Table 18.  Social expenditures on the elderly as a per cent of GDP in OECD countries 1
                        1980    1981    1982    1983    1984    1985    1986    1987    1988    1989    1990    1991    1992    1993    1994    1995    1996    1997
United States            5.9     6.1     6.4     6.4     6.1     6.0     6.0     5.9     5.8     5.8     5.9     6.1     6.1     6.2     6.1     6.1     6.0     6.0
Japan                    4.0     4.3     4.6     4.7     4.8     4.9     5.2     5.3     5.2     5.2     5.1     5.1     5.3     5.6     5.9     6.3     6.4     6.5
Germany                 10.5    10.6    10.8    10.7    10.6    10.5    10.4    10.5    10.4    10.2     9.8     9.7     9.9    10.2    10.4    10.7    10.8    10.9
France                   9.5     9.8    10.1    10.3    10.5    10.7    10.7    10.7    10.8    10.3    10.9    11.2    11.5    12.0    12.0    12.1    12.3    12.3
Italy                    9.0    10.0    10.4    11.2    11.0    11.4    11.7    11.7    11.6    11.8    13.4    13.8    14.9    15.2    15.4    15.2    15.4    15.8
United Kingdom           7.1     7.6     7.7     7.6     7.6     7.3     7.3     7.1     6.6     6.4     7.1     7.6     7.7     7.8     7.6     7.5     7.3     7.1
Canada                   3.1     3.2     3.5     3.6     3.7     3.8     3.9     4.1     4.0     4.1     4.3     4.6     4.8     4.9     4.8     4.8     4.8     4.8
Australia 2              4.0     4.0     4.0     4.1     3.9     3.7     3.6     3.6     3.2     3.1     3.2     3.4     3.4     3.5     3.4     4.7     4.7     4.6
Austria                 11.5     ..      ..      ..      ..     12.4     ..      ..      ..      ..     12.3    12.4    12.4    12.9    13.1    13.1    13.1    12.9
Belgium                  9.3     9.8     9.9    10.1     9.9     9.8     9.9     9.7     9.7     9.4     9.4     9.7     9.8    10.1    10.0    10.0    10.1    10.0
Czech Republic           ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      6.4     6.6     6.4     6.3     6.2     6.4     7.3
Denmark                  6.0     6.0     6.0     5.9     5.9     5.8     5.7     5.8     6.0     6.3     6.3     6.5     6.5     6.6     7.6     7.4     7.2     7.0
Finland                  5.5     5.8     6.0     6.4     7.2     7.4     7.4     7.6     7.3     7.1     7.4     8.6     9.6     9.5     9.2     8.9     9.1     8.5
Greece                   6.0     6.6     8.4     8.5     9.1     9.7     9.8    10.1     9.9    10.3    11.1    10.5    10.5    10.8    10.6    10.8    11.3    11.3
Iceland                  ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      4.1     4.2     4.2     4.2
Ireland                  5.3     5.4     5.8     5.9     5.8     5.7     5.7     5.6     5.4     5.0     5.0     5.1     5.1     5.0     4.8     4.5     4.2     3.8
Korea                    ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      0.8     0.8     0.8     0.9     1.0     1.1     1.0     1.1
Luxembourg              10.2    10.8    10.4    10.2     9.7     9.6     9.4     9.5     9.2     9.0     9.0     9.6     9.7     9.7     9.4     9.7     9.6     9.2
Mexico 3                 ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      0.3     0.3     0.5     0.5     0.6     0.5     0.6     0.6     0.6     0.6     3.3     3.8     4.6
Netherlands              7.6     7.6     7.9     7.8     7.6     7.6     7.7     7.9     7.9     7.8     8.4     8.3     8.3     8.3     7.8     7.5     7.4     7.3
New Zealand              7.6     7.6     8.3     8.1     7.6     7.9     7.4     7.1     6.9     7.2     7.5     8.0     7.3     6.7     6.2     5.9     5.7     5.6
Norway                   5.1     ..      ..      ..      ..      5.2     ..      ..      6.2     6.3     6.3     6.3     6.4     6.4     6.4     6.2     6.0     5.9
Poland                   ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      ..      5.6     8.7    10.3    10.6    10.6    10.4    10.3    10.6
Portugal                 4.1     4.5     4.2     4.7     4.6     4.5     4.7     5.1     5.0     5.0     5.3     5.7     6.1     6.7     6.8     7.3     7.7     8.0
Spain                    6.3     6.8     7.0     7.2     7.4     7.6     7.5     7.4     7.4     7.4     7.8     8.0     8.4     8.8     8.8     8.9     9.1     9.0
Sweden                   7.2     7.7     7.8     7.9     7.6     7.8     7.9     7.8     7.9     8.0     7.9     8.3     9.0     9.2     9.0     8.6     8.6     8.4
Switzerland              6.1     5.7     6.2     6.1     6.5     6.3     6.3     6.3     6.3     6.0     6.0     6.2     6.5     6.9     6.9     7.1     7.0     7.2
Turkey                   1.7     1.7     1.9     2.1     1.9     1.8     1.8     1.8     2.0     2.4     3.2     3.3     3.6     3.6     3.7     3.7     4.3     5.3
1.  Includes old age cash benefits plus survivors benefits.
2.  Prior to 1995, data on “superannuation pensions” and “superannuation lump sum” are not available.
3.  Prior to 1995, social expenditure were underestimated, particularly with regard to old age cash benefits.
Sources:  OECD Social Expenditure Database, OECD Economic Outlook no. 67 (June 2000).