<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000811922
<NAME> MFS GOVERNMENT MARKETS INCOME TRUST
<MULTIPLIER> 1
       
<S>                             <C>                     
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          NOV-30-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             DEC-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               NOV-30-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                        555145416
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                       559953079
<RECEIVABLES>                                 10076504
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                    4753
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                             63112
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               570097448
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                      43860000
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                      1656978
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                           45516978
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                     558363806
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                         70753255
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                         73384455
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                            0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                         2185420
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                              0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                      38113943
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                       6516027
<NET-ASSETS>                                 524580470
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                             39535071
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                               (4874793)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                       34660278
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                     (6065965)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                    (3847810)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                         24746503
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                   (36965390)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                              0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                  (2631200)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                  0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                      (29915548)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                            0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                      (3035917)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                  (28892369)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                          3802065
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                4955905
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                         528327252  
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                             7.56
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                   0.49
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                         (0.14)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                            (0.52)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                            0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                               7.41
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   0.94
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        


</TABLE>