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Published: 29 January 2010

Share of general government expenditure of GDP started to rise in 2008

The share of total general government expenditure of gross domestic product (GDP) was 49.5 per cent in 2008. In 2007 the share was 47.3 per cent. The upward turn of the share of expenditure of GDP in 2008 was due both to faster growth of total expenditure than in the year before and in particular the slowing down of the growth rate of GDP. In 2006 and 2007 the share of total expenditure of GDP diminished from the previous year. General government total expenditure grew by 7.3 per cent in 2008

In 2008 the biggest general government expenditure item was social protection with its GDP share of 20.4 per cent. The second largest share of expenditure, or 7.1 per cent of GDP went to health care. Social protection accounted for 41.3 per cent and health care for 14.3 per cent in 2008 of total expenditure. Expenditure on education represented 12 per cent of total expenditure.

General government total expenditure refers here to general government consolidated expenditure. Consolidated expenditure excludes property expenditure, capital transfers and other current transfers between general government sub-sectors. This release presents the revisions that have been made in the entire time series 1990–2008 of the statistics on general government expenditure by function. These statistics are based on national accounts data, so the revision of the time series in the national accounts published on 29 January 2010 will also cause revisions to data on expenditure by function. The detailed time series is presented in database tables.

Consolidated Total Expenditures by Function, General Government 2007–2008

		Million euro	Ratio to GDP, %
Function	Year
G0 All functions	2007	84 901	47,3
	2008	91 121	49,5
G01 General public services	2007	11 223	6,3
	2008	12 191	6,6
G02 Defence	2007	2 507	1,4
	2008	2 770	1,5
G03 Public order and safety	2007	2 240	1,2
	2008	2 451	1,3
G04 Economic affairs	2007	7 910	4,4
	2008	8 672	4,7
G05 Environmental protection	2007	589	0,3
	2008	586	0,3
G06 Housing and community amenities	2007	607	0,3
	2008	778	0,4
G07 Health	2007	11 911	6,6
	2008	13 005	7,1
G08 Recreation, culture and religion	2007	1 937	1,1
	2008	2 079	1,1
G09 Education	2007	10 330	5,8
	2008	10 935	5,9
G10 Social protection	2007	35 647	19,9
	2008	37 654	20,4

Source: National Accounts, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Niina Suutarinen (09) 1734 3302

Director in charge: Ari Tyrkkö

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Tables

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Appendix tables

• Consolidated Total Expenditures by Function, General Government 2008 (29.1.2010)

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Updated 29.1.2010