Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense) in Singapore
Singapore: Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense) was 22.5% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Subsidies and other transfers in Singapore, 1990–2023
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of expense.
Analysis
In 2023, subsidies and other transfers in Singapore stood at 22.5%.
The figure is down 0.7% on the previous year and up 6,142.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, subsidies and other transfers in Singapore peaked at 38.2% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 2011.
That places Singapore 120th out of 152 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense) in Singapore, year by year
| Year | % of expense | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 23.4% | — |
| 1991 | 28.2% | +20.4% |
| 1992 | 28.6% | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 31.1% | +8.7% |
| 1994 | 9.7% | -68.9% |
| 1995 | 14.9% | +53.9% |
| 1996 | 38.2% | +156.9% |
| 1997 | 27.5% | -27.9% |
| 1998 | 32.3% | +17.1% |
| 1999 | 28.3% | -12.4% |
| 2000 | 35.8% | +26.5% |
| 2001 | 14.8% | -58.6% |
| 2002 | 14.6% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 16.1% | +10.2% |
| 2004 | 15.2% | -5.8% |
| 2005 | 8.2% | -46.1% |
| 2006 | 6.2% | -23.8% |
| 2007 | 0.3% | -94.8% |
| 2008 | 0.3% | -7.3% |
| 2009 | 0.3% | +13.2% |
| 2010 | 0.3% | -1.4% |
| 2011 | 0.2% | -30.2% |
| 2012 | 0.2% | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 0.4% | +50.0% |
| 2014 | 0.2% | -35.0% |
| 2015 | 0.3% | +10.8% |
| 2016 | 23.7% | +9055.0% |
| 2017 | 22.9% | -3.5% |
| 2018 | 21.9% | -4.3% |
| 2019 | 22.9% | +4.4% |
| 2020 | 20.8% | -8.9% |
| 2021 | 21.6% | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 22.6% | +4.7% |
| 2023 | 22.5% | -0.7% |
Singapore compared with similar countries
- Singapore's 22.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 48.0%, 47% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Singapore's 22.5% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 29.4%, 76% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense) in Singapore 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | +9055.0% | 0.3% | 23.7% |
| 1996 | +156.9% | 14.9% | 38.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 26.2% | 9.7% | 38.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.2% | 0.3% | 35.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.3% | 0.2% | 23.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.9% | 20.8% | 22.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Singapore
- 117 El Salvador 23.3% compare
- 118 Malawi 22.7% compare
- 119 Bahamas 22.5% compare
- 121 United Arab Emirates 22.4% compare
- 122 Sri Lanka 21.0% compare
- 123 Dominican Republic 20.9% compare
More public sector data for Singapore
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, 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)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 57.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 57.65 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0006 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -27.95 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is subsidies and other transfers in Singapore?
- Subsidies and other transfers in Singapore was 22.5% in 2023, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest subsidies and other transfers recorded in Singapore?
- The highest recorded value was 38.2% in 1996.
- What is the lowest subsidies and other transfers recorded in Singapore?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 2011.
- How does Singapore rank for subsidies and other transfers?
- Singapore ranks 120th out of 152 countries with data for 2023.
- Is subsidies and other transfers rising or falling in Singapore?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6,142.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Singapore data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Subsidies are current unrequited payments that government units, including nonresident government units, make to enterprises on the basis of the levels of their production activities or the quantities or values of the goods or services that they produce, sell, export or import. This indicator is expressed as percentage of total expenses which is any decrease in net worth resulting from a transaction.