<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000811922
<NAME> MFS GOVERNMENT MARKETS INCOME TRUST
<MULTIPLIER> 1
       
<S>                             <C>                     
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          NOV-30-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             DEC-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               MAY-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                        537207305
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                       536316473
<RECEIVABLES>                                 24286955
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                    4753
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                             78008
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               560686189
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                      35870625
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                      1518013
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                           37388638
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                     560537212
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                         71077255
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                         73384455
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                            0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                         4872344
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                              0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                      33645768
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                       1278451
<NET-ASSETS>                                 523297551
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                             19805148
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                               (2388267)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                       17416881
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                     (4753399)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                    (9085386)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                          3578096
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                   (19253308)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                              0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                    2307200
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                  0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                      (31198467)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                            0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                      (3035917)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                  (28892369)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                          1907293
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                2406925
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                         531190706  
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                             7.56
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                   0.24
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                         (0.17)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                            (0.27)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                            0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                               7.36
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   0.91
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        


</TABLE>