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP (9/26/2025) (Percent) in Iran, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 16.39 | — |
| 1991 | 14.05 | -14.3% |
| 1992 | 14.44 | +2.8% |
| 1993 | 27.23 | +88.6% |
| 1994 | 23 | -15.6% |
| 1995 | 20.97 | -8.8% |
| 1996 | 17.26 | -17.7% |
| 1997 | 17.39 | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 16.9 | -2.8% |
| 1999 | 15.75 | -6.8% |
| 2000 | 13.32 | -15.4% |
| 2001 | 13.63 | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 15.65 | +14.8% |
| 2003 | 15.67 | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 15.06 | -3.9% |
| 2005 | 17.93 | +19.0% |
| 2006 | 18.66 | +4.1% |
| 2007 | 14.22 | -23.8% |
| 2008 | 16.83 | +18.4% |
| 2009 | 15.66 | -6.9% |
| 2010 | 14.06 | -10.2% |
| 2011 | 14.63 | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 11.4 | -22.1% |
| 2013 | 11.52 | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 12.26 | +6.4% |
| 2015 | 14.14 | +15.3% |
| 2016 | 16.34 | +15.6% |
| 2017 | 16.41 | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 14.77 | -10.0% |
| 2019 | 13.55 | -8.2% |
| 2020 | 12.14 | -10.4% |
| 2021 | 13.35 | +10.0% |
| 2022 | 12.84 | -3.8% |
| 2023 | 12.79 | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 15.96 | +24.9% |
| 2025 | 13.44 | -15.8% |
| 2026 | 13.08 | -2.7% |
| 2027 | 13.97 | +6.8% |
| 2028 | 13.23 | -5.3% |
| 2029 | 13.16 | -0.5% |
| 2030 | 13.09 | -0.6% |
| 2031 | 12.97 | -0.9% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 12.97 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 32.6, 40% of the median. (7 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP (9/26/2025) (Percent) in Iran changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +88.6% | 14.44 | 27.23 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 18.34 | 14.05 | 27.23 | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.66 | 13.32 | 18.66 | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.91 | 11.4 | 16.41 | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.4 | 12.14 | 15.96 | 10 |
| 2030s | 13.03 | 12.97 | 13.09 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More public sector data for Iran
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 42.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.4587 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0001 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 100 % change on previous year (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 42.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 86.19 current USD per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure, general government, percent of gdp in Iran?
- Expenditure, general government, percent of gdp in Iran was 12.97 in 2031, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest expenditure, general government, percent of gdp recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 27.23 in 1993.
- What is the lowest expenditure, general government, percent of gdp recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.4 in 2012.
- How does Iran rank for expenditure, general government, percent of gdp?
- Iran ranks 25th out of 26 countries with data for 2031.
- Is expenditure, general government, percent of gdp rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iran data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP (9/26/2025). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The World Economic Outlook (WEO) database is created during the biannual WEO exercise, which begins in January and June of each year and results in the April and September/October WEO publication. Selected series from the publication are available in a database format.