Cold 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 | Norway | 14% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 2 | Greenland | 1.9% of GDP | 2010 | ||
| 3 | Tajikistan | 1.4% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 4 | Belarus | 0.7% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 5 | Chile | 0.5% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| =6 | Latvia | 0.1% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| =6 | Switzerland | 0.1% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| =6 | Germany | 0.1% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 9 | Russia | -0.1% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 10 | Estonia | -0.3% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 11 | North Korea | -0.4% of GDP | 2007 | ||
| 12 | Sweden | -0.7% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 13 | Luxembourg | -0.8% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| =14 | Austria | -1.4% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| =14 | Andorra | -1.4% of GDP | 2011 | ||
| =16 | Armenia | -1.6% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| =16 | Liechtenstein | -1.6% of GDP | 2011 | ||
| =18 | China | -1.7% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| =18 | Bhutan | -1.7% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 20 | Poland | -1.9% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 21 | Hungary | -2.1% of GDP | 2013 | ||
| 22 | Finland | -2.3% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 23 | Romania | -2.5% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| =24 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | -2.9% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| =24 | Kazakhstan | -2.9% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 26 | Georgia | -3.1% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 27 | Slovenia | -3.2% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 28 | Canada | -3.3% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 29 | Lithuania | -3.4% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 30 | Iceland | -3.5% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 31 | Republic of Macedonia | -3.9% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 32 | Denmark | -4.1% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 33 | Belgium | -4.2% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| =34 | Ukraine | -4.4% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| =34 | Slovakia | -4.4% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 36 | Czech Republic | -4.5% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 37 | Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) | -5% of GDP | 2010 | ||
| 38 | Kyrgyzstan | -6% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 39 | Nepal | -6.4% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 40 | United States | -6.8% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 41 | Ireland | -7.6% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 42 | United Kingdom | -8.2% of GDP | 2012 | ||
| 43 | Mongolia | -8.5% of GDP | 2012 |
