Government spending by function in Switzerland
Switzerland: Government spending by function was 39.3% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Government spending by function in Switzerland, 2007–2023
Source: OECD (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of government expenditure.
Analysis
In 2023, government spending by function in Switzerland stood at 39.3%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and down 1.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government spending by function in Switzerland peaked at 43.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 38.4%, in 2009.
That places Switzerland 9th out of 37 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
Government spending by function in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | % of government expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 39.3% | — |
| 2008 | 38.5% | -2.2% |
| 2009 | 38.4% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 39.0% | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 38.8% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 38.6% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 39.8% | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 39.6% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 39.5% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 39.8% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 39.6% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 39.5% | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 39.3% | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 43.2% | +10.0% |
| 2021 | 39.6% | -8.4% |
| 2022 | 38.9% | -1.7% |
| 2023 | 39.3% | +1.1% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 39.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 36.4%, 1.1× the median. (36 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 39.3% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 37.5%, 1.0× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 38.7% | 38.4% | 39.3% | 3 |
| 2010s | 39.3% | 38.6% | 39.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.2% | 38.9% | 43.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
More reference data data for Switzerland
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5507 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.2683 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.24 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.24 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.28 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.28 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.272 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government spending by function in Switzerland?
- Government spending by function in Switzerland was 39.3% in 2023, according to OECD (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest government spending by function recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 43.2% in 2020.
- What is the lowest government spending by function recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.4% in 2009.
- How does Switzerland rank for government spending by function?
- Switzerland ranks 9th out of 37 countries with data for 2023.
- Is government spending by function rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Switzerland data come from?
- The figures come from OECD (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Government spending by function. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 17 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
General government expenditure on social protection. This data is divided by total government expenditure, expressed as a percentage.