North America - General government final consumption expenditure (% of GDP)

General government final consumption expenditure (% of GDP) in North America was 15.27 as of 2020. Its highest value over the past 50 years was 18.21 in 1971, while its lowest value was 14.37 in 2000.

Definition: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation.

Source: World Bank national accounts data, and OECD National Accounts data files.

See also:

Year Value
1970 18.21
1971 18.21
1972 17.93
1973 17.10
1974 17.53
1975 18.07
1976 17.33
1977 16.98
1978 16.32
1979 15.92
1980 16.38
1981 16.31
1982 17.14
1983 16.93
1984 16.24
1985 16.40
1986 16.58
1987 16.46
1988 16.16
1989 16.16
1990 16.52
1991 17.02
1992 16.78
1993 16.29
1994 15.76
1995 15.44
1996 14.98
1997 14.63
1998 14.37
1999 14.38
2000 14.37
2001 14.86
2002 15.36
2003 15.58
2004 15.49
2005 15.38
2006 15.37
2007 15.58
2008 16.35
2009 17.28
2010 17.21
2011 16.67
2012 16.09
2013 15.64
2014 15.17
2015 14.82
2016 14.72
2017 14.50
2018 14.44
2019 14.40
2020 15.27

Limitations and Exceptions: Because policymakers have tended to focus on fostering the growth of output, and because data on production are easier to collect than data on spending, many countries generate their primary estimate of GDP using the production approach. Moreover, many countries do not estimate all the components of national expenditures but instead derive some of the main aggregates indirectly using GDP (based on the production approach) as the control total.

Statistical Concept and Methodology: Gross domestic product (GDP) from the expenditure side is made up of household final consumption expenditure, general government final consumption expenditure, gross capital formation (private and public investment in fixed assets, changes in inventories, and net acquisitions of valuables), and net exports (exports minus imports) of goods and services. Such expenditures are recorded in purchaser prices and include net taxes on products.

Aggregation method: Weighted average

Periodicity: Annual

Classification

Topic: Economic Policy & Debt Indicators

Sub-Topic: National accounts