List of countries by public sector size explained

This is a list of countries by public sector size, calculated as the number of public sector employees as a percentage of the total workforce. Information is based mainly on data from the OECD[1] [2] [3] and the ILO.[4] If a source has figures for more than one year, only the most recent figure is used (with notes for exceptional circumstances).

In the former Eastern Bloc countries, the public sector in 1989 accounted for between 70% and over 90% of total employment.[5] In China a full 78.3% of the urban labor force were employed in the public sector by 1978, the year the Chinese economic reform was launched, after which the rates dropped. Jin Zeng estimates the numbers were 56.4% in 1995 and 32.8% in 2003,[6] while other estimates are higher.[7] [8] [9]

In OECD countries, the average public sector employment rate was 21.3% in 2013.[1]

List

Country data-sort-type="number"OECD (%) !data-sort-type="number"ILO (%)[10] [11] [12] !data-sort-type="number"Other estimates (%)
Afghanistan8.3 (2021)
Angola14.6 (2014)
Albania14.4 (2019)
American Samoa25.0 (2012)
Argentina17.8 (2022)
Armenia19.3 (2020) 19.4 (2020)
Australia20.4 (2012) 28.9 (2020)
Austria15.2 (2014) 8.0 (2022)
Azerbaijan21.9 (2022) 21.7 (World Bank publication, 2009)[13]
Bahamas33.7 (2009)
Bangladesh3.1 (2017)
Bahrain9.6 (2012 8.4* (Baldwin-Edwards, 2010)[14]
Barbados17.1 (2019)
Belarus39.3 (2015) 72.0 (World Bank publication, 2010), 40.1 (BelStat, 2017)[15]
Belgium21.5 (2013) 21.1 (2019)
Bermuda12.1 (2012)
Bhutan25.0 (2022)
7.7 (2022)
Bosnia and Herzegovina24.5 (2022)
Botswana18.0 (2022)
Brazil12.1 (2013) 12.1 (2022)
Bulgaria21.1 (2019)
Cameroon9.8 (2014)
Canada22.4 (2013) 21.2 (2022)
Chile14.0 (2013) 9.4 (2022)
China28.0 (2012) 7.89 (Chinese Government, 2021)[16]
Colombia10.0 (2013) 4.2 (2022) 5.3* (2017, Public Spending and Investment Commission),[17] 6.8 (2017, Colombian Insurers Federation)[18]
Costa Rica12.4 (2022)
Croatia29.8 (2020)
Czech Republic18.0 (2013) 15.4 (2015)
Cuba77.0 (2010) 72.0 (2014, Third World Quarterly)[19] 72.8 (2018, Statistical Yearbook of Cuba)[20] 65.0 (2022, OIEI) [21]
Denmark32.9 (2011) 30.2 (2020)
Dominican Republic13.8 (2022)
Ecuador7.0 (2022)
Egypt21.2 (2020)
El Salvador8.1 (2022)
Estonia22.0 (2013) 23.8 (2019)
Ethiopia6.6 (2021)
Finland27.0 (2013) 26.1 (2019)
France28.0 (2013) 20.0 (2022)
Gambia8.0 (2023)
Georgia17.7 (2019) 21.1 (World Bank publication, 2009)
Ghana6.4 (2017)
Germany15.3 (2012) 12.9 (2013)
Greece14.6 (2012) 21.3 (2019)
Greenland40.2 (2015)
Guatemala6.1 (2022)
Guinea6.8 (2018)
Haiti9.0 (2012)
Hong Kong7.1 (2014)
Hungary24.8 (2012) 30.4 (2018)
India3.80 (2014) 4.7* (2002)[22] 3.80 (World Bank Data and Reserve Bank of India Data, 2012)[23] [24]
Indonesia8.7 (2022)
14.9 (2020)
Iraq37.4 (2021)
Ireland19.5 (2014) 21.9 (2019)
Israel20.7 (2007) 31.4 (2021)
Italy18.3 (2013) 16.0 (2013)
Japan12.9 (2014) 7.7 (2019)
Jordan24.3 (2019)
Kazakhstan23.3 (2012) 20.8 (World Bank publication, 2009)
27.8 (2020) 20.8 (World Bank publication, 2009)
Kuwait18.6 (2016) 18.5* (Baldwin-Edwards, 2008)
Kyrgyzstan17.0 (2021) 15.1 (World Bank publication, 2009)
11.4 (2017)
Latvia31.2 (2013) 29.0 (2020)
Liberia40.3 (2017)
Liechtenstein7.1 (2015)
Lithuania26.9 (2019) 24.0 (World Bank publication, 2010)
Luxembourg22.1 (2011) 11.7 (2018)
6.5 (2014)
Madagascar4.0 (2015)
Malaysia15.1 (2019)
Mali2.38 (2020)
Mauritius18.1 (2019)
Mexico13.8 (2013) 11.8 (2022)
16.2 (2022) 41.0 (World Bank publication, 2010)
Mongolia36.6 (2022)
Montenegro32.2 (2021)[25] [26]
Morocco8.4 (2022)
New Zealand13.4 (2011) 11.5 (2011)
Nicaragua8.1 (2012)
Nigeria3.6 (2022)
Netherlands17.3 (2013) 19.9 (2019)
25.6 (2022)
Norway35.6 (2013) 32.2 (2020)
OECD21.3* (2013)
Oman78.7 (2020) 14.0* (Baldwin-Edwards, 2008)
Pakistan7.3 (2021)
20.9 (2022)
Panama16.1 (2022)
Paraguay10.5 (2022)
Peru8.2 (2022)
Philippines9.1 (2019)
Poland25.2 (2013) 23.6 (2019) 16.0 (World Bank publication, 2010)
Portugal18.4 (2014) 14.7 (2014)
Qatar11.3 (2022) 12.1* (Baldwin-Edwards, 2009)
Romania16.0 (2019) 15.3 (INS, 2015)[27]
40.6 (2011) 31.0 (2016, IMF)[28]
Rwanda5.6 (2022)
Saint Lucia17.6 (2022)
San Marino23.4 (2022)
Saudi Arabia35.3 35.3* (Baldwin-Edwards, 2008)
Senegal6.3 (2019)
Serbia23.3 (2022)
Seychelles44.3 (2020)
Singapore9.9 (2022)
Slovakia18.2 (2013) 28.0 (2022)
Slovenia20.9 (2012) 20.9 (2012)
South Africa17.4 (2013) 15.7 (2022)
11.6 (2013) 10.3 (2014)
Spain17.9 (2014) 16.3 (2019)
Sri Lanka14.8 (2019)
Sweden29.9 (2013) 29.3 (2020)
Switzerland18.0 (2014) 15.3 (2022)
Tajikistan33.0 (World Bank publication, 2010)
4.6 (2020)
Thailand9.6 (2022)
Trinidad and Tobago22.9 (2021)
Turkey15.9 (2011) 15.0 (2022)
Uganda4.1 (2017)
Ukraine26.7 (2012) 26.5 (2013)
United Arab Emirates10.2 (2021)
United Kingdom21.5 (2013) 22.5 (2020) 16.7 (House of Commons Library, 2020)[29]
United States17.6 [not included in dataset] (2013) 13.4 (2022) 19.2 (Mercatus publication, 2013)[30]
Uruguay15.7 (2022)
Uzbekistan18.2 (2019)
24.3 (2020)
7.6 (2022)
Yemen19.3 (2014)
Zambia6.7 (2019)
Zimbabwe12.1 (2019)

See also

Notes and References

  1. Employment in the public sector. Government at a Glance 2015. OECD Publishing. Paris. OECD. 2015. 10.1787/g2224992d2-en. 242295583 . June 16, 2018.
  2. Employment in general government and public corporations. Government at a Glance 2013. OECD Publishing. Paris. OECD. 2013.
  3. Employment in General Government and Public Corporations. Government at a Glance 2011. OECD Publishing. Paris. OECD. 2011.
  4. Web site: Share of employment in the public sector by sex (%). International Labour Organization. 20 October 2015.
  5. Book: Omar S. Arias . Carolina Sánchez-Páramo . María E. Dávalos . Indhira Santos . Erwin R. Tiongson . Carola Gruen . Natasha de Andrade Falcão . Gady Saiovici . Cesar A. Cancho . Back to Work: Growing with Jobs in Europe and Central Asia. World Bank Publications. 2014. 978-0-8213-9911-8. 86, 101.
  6. Book: Zeng, Jin. 2013. State-Led Privatization in China: The Politics of Economic Reform. Routledge. 978-1-134-46489-0. 52–53.
  7. http://www.xf.gov.cn/zxzx/gjj/202001/t20200123_2016545.shtml
  8. Web site: 国家统计局局长就2019年全年国民经济运行情况答记者问.
  9. News: CHART OF THE DAY: Guess Which Country Has The Highest Percentage Of Workers Employed By The Government. Business Insider. 2017-02-09. en.
  10. Web site: Home - LOSTAT - the leading source of labour statistics.
  11. Web site: Home - ILOSTAT - the leading source of labour statistics.
  12. Web site: ILO Data Explorer.
  13. Book: Indermit S. Gill . Ivailo Izvorski . Willem van Eeghen . Donato De Rosa . Diversified Development: Making the Most of Natural Resources in Eurasia. World Bank Publications. 2014. 978-1-4648-0120-4. 164.
  14. Baldwin-Edwards, Martin. 2011. Labour immigration and labour markets in the GCC countries: national patterns and trends.. Kuwait Programme on Development, Governance and Globalisation in the Gulf States. 15. The London School of Economics and Political Science. London. 15.
  15. http://www.belstat.gov.by/ofitsialnaya-statistika/solialnaya-sfera/trud/godovye-dannye/raspredelenie-chislennosti-zanyatogo-naseleniya-po-formam-sobstvennosti1/ National Statistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus, "Численность занятого населения по формам собственности"
  16. https://data.stats.gov.cn/english/easyquery.htm?cn=C01
  17. Web site: La austeridad de Duque: ¿es posible reducir la burocracia?. 19 November 2018.
  18. Web site: ¿Cuántos empleados públicos?.
  19. Economic transformations in Cuba: a review. 2 June 2016. 10.1080/01436597.2016.1177454 . Torres . Ricardo . Third World Quarterly . 37 . 9 . 1683–1697 . 156099431 .
  20. Web site: El establecimiento de PYMES en Cuba pudiera aumentar el Producto Interno Bruto entre 1,5 y 1,7% . 28 April 2020 .
  21. Web site: Precarious Work in Cuba: An Introduction | Cuba Capacity Building Project .
  22. Book: Kumar, Rajiv. 2008. India and the Global Economy. Academic Foundation. 978-81-7188-661-6. 246.
  23. Web site: Labor force, total - India | Data.
  24. Web site: Reserve Bank of India - Publications.
  25. Web site: Mjesečni statistički pregled . 2021-05-16 . Monstat. Montenegrin.
  26. Web site: Na državnim jaslama preko 50.000 zaposlenih . 2021-05-16 . Investitor.me . Montenegrin.
  27. News: 84 pct of Romania's employed population work in the private sector, says INS. Business Review. 30 April 2015.
  28. The Russian State's Size and its Footprint: Have They Increased?. 2 June 2016.
  29. Web site: Foley . Niamh . 2 December 2020 . Briefing paper: Public sector employment by parliamentary constituency . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210516211045/https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN05635/SN05635.pdf . 16 May 2021 . PDF . 5 June 2023 . UK Parliament . House of Commons Library.
  30. News: Government-Financed Employment and the Real Private Sector in the 50 States. 2013-11-25. Mercatus Center. 2018-10-24. en.