Wage bill as a percentage of GDP by country
Countries reporting
191
Highest
45.1%
Libya
Lowest
1.0%
India
Median
8.1%
Years covered
23
2000–2022
Data points
4,127
What the numbers show
Wage bill as a percentage of GDP is currently reported for 191 countries. The highest value is 45.1% in Libya; the lowest is 1.0% in India.
The median across all reporting countries is 8.1%, and the mean is 9.0%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 46.
Over the past decade 102 countries rose and 86 fell. The largest increase was in Libya (up 428.5%), and the largest decrease in Venezuela (down 70.3%).
Wage bill as a percentage of GDP: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Libya | 45.1% | 2014 | up 428.5% | volatile |
| 2 | Nauru | 42.6% | 2022 | up 270.9% | rising |
| 3 | Kiribati | 38.6% | 2021 | up 28.7% | rising |
| 4 | Tuvalu | 31.3% | 2022 | down 4.1% | falling |
| 5 | Marshall Islands | 22.4% | 2022 | up 4.8% | rising |
| 6 | Lesotho | 19.5% | 2022 | up 24.8% | rising |
| 7 | Micronesia (country) | 18.0% | 2022 | down 12.8% | falling |
| 8 | Kuwait | 16.8% | 2022 | up 66.3% | rising |
| 9 | Vanuatu | 16.6% | 2022 | up 36.8% | rising |
| 10 | Eritrea | 16.5% | 2022 | up 184.4% | falling |
| 11 | Palau | 15.8% | 2019 | down 15.7% | falling |
| 12 | Tunisia | 15.1% | 2022 | up 28.5% | rising |
| 13 | Iceland | 14.9% | 2022 | up 11.4% | flat |
| 14 | Kyrgyzstan | 14.7% | 2022 | up 49.0% | rising |
| 15 | Namibia | 14.7% | 2022 | up 18.0% | rising |
| 16 | Tonga | 14.6% | 2022 | up 28.1% | rising |
| 17 | Mozambique | 14.5% | 2022 | up 62.1% | rising |
| 18 | Denmark | 14.4% | 2022 | down 13.1% | falling |
| 19 | Botswana | 13.9% | 2022 | up 1.2% | rising |
| 20 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 13.7% | 2022 | up 11.4% | rising |
| 21 | Samoa | 13.7% | 2022 | up 78.0% | rising |
| 22 | Saudi Arabia | 13.2% | 2022 | down 3.5% | falling |
| 23 | East Timor | 13.2% | 2022 | up 17.1% | rising |
| 24 | Bolivia | 13.0% | 2022 | up 45.2% | rising |
| 25 | Afghanistan | 12.7% | 2020 | up 12.8% | rising |
| 26 | Cyprus | 12.6% | 2022 | down 13.8% | falling |
| 27 | Finland | 12.6% | 2022 | down 11.6% | flat |
| 28 | Sweden | 12.4% | 2022 | down 0.7% | flat |
| 29 | France | 12.4% | 2022 | down 3.4% | flat |
| 30 | Canada | 12.4% | 2021 | up 1.6% | rising |
| 31 | Belgium | 12.3% | 2022 | down 3.5% | rising |
| 32 | El Salvador | 12.1% | 2022 | up 24.8% | rising |
| 33 | Malta | 12.1% | 2022 | down 3.8% | falling |
| 34 | Norway | 12.0% | 2022 | down 7.1% | rising |
| 35 | Solomon Islands | 11.7% | 2022 | up 31.9% | rising |
| 36 | Croatia | 11.6% | 2022 | down 2.9% | rising |
| 37 | Spain | 11.6% | 2022 | up 5.7% | rising |
| 38 | San Marino | 11.6% | 2021 | down 14.8% | rising |
| 39 | Greece | 11.6% | 2022 | down 11.1% | rising |
| 40 | Slovenia | 11.6% | 2022 | down 7.8% | flat |
| 41 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 11.5% | 2022 | up 15.3% | flat |
| 42 | Macao | 11.4% | 2020 | up 180.5% | falling |
| 43 | Eswatini | 11.3% | 2022 | up 0.6% | rising |
| 44 | Honduras | 11.1% | 2021 | down 8.3% | flat |
| 45 | Dominica | 11.0% | 2022 | down 2.0% | falling |
| 46 | Maldives | 10.9% | 2022 | up 6.3% | rising |
| 47 | Russia | 10.9% | 2022 | up 18.4% | rising |
| 48 | Algeria | 10.9% | 2022 | down 10.8% | rising |
| 49 | Cape Verde | 10.9% | 2022 | up 3.0% | rising |
| 50 | Lithuania | 10.9% | 2022 | up 11.6% | falling |
| 51 | Seychelles | 10.8% | 2022 | up 57.2% | falling |
| 52 | Morocco | 10.7% | 2022 | down 9.6% | flat |
| 53 | Estonia | 10.7% | 2022 | up 9.0% | rising |
| 54 | Iraq | 10.7% | 2022 | down 4.5% | rising |
| 55 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 10.6% | 2022 | down 15.0% | falling |
| 56 | Slovakia | 10.6% | 2022 | up 27.3% | rising |
| 57 | Portugal | 10.6% | 2022 | down 9.4% | falling |
| 58 | Austria | 10.6% | 2022 | down 1.6% | flat |
| 59 | Sao Tome and Principe | 10.5% | 2022 | up 20.4% | rising |
| 60 | Bhutan | 10.4% | 2021 | — | rising |
| 61 | Lebanon | 10.3% | 2020 | up 18.4% | flat |
| 62 | South Africa | 10.2% | 2022 | down 1.1% | rising |
| 63 | Hungary | 10.2% | 2022 | up 2.8% | falling |
| 64 | Czechia | 10.2% | 2022 | up 15.7% | rising |
| 65 | Italy | 10.2% | 2022 | down 1.8% | falling |
| 66 | Luxembourg | 10.1% | 2022 | up 5.8% | flat |
| 67 | Argentina | 10.1% | 2022 | down 9.6% | rising |
| 68 | Jamaica | 10.0% | 2022 | down 10.9% | flat |
| 69 | Poland | 10.0% | 2022 | down 5.1% | falling |
| 70 | Brazil | 9.8% | 2022 | up 8.5% | flat |
| 71 | Serbia | 9.8% | 2022 | down 15.6% | falling |
| 72 | United Kingdom | 9.7% | 2022 | down 3.0% | flat |
| 73 | Ecuador | 9.6% | 2022 | down 1.0% | rising |
| 74 | Montenegro | 9.6% | 2022 | down 16.2% | flat |
| 75 | Ukraine | 9.3% | 2021 | down 10.6% | rising |
| 76 | United States | 9.3% | 2022 | down 4.6% | flat |
| 77 | New Zealand | 9.3% | 2022 | down 0.8% | flat |
| 78 | Mauritius | 9.2% | 2022 | up 17.2% | rising |
| 79 | Israel | 9.1% | 2022 | down 8.3% | falling |
| 80 | Grenada | 9.0% | 2022 | down 14.5% | flat |
| 81 | Antigua and Barbuda | 9.0% | 2022 | up 6.9% | falling |
| 82 | Fiji | 9.0% | 2022 | up 15.2% | falling |
| 83 | Bahrain | 8.9% | 2022 | down 14.2% | falling |
| 84 | Burkina Faso | 8.9% | 2022 | up 72.3% | rising |
| 85 | Vietnam | 8.9% | 2019 | — | rising |
| 86 | Qatar | 8.8% | 2022 | up 78.4% | rising |
| 87 | Suriname | 8.8% | 2022 | up 29.0% | flat |
| 88 | Romania | 8.4% | 2022 | up 22.1% | rising |
| 89 | Belize | 8.4% | 2022 | up 7.7% | rising |
| 90 | Saint Lucia | 8.4% | 2022 | down 4.7% | flat |
| 91 | Netherlands | 8.3% | 2022 | down 7.1% | flat |
| 92 | Cambodia | 8.3% | 2022 | up 105.8% | rising |
| 93 | Barbados | 8.2% | 2022 | down 14.3% | falling |
| 94 | Latvia | 8.2% | 2022 | up 9.0% | rising |
| 95 | Zambia | 8.1% | 2022 | up 13.4% | rising |
| 96 | Oman | 8.1% | 2022 | up 17.8% | rising |
| 97 | Kosovo | 8.1% | 2022 | down 5.0% | rising |
| 97 | Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) | 8.1% | 2022 | down 5.0% | rising |
| 99 | Uzbekistan | 8.0% | 2020 | — | rising |
| 100 | Brunei | 8.0% | 2022 | up 1.1% | flat |
| 101 | Germany | 8.0% | 2022 | up 1.9% | flat |
| 102 | Australia | 8.0% | 2022 | down 6.7% | falling |
| 103 | Mali | 7.9% | 2022 | up 72.7% | rising |
| 104 | Sierra Leone | 7.9% | 2022 | up 39.6% | rising |
| 105 | Moldova | 7.8% | 2022 | down 2.9% | falling |
| 106 | Burundi | 7.8% | 2022 | down 7.0% | rising |
| 107 | United Arab Emirates | 7.6% | 2022 | up 167.3% | rising |
| 108 | Liberia | 7.5% | 2022 | down 7.4% | rising |
| 109 | Panama | 7.5% | 2022 | up 46.7% | rising |
| 110 | Belarus | 7.5% | 2022 | down 7.3% | falling |
| 111 | Switzerland | 7.4% | 2022 | up 1.5% | rising |
| 112 | South Sudan | 7.3% | 2022 | down 31.5% | falling |
| 113 | Chile | 7.0% | 2022 | up 22.3% | rising |
| 114 | Aruba | 6.9% | 2022 | down 37.8% | falling |
| 115 | South Korea | 6.9% | 2019 | up 3.4% | rising |
| 116 | Paraguay | 6.7% | 2022 | down 4.6% | rising |
| 117 | Bulgaria | 6.6% | 2022 | up 29.5% | rising |
| 118 | Nicaragua | 6.6% | 2022 | down 0.1% | rising |
| 119 | Tajikistan | 6.6% | 2022 | up 18.4% | rising |
| 120 | Ethiopia | 6.6% | 2022 | up 1.5% | rising |
| 121 | Philippines | 6.5% | 2022 | up 33.1% | rising |
| 122 | Ghana | 6.5% | 2022 | down 20.5% | rising |
| 123 | Chad | 6.5% | 2022 | up 45.1% | rising |
| 124 | Turkey | 6.4% | 2022 | down 12.2% | rising |
| 125 | North Macedonia | 6.3% | 2022 | down 11.9% | falling |
| 126 | Laos | 6.3% | 2022 | up 3.4% | rising |
| 127 | Senegal | 6.3% | 2022 | up 22.1% | rising |
| 128 | Peru | 6.2% | 2022 | up 26.2% | flat |
| 129 | Costa Rica | 6.2% | 2022 | down 11.2% | rising |
| 130 | Malawi | 6.1% | 2022 | up 61.7% | rising |
| 131 | Azerbaijan | 6.0% | 2022 | up 76.4% | rising |
| 132 | Mongolia | 5.9% | 2021 | down 3.5% | falling |
| 133 | Ireland | 5.9% | 2022 | down 47.7% | falling |
| 134 | Thailand | 5.8% | 2022 | down 9.0% | flat |
| 135 | Bahamas | 5.7% | 2022 | up 0.7% | rising |
| 136 | Djibouti | 5.7% | 2022 | down 33.7% | falling |
| 137 | Rwanda | 5.6% | 2022 | up 67.1% | rising |
| 138 | Syria | 5.6% | 2010 | up 50.8% | rising |
| 139 | Madagascar | 5.6% | 2022 | up 22.3% | rising |
| 140 | Guinea-Bissau | 5.6% | 2022 | up 19.8% | rising |
| 141 | Mauritania | 5.6% | 2022 | up 18.0% | rising |
| 142 | Papua New Guinea | 5.5% | 2022 | up 75.9% | rising |
| 143 | Jordan | 5.5% | 2022 | up 4.9% | falling |
| 144 | Armenia | 5.4% | 2022 | up 15.7% | rising |
| 145 | Colombia | 5.4% | 2022 | up 3.0% | falling |
| 146 | Japan | 5.3% | 2021 | down 7.8% | falling |
| 147 | Malaysia | 5.3% | 2022 | down 12.9% | rising |
| 148 | Indonesia | 5.2% | 2022 | down 3.0% | rising |
| 149 | Zimbabwe | 5.2% | 2022 | down 57.4% | volatile |
| 150 | Comoros | 5.2% | 2022 | up 11.3% | rising |
| 151 | Central African Republic | 5.2% | 2022 | up 30.6% | rising |
| 152 | Togo | 5.1% | 2022 | up 12.0% | rising |
| 153 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 5.0% | 2022 | up 10.4% | rising |
| 154 | Gabon | 5.0% | 2022 | down 3.8% | rising |
| 155 | Cote d'Ivoire | 4.8% | 2022 | down 2.3% | rising |
| 156 | Mexico | 4.8% | 2022 | down 11.4% | falling |
| 157 | Gambia | 4.8% | 2022 | up 19.4% | rising |
| 158 | Trinidad and Tobago | 4.7% | 2022 | up 7.0% | falling |
| 159 | Egypt | 4.7% | 2022 | down 37.1% | falling |
| 160 | Hong Kong | 4.6% | 2020 | up 14.5% | falling |
| 161 | Uruguay | 4.5% | 2022 | down 1.6% | rising |
| 162 | Tanzania | 4.4% | 2022 | down 10.5% | rising |
| 163 | Benin | 4.4% | 2022 | down 11.3% | rising |
| 164 | Albania | 4.3% | 2022 | down 17.1% | falling |
| 165 | Cameroon | 4.3% | 2022 | down 6.2% | flat |
| 166 | Angola | 4.3% | 2022 | down 49.0% | falling |
| 167 | Congo | 4.2% | 2022 | up 53.6% | rising |
| 168 | Dominican Republic | 4.2% | 2022 | up 13.1% | rising |
| 169 | Guatemala | 4.1% | 2022 | up 7.1% | rising |
| 170 | Sri Lanka | 4.0% | 2022 | up 3.7% | falling |
| 171 | Kenya | 4.0% | 2022 | down 26.0% | falling |
| 172 | Turkmenistan | 3.9% | 2022 | up 35.1% | flat |
| 173 | Niger | 3.8% | 2022 | up 17.2% | rising |
| 174 | Singapore | 3.6% | 2022 | up 2.4% | falling |
| 175 | Myanmar | 3.6% | 2022 | up 81.0% | volatile |
| 176 | Kazakhstan | 3.6% | 2022 | up 16.3% | falling |
| 177 | Uganda | 3.5% | 2022 | up 35.4% | falling |
| 178 | Guinea | 3.4% | 2022 | up 0.6% | rising |
| 179 | Yemen | 3.4% | 2022 | down 69.7% | falling |
| 180 | Haiti | 3.2% | 2022 | up 9.2% | rising |
| 181 | Georgia | 3.1% | 2022 | down 29.6% | rising |
| 182 | Somalia | 3.1% | 2022 | up 181.4% | rising |
| 183 | Guyana | 2.9% | 2022 | down 30.7% | falling |
| 184 | Nepal | 2.8% | 2022 | down 6.3% | rising |
| 185 | Iran | 2.8% | 2022 | down 19.4% | falling |
| 186 | Sudan | 2.8% | 2022 | down 41.1% | falling |
| 187 | Equatorial Guinea | 2.1% | 2022 | up 137.8% | volatile |
| 188 | Nigeria | 1.7% | 2022 | down 17.5% | falling |
| 189 | Bangladesh | 1.6% | 2022 | down 4.4% | flat |
| 190 | Venezuela | 1.4% | 2022 | down 70.3% | falling |
| 191 | India | 1.0% | 2022 | down 9.3% | falling |