Ecuador: Expense (current LCU)

Key figures

Over five years it is up 7.35% from 32.93 billion in 2017 (1.43% a year on average, compounded). Since 2013 it is up 9.16% from 32.38 billion in 2013 (0.98% a year on average, compounded).

What the numbers say

In 2022, Ecuador's expense (current LCU) rose 3.3% on 2021 (from 34.22 billion to 35.35 billion).

Across the 8 yearly changes before that (2014 to 2021), the average change was +0.9% and a typical year strayed about 6.1% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 10.1% in 2018 and the biggest yearly fall was 8.5% in 2020. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2013 to 2022 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 19% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2022, Ecuador had the 22nd highest value of the 25 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Ecuador in the 2022 ranking

• Ghana — 18th of 25: 139.33 billion
• Ireland — 19th of 25: 100.2 billion
• Slovak Republic — 20th of 25: 43.74 billion
• Azerbaijan — 22nd of 25: 30.83 billion
• Lesotho — 23rd of 25: 15.5 billion
• Solomon Islands — 24th of 25: 3.46 billion

What this measures

Expense is a decrease in net worth resulting from a transaction. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.

Limitations: For most countries central government finance data have been consolidated into one account, but for others only budgetary central government accounts are available. Countries reporting budgetary data are noted in the country metadata. Because budgetary accounts may not include all central government units (such as social security funds), they usually provide an incomplete picture. In federal states the central government accounts provide an incomplete view of total public finance. Data on government revenue and expense are collected by the IMF through questionnaires to member countries and by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

All 10 values

Expense (current LCU) in nearby economies

• Argentina — 40.42 trillion (2023)
• Bahamas, The — 3.11 billion (2023)
• Barbados — 3.27 billion (2016)
• Belize — 1.01 billion (2017)
• Brazil — 3.55 trillion (2023)
• Chile — 69.28 trillion (2023)
• Colombia — 528.23 trillion (2023)
• Costa Rica — 13.6 trillion (2023)
• Dominican Republic — 1.22 trillion (2023)
• El Salvador — 9.37 billion (2023)
• Guatemala — 110.36 billion (2023)
• Honduras

More public sector data for Ecuador

• Military expenditure (current USD) — 2.74 billion (2025)
• Military expenditure (current LCU) — 2.74 billion (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 2.1% (2025)
• Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 30 million (2025)
• Armed forces personnel, total — 42,000 (2020)
• Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) — 0.54% (2020)
• Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) — 5.67% (2025)
• Intentional homicides (per 100,000 people) — 45.72 (2023)
• Intentional homicides, female (per 100,000 female) — 6.66 (2023)
• Intentional homicides, male (per 100,000 male)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Ecuador's expense (current LCU)?

35.35 billion in 2022, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2013?

It is up 9.16% from 32.38 billion in 2013 (0.98% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 36.25 billion in 2018 and the lowest 32.38 billion in 2013.

How does Ecuador rank?

22nd highest of 25 economies with data for 2022.

Is the latest change in expense (current LCU) unusual for Ecuador?

In 2022, Ecuador's expense (current LCU) rose 3.3% on 2021 (from 34.22 billion to 35.35 billion). Across the 8 yearly changes before that (2014 to 2021), the average change was +0.9% and a typical year strayed about 6.1% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator GC.XPN.TOTL.CN, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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