Sweden: Social contributions (% of revenue)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Sweden's social contributions (% of revenue) rose 0.06 percentage points on 2023 (from 9.14% to 9.21%).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −0.85 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 3.55 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 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 6.02 percentage points in 1992 and the biggest yearly fall was 18.78 percentage points in 1995. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 1% 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 2024, Sweden had the 54th highest value of the 68 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 Sweden in the 2024 ranking

• Kyrgyz Republic — 50th of 68: 14.89%
• Tajikistan — 51st of 68: 13.89%
• Mexico — 52nd of 68: 13.09%
• United Arab Emirates — 54th of 68: 9.03%
• El Salvador — 55th of 68: 8.81%
• Rwanda — 56th of 68: 8.79%

What this measures

Social contributions are actual or imputed contributions payable to social insurance schemes to make provisions for social benefits to be paid. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of revenue which includes all transactions that add to the amount of economic value of a unit or sector.

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).

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a median.

All 53 values

Social contributions (% of revenue) in nearby economies

• Albania — 21.64% (2024)
• Armenia — 0.73% (2015)
• Austria — 34.2% (2024)
• Azerbaijan — 16.07% (2024)
• Belarus — 35.54% (2024)
• Belgium — 35.6% (2024)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 39.82% (2024)
• Bulgaria — 25.75% (2024)
• Croatia — 27.86% (2023)
• Cyprus — 31.75% (2024)
• Czechia

More public sector data for Sweden

• Military expenditure (current USD) — 16.47 billion (2025)
• Military expenditure (current LCU) — 161.67 billion (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 2.47% (2025)
• Arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 235 million (2025)
• Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 146 million (2025)
• Net investment in nonfinancial assets (current LCU) — 185.59 billion (2024)
• Net investment in nonfinancial assets (% of GDP) — 2.9% (2024)
• Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (current LCU) — -43.01 billion (2024)
• Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (% of GDP) — -0.67% (2024)
• Grants and other revenue (current LCU)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Sweden's social contributions (% of revenue)?

9.21% in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1972?

It is down 12.26 percentage points from 21.47% in 1972. The highest value was 37.32% in 1992 and the lowest 8.25% in 2007.

How does Sweden rank?

54th highest of 68 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in social contributions (% of revenue) unusual for Sweden?

In 2024, Sweden's social contributions (% of revenue) rose 0.06 percentage points on 2023 (from 9.14% to 9.21%). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −0.85 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 3.55 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 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.REV.SOCL.ZS, 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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