Belgium vs Portugal: Government spending by function
Belgium
37.7%
in 2023
Portugal
39.2%
in 2023
Belgium rank
13th
Portugal rank
11th
Government spending by function over time
- Belgium
- Portugal
How they compare
Portugal currently reports 39.2% against 37.7% in Belgium, a difference of 1.5%.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 17 shared years of data; in 2007 it was Belgium ahead.
Belgium ranks 13th and Portugal ranks 11th of 37 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, Belgium averaged higher in 1 and Portugal in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Belgium | Portugal | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 34.7% | 33.7% | 1.0% | Belgium |
| 2010s | 35.9% | 37.9% | 2.0% | Portugal |
| 2020s | 38.1% | 39.0% | 0.9% | Portugal |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher government spending by function, Belgium or Portugal?
- Portugal, at 39.2% against 37.7% in Belgium as of 2023.
- What is the difference in government spending by function between Belgium and Portugal?
- 1.5%, with Portugal ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Belgium and Portugal?
- 17 years are reported by both, from 2007 to 2023.
- How do Belgium and Portugal rank globally for government spending by function?
- Belgium ranks 13th and Portugal ranks 11th of 37 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- OECD (2026) β with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Government spending by function. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
General government expenditure on social protection. This data is divided by total government expenditure, expressed as a percentage.