Taxes on goods and services (% of revenue) in Germany
Germany: Taxes on goods and services (% of revenue) was 20.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Taxes on goods and services in Germany, 1972–2024
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of revenue.
Analysis
Germany recorded 20.0% for taxes on goods and services in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 53 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 20.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, taxes on goods and services in Germany peaked at 28.3% in 1972 and was at its lowest, 20.0%, in 2024.
Germany ranks 129th of 156 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 53 years of available data.
Taxes on goods and services (% of revenue) in Germany, year by year
| Year | % of revenue | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 28.3% | — |
| 1973 | 26.6% | -6.1% |
| 1974 | 24.6% | -7.5% |
| 1975 | 24.5% | -0.3% |
| 1976 | 23.9% | -2.6% |
| 1977 | 23.0% | -3.7% |
| 1978 | 23.7% | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 24.2% | +2.1% |
| 1980 | 23.1% | -4.3% |
| 1981 | 22.8% | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 21.4% | -6.0% |
| 1983 | 22.0% | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 23.3% | +6.2% |
| 1985 | 22.3% | -4.4% |
| 1986 | 21.9% | -2.1% |
| 1987 | 22.4% | +2.6% |
| 1988 | 22.6% | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 23.1% | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 23.8% | +3.2% |
| 1991 | 23.9% | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 23.1% | -3.2% |
| 1993 | 23.1% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 23.6% | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 21.7% | -8.0% |
| 1996 | 20.3% | -6.4% |
| 1997 | 20.0% | -1.8% |
| 1998 | 20.3% | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 21.0% | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 21.4% | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 22.1% | +3.1% |
| 2002 | 22.2% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 22.3% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 22.3% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 23.0% | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 23.0% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 24.5% | +6.3% |
| 2008 | 24.4% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 25.3% | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 25.1% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 25.7% | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 25.2% | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 25.4% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 25.2% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 24.8% | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 23.7% | -4.3% |
| 2017 | 23.7% | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 23.0% | -3.3% |
| 2019 | 22.6% | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 20.6% | -8.6% |
| 2021 | 21.4% | +3.8% |
| 2022 | 21.1% | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 20.2% | -4.3% |
| 2024 | 20.0% | -1.1% |
Germany compared with similar countries
- Germany's 20.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 26.4%, 76% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- Germany's 20.0% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 31.1%, 64% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 24.9% | 23.0% | 28.3% | 8 |
| 1980s | 22.5% | 21.4% | 23.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.1% | 20.0% | 23.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.1% | 21.4% | 25.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.5% | 22.6% | 25.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.7% | 20.0% | 21.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Germany
- 126 Niger 20.9% compare
- 127 Trinidad and Tobago 20.8% compare
- 128 Brazil 20.3% compare
- 130 Democratic Republic of Congo 19.5% compare
- 131 France 18.9% compare
- 132 San Marino 18.8% compare
More public sector data for Germany
- 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 1.63 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 2.86 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 19.5 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is taxes on goods and services in Germany?
- Taxes on goods and services in Germany was 20.0% in 2024, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest taxes on goods and services recorded in Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 28.3% in 1972.
- What is the lowest taxes on goods and services recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.0% in 2024.
- How does Germany rank for taxes on goods and services?
- Germany ranks 129th out of 156 countries with data for 2024.
- Is taxes on goods and services rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Germany data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Taxes on goods and services (% of revenue). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
General taxes on goods and services are taxes levied on the production, leasing, delivery, sale, purchase or other change of ownership of a wide range of goods and the provision of a wide range of services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of revenue which includes all transactions that add to the amount of economic value of a unit or sector.