Tax revenue (% of GDP) in Iran
Iran: Tax revenue (% of GDP) was 7.4% in 2009. ▼ Falling
Tax revenue in Iran, 1972–2009
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2009, tax revenue in Iran stood at 7.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 18.7% on the previous year and down 11.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tax revenue in Iran peaked at 10.2% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 3.9%, in 1993.
That places Iran 143rd out of 157 countries with data for 2009, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 38 years of available data.
Tax revenue (% of GDP) in Iran, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 8.3% | — |
| 1973 | 7.5% | -8.7% |
| 1974 | 5.4% | -28.2% |
| 1975 | 8.2% | +51.2% |
| 1976 | 7.6% | -7.7% |
| 1977 | 8.2% | +8.7% |
| 1978 | 8.9% | +8.0% |
| 1979 | 6.0% | -32.4% |
| 1980 | 5.2% | -13.7% |
| 1981 | 7.0% | +35.0% |
| 1982 | 5.9% | -15.1% |
| 1983 | 6.0% | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 6.4% | +6.7% |
| 1985 | 7.3% | +13.9% |
| 1986 | 6.8% | -7.4% |
| 1987 | 6.0% | -11.5% |
| 1988 | 5.4% | -9.5% |
| 1989 | 5.4% | -1.2% |
| 1990 | 5.6% | +3.8% |
| 1991 | 6.2% | +10.6% |
| 1992 | 6.9% | +11.7% |
| 1993 | 3.9% | -43.9% |
| 1994 | 4.4% | +13.2% |
| 1995 | 6.2% | +42.3% |
| 1996 | 7.9% | +27.7% |
| 1997 | 10.2% | +27.8% |
| 1998 | 8.6% | -14.9% |
| 1999 | 8.3% | -3.7% |
| 2000 | 5.9% | -29.6% |
| 2001 | 5.7% | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 5.0% | -13.1% |
| 2003 | 5.2% | +4.1% |
| 2004 | 5.2% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 6.7% | +28.1% |
| 2006 | 6.2% | -6.6% |
| 2007 | 5.9% | -4.5% |
| 2008 | 6.2% | +4.4% |
| 2009 | 7.4% | +18.7% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 7.4% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 17.0%, 43% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Iran's 7.4% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 10.5%, 70% of the median. (14 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 7.5% | 5.4% | 8.9% | 8 |
| 1980s | 6.1% | 5.2% | 7.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.8% | 3.9% | 10.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.9% | 5.0% | 7.4% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Iran
- 140 Bangladesh 7.6% compare
- 141 Angola 7.6% compare
- 142 Sudan 7.4% compare
- 144 Zimbabwe 7.2%
- 145 Panama 7.2%
- 146 Micronesia (country) 7.0%
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 tax revenue in Iran?
- Tax revenue in Iran was 7.4% in 2009, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest tax revenue recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 10.2% in 1997.
- What is the lowest tax revenue recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.9% in 1993.
- How does Iran rank for tax revenue?
- Iran ranks 143rd out of 157 countries with data for 2009.
- Is tax revenue rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iran data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Tax revenue (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Taxes are compulsory, unrequited payments, in cash or in kind, made by institutional units to government units. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.