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Recreation and culture
In general, percentages of GDP spent on recreation and culture are positively correlated with per capita income – the richer the country, the higher the percentage expenditure on culture and recreation – but there are some striking exceptions. Ireland (rich) spends relatively little on recreation and culture while the Czech Republic (poor) spends a rather high share.
Definition
Household expenditure on recreation and culture includes purchases of audio-visual, photographic and computer equipment; CDs and DVDs; musical instruments; camper vans; caravans; sports equipment; toys; domestic pets and related products; gardening tools and plants; newspapers; tickets to sporting matches, cinemas and theatres; and spending on gambling (including lottery tickets) less any winnings. It excludes expenditures on restaurants, hotels, and travel and holiday homes but includes package holidays.
Government expenditures include administration of sporting, recreational and cultural affairs as well as the maintenance of zoos, botanical gardens, public beaches and parks; support for broadcasting services and, where present, support for religious, fraternal, civic, youth and other social organizations (including the operation and repair of facilities and payment to clergy and other officers.) Also included are grants to artists and arts companies. Capital outlays such as the construction of sports stadiums, public swimming pools, national theatres, opera houses and museums are included.
Comparability
The data in these tables are all taken from the OECD’s national accounts database and are compiled according to a common set of definitions.
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Long-term trends In most countries, household expenditures on recreation and culture have remained fairly stable at around 5% of GDP over the last decade. Notable exceptions were the Slovak Republic, Japan and Mexico where household expenditures grew much faster than average. In some countries, notably Ireland, Poland and Korea, expenditures declined considerably as shares of GDP. By the end of the period, household expenditures were well above the OECD average in the United Kingdom, Australia and Austria and much below it in Mexico and Ireland. Data on government expenditures on recreation, culture and religion are available for fewer countries. In most of these countries, government expenditure amounts to between 1 and 2% of GDP. By the end of the period, government expenditures were much higher than average in Luxembourg, Denmark and (particularly) Iceland and below 0.5% of GDP in Japan, the United States and Greece. Over the period covered, they have grown quite rapidly in Korea, Greece, France and Iceland but have fallen in Sweden, United Kingdom, Finland, Germany and Austria. The third table shows the combination of private and public expenditures on recreation and culture. As shares of GDP they are between 5 and 7% in most countries but somewhat higher in Iceland, the United Kingdom, Austria and the Czech Republic, and substantially lower in Ireland and Korea. |
Source
- OECD (2006), National Accounts of OECD Countries, OECD, Paris.
Further information
Analytical publications
- OECD (2005), Culture and Local Development, OECD, Paris.
Household expenditure on recreation and culture
Government expenditure on recreation and culture
Household and government expenditure on recreation and culture
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