Heavily indebted countries Compared by Economy > Budget surplus > + or deficit > -
DEFINITION:
This entry records the difference between national government revenues and expenditures, expressed as a percent of GDP. A positive (+) number indicates that revenues exceeded expenditures (a budget surplus), while a negative (-) number indicates the reverse (a budget deficit). Normalizing the data, by dividing the budget balance by GDP, enables easy comparisons across countries and indicates whether a national government saves or borrows money. Countries with high budget deficits (relative to their GDPs) generally have more difficulty raising funds to finance expenditures, than those with lower deficits.
CONTENTS
| # | COUNTRY | AMOUNT | DATE | GRAPH | HISTORY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 3.6% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 2 | Seychelles | 2.2% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 3 | Singapore | 2.1% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 4 | Germany | 0.1% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 5 | Antigua and Barbuda | -0.8% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 6 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | -1% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 7 | Belize | 0.0 | 2012 | ||
| 8 | Austria | -1.4% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 9 | Hungary | -2.1% of GDP | 2013 | ||
| 10 | Saint Lucia | -2.8% of GDP | 2011 | ||
| 11 | Italy | -2.9% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 12 | Puerto Rico | -3.1% of GDP | 2000 | ||
| 13 | Canada | -3.3% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 14 | Malta | -3.4% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 15 | Iceland | -3.5% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 16 | Israel | -4% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 17 | Netherlands | -4.1% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| =18 | Jamaica | -4.2% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| =18 | Belgium | -4.2% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 20 | France | -4.9% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 21 | Grenada | -5.2% of GDP | 2009 | ||
| 22 | Cyprus | -6.4% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| =23 | Portugal | -6.5% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| =23 | Sri Lanka | -6.5% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 25 | United States | -6.8% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| =26 | Ireland | -7.6% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| =26 | Serbia | -7.6% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 28 | Malawi | -7.9% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 29 | Barbados | -8.1% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 30 | United Kingdom | -8.2% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 31 | Morocco | -8.4% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 32 | Sudan | -8.6% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 33 | Lebanon | -9.6% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 34 | Jordan | -9.8% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 35 | Japan | -10% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 36 | Greece | -10.2% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| =37 | Sao Tome and Principe | -10.9% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| =37 | Spain | -10.9% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| =37 | Egypt | -10.9% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 40 | Cape Verde | -12.1% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 41 | Dominica | -12.4% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 42 | Eritrea | -12.6% of GDP | 2012 |
