Europe & Central Asia · EU · OECD · NATO
Data checked 28 Oct 2026 · next scheduled check 1 Jan 2027 · UN World Population Prospects (via World Bank) released 1 Jul 2026 · Eurostat released 21 Oct 2026 · World Bank WDI released 8 Oct 2026
Total spending · 2024
45.6%
+8.8 pts since 1995
Welfare · 2024
14.1%
+1.6 pts since 1995
Healthcare · 2024
5.40%
+2.2 pts since 1995
Defence · 2024
2.70%
+1.7 pts since 1995
Education · 2024
6.10%
+0.1 pts since 1995
Debt interest · 2024
1.20%
+0.2 pts since 2001
Gross debt · 2025
46.9%
of GDP · +37 pts since 1998
Population · 2025
1.8m
-25.6% since 1995
Public-sector employment
Not available: no official public-sector employment series is loaded for Latvia yet.
Welfare fell from 12.5% to 8.3% of GDP between 1995 and 2007, then rose to 14.1% by 2024.
Healthcare rose from 3.2% to 6.5% of GDP between 1995 and 2021, then fell to 5.4% by 2024.
Defence rose from 1.0% to 2.7% of GDP between 1995 and 2024.
Education rose from 6.0% to 6.8% of GDP between 1995 and 2009, then fell to 6.1% by 2024.
Debt interest rose from 1.0% to 1.9% of GDP between 2001 and 2012, then fell to 1.2% by 2024.
Total spending fell from 36.8% to 35.4% of GDP between 1995 and 2001, then rose to 45.6% by 2024.
Gross debt rose from 9.8% to 48.2% of GDP between 1998 and 2010, then fell to 46.9% by 2025.
Population fell from 2.5 million in 1995 to 1.8 million in 2025; the UN projects 1.5 million by 2050.