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
44.4%
-10.4 pts since 1995
Welfare · 2024
16.6%
-2.6 pts since 1995
Healthcare · 2024
7.30%
+2.6 pts since 1995
Defence · 2024
1.60%
-0.2 pts since 1995
Education · 2024
5.10%
+0.0 pts since 1995
Debt interest · 2024
0.70%
-4.8 pts since 1995
Gross debt · 2025
44.7%
of GDP · -28 pts since 1995
Population · 2025
18.1m
17.0% since 1995
Public-sector employment
- 160,016 Rijksoverheid civil service, full-time equivalents; not persons. Police and defence excluded from the reduction programme. (civil service) · Rijksoverheid, Jaarverslag Bedrijfsvoering Rijk 2025 · as of Dec 2025
Welfare fell from 19.2% to 14.8% of GDP between 1995 and 2007, then rose to 16.6% by 2024.
Healthcare rose from 4.7% to 8.3% of GDP between 1995 and 2021, then fell to 7.3% by 2024.
Defence fell from 1.8% to 1.1% of GDP between 1995 and 2012, then rose to 1.6% by 2024.
Education rose from 5.1% to 5.6% of GDP between 1995 and 2009, then fell to 5.1% by 2024.
Debt interest fell from 5.5% to 0.7% of GDP between 1995 and 2024.
Total spending fell from 54.8% to 42.1% of GDP between 1995 and 2019, then rose to 44.4% by 2024.
Gross debt fell from 73.0% to 42.7% of GDP between 1995 and 2007, then rose to 44.7% by 2025.
Population grew from 15.5 million in 1995 to 18.1 million in 2025; the UN projects 18.5 million by 2050.