Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP (Percent GDP) in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP (Percent GDP) was 19.38 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP in Afghanistan, 2003–2024
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
Afghanistan recorded 19.38 for expenditure, general government, percent of gdp in 2024.
That represents a change of up 14.2% on the previous year and down 23.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure, general government, percent of gdp in Afghanistan peaked at 28.94 in 2018 and was at its lowest, 11.93, in 2003.
Afghanistan ranks 158th of 195 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP (Percent GDP) in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 11.93 | — |
| 2004 | 15.07 | +26.3% |
| 2005 | 15.65 | +3.9% |
| 2006 | 18.26 | +16.7% |
| 2007 | 21.45 | +17.4% |
| 2008 | 20.9 | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 21.15 | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 20.79 | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 21.94 | +5.5% |
| 2012 | 25.03 | +14.1% |
| 2013 | 24.98 | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 25.4 | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 25.95 | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 28.03 | +8.0% |
| 2017 | 27.73 | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 28.94 | +4.3% |
| 2019 | 28 | -3.2% |
| 2020 | 27.94 | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 17.93 | -35.8% |
| 2022 | 16.12 | -10.1% |
| 2023 | 16.97 | +5.3% |
| 2024 | 19.38 | +14.2% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 19.38 is below the median for low income countries, which is 21.58, 90% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 19.38 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 27.21, 71% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP (Percent GDP) in Afghanistan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | -35.8% | 27.94 | 17.93 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 17.77 | 11.93 | 21.45 | 7 |
| 2010s | 25.68 | 20.79 | 28.94 | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.67 | 16.12 | 27.94 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More public sector data for Afghanistan
- Democracy, annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (2021)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (2021)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (2021)
- 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)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (2021)
- Arms imports 65.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2021)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 1.62 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2021)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0046 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2021)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -71.86 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure, general government, percent of gdp in Afghanistan?
- Expenditure, general government, percent of gdp in Afghanistan was 19.38 in 2024, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest expenditure, general government, percent of gdp recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 28.94 in 2018.
- What is the lowest expenditure, general government, percent of gdp recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.93 in 2003.
- How does Afghanistan rank for expenditure, general government, percent of gdp?
- Afghanistan ranks 158th out of 195 countries with data for 2024.
- Is expenditure, general government, percent of gdp rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Fiscal Monitor (FM) 2025 October