Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP) 2020

Current health expenditure as a percentage of GDP highlights spending trends. Compare countries, explore rankings, and view historical data.

185 data points•Updated 3/28/2026•Global Coverage•CIA World Factbook•

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Complete Data Rankings

Rank
1	Tuvalu	17.1 % of GDP
2	United States	17.1 % of GDP
3	Sierra Leone	13.4 % of GDP
4	Switzerland	12.3 % of GDP
5	Afghanistan	11.8 % of GDP
6	Cuba	11.7 % of GDP
7	France	11.3 % of GDP
8	Germany	11.2 % of GDP
9	Nauru	11 % of GDP
10	Sweden	11 % of GDP
11	Japan	10.9 % of GDP
12	Kiribati	10.8 % of GDP
13	Canada	10.6 % of GDP
14	Austria	10.4 % of GDP
15	Norway	10.4 % of GDP
16	Andorra	10.3 % of GDP
17	Belgium	10.3 % of GDP
18	Denmark	10.1 % of GDP
19	Netherlands	10.1 % of GDP
20	South Sudan	9.8 % of GDP
21	Malawi	9.6 % of GDP
22	United Kingdom	9.6 % of GDP
23	Brazil	9.5 % of GDP
24	Malta	9.3 % of GDP
25	Uruguay	9.3 % of GDP
26	Australia	9.2 % of GDP
27	Finland	9.2 % of GDP
28	New Zealand	9.2 % of GDP
29	Argentina	9.1 % of GDP
30	Chile	9 % of GDP
31	Maldives	9 % of GDP
32	Portugal	9 % of GDP
33	Bosnia and Herzegovina	8.9 % of GDP
34	Spain	8.9 % of GDP
35	Italy	8.8 % of GDP
36	Lesotho	8.8 % of GDP
37	Iran	8.7 % of GDP
38	Niue	8.6 % of GDP
39	Nicaragua	8.6 % of GDP
40	Namibia	8.6 % of GDP
41	Serbia	8.4 % of GDP
42	Ecuador	8.3 % of GDP
43	Iceland	8.3 % of GDP
44	Lebanon	8.2 % of GDP
45	Liberia	8.2 % of GDP
46	Slovenia	8.2 % of GDP
47	Bulgaria	8.1 % of GDP
48	Jordan	8.1 % of GDP
49	South Africa	8.1 % of GDP
50	Greece	8 % of GDP
51	Haiti	8 % of GDP
52	Honduras	7.9 % of GDP
53	Niger	7.7 % of GDP
54	Georgia	7.6 % of GDP
55	South Korea	7.6 % of GDP
56	Montenegro	7.6 % of GDP
57	Burundi	7.5 % of GDP
58	Comoros	7.4 % of GDP
59	Israel	7.4 % of GDP
60	San Marino	7.4 % of GDP
61	Costa Rica	7.3 % of GDP
62	Panama	7.3 % of GDP
63	Colombia	7.2 % of GDP
64	Ireland	7.2 % of GDP
65	El Salvador	7.2 % of GDP
66	Czech Republic	7.2 % of GDP
67	Guinea-Bissau	7.2 % of GDP
68	Tajikistan	7.2 % of GDP
69	Tunisia	7.2 % of GDP
70	Republic of Moldova	7 % of GDP
71	Trinidad and Tobago	7 % of GDP
72	Ukraine	7 % of GDP
73	Hungary	6.9 % of GDP
74	Turkmenistan	6.9 % of GDP
75	Burkina Faso	6.9 % of GDP
76	Eswatini	6.9 % of GDP
77	Barbados	6.8 % of GDP
78	Croatia	6.8 % of GDP
79	Azerbaijan	6.7 % of GDP
80	Albania	6.7 % of GDP
81	Cyprus	6.7 % of GDP
82	Slovakia	6.7 % of GDP
83	Paraguay	6.7 % of GDP
84	Rwanda	6.6 % of GDP
85	Zimbabwe	6.6 % of GDP
86	Lithuania	6.5 % of GDP
87	Poland	6.5 % of GDP
88	Algeria	6.4 % of GDP
89	Bolivia	6.4 % of GDP
90	Estonia	6.4 % of GDP
91	Uzbekistan	6.4 % of GDP
92	Uganda	6.3 % of GDP
93	Kyrgyzstan	6.2 % of GDP
94	Suriname	6.2 % of GDP
95	Togo	6.2 % of GDP
96	Sao Tome and Principe	6.2 % of GDP
97	Botswana	6.1 % of GDP
98	Dominican Republic	6.1 % of GDP
99	North Macedonia	6.1 % of GDP
100	Jamaica	6 % of GDP
101	Latvia	6 % of GDP
102	Belarus	5.9 % of GDP
103	Cambodia	5.9 % of GDP
104	Dominica	5.9 % of GDP
105	Bahamas	5.8 % of GDP
106	Central African Republic	5.8 % of GDP
107	Guatemala	5.8 % of GDP
108	Mauritius	5.7 % of GDP
109	Belize	5.6 % of GDP
110	Nepal	5.6 % of GDP
111	Yemen	5.6 % of GDP
112	Luxembourg	5.5 % of GDP
113	Madagascar	5.5 % of GDP
114	Mexico	5.5 % of GDP
115	Vietnam	5.5 % of GDP
116	Samoa	5.5 % of GDP
117	Egypt	5.3 % of GDP
118	Kuwait	5.3 % of GDP
119	Russia	5.3 % of GDP
120	Tonga	5.3 % of GDP
121	China	5.2 % of GDP
122	Cabo Verde	5.2 % of GDP
123	Morocco	5.2 % of GDP
124	Romania	5.2 % of GDP
125	Saudi Arabia	5.2 % of GDP
126	Peru	5 % of GDP
127	Saint Kitts and Nevis	5 % of GDP
128	Seychelles	5 % of GDP
129	Guyana	4.9 % of GDP
130	Mozambique	4.9 % of GDP
131	Grenada	4.8 % of GDP
132	Kenya	4.8 % of GDP
133	Bahrain	4.7 % of GDP
134	Myanmar	4.7 % of GDP
135	Solomon Islands	4.7 % of GDP
136	Cameroon	4.7 % of GDP
137	Antigua and Barbuda	4.5 % of GDP
138	Chad	4.5 % of GDP
139	Côte d'Ivoire	4.5 % of GDP
140	Saint Lucia	4.5 % of GDP
141	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	4.5 % of GDP
142	Zambia	4.5 % of GDP
143	Mauritania	4.4 % of GDP
144	Philippines	4.4 % of GDP
145	Singapore	4.4 % of GDP
146	Iraq	4.2 % of GDP
147	Turkey	4.2 % of GDP
148	Guinea	4.1 % of GDP
149	Senegal	4.1 % of GDP
150	Congo, Democratic Republic of the	4 % of GDP
151	Mongolia	4 % of GDP
152	Malaysia	3.9 % of GDP
153	Timor-Leste	3.9 % of GDP
154	Sri Lanka	3.8 % of GDP
155	Mali	3.8 % of GDP
156	Oman	3.8 % of GDP
157	Nigeria	3.8 % of GDP
158	Benin	3.7 % of GDP
159	Thailand	3.7 % of GDP
160	Tanzania	3.6 % of GDP
161	Ethiopia	3.5 % of GDP
162	Fiji	3.5 % of GDP
163	India	3.5 % of GDP
164	United Arab Emirates	3.3 % of GDP
165	Cook Islands	3.3 % of GDP
166	Djibouti	3.3 % of GDP
167	Gambia	3.3 % of GDP
168	Ghana	3.3 % of GDP
169	Vanuatu	3.3 % of GDP
170	Bhutan	3.2 % of GDP
171	Equatorial Guinea	3.1 % of GDP
172	Kazakhstan	3.1 % of GDP
173	Indonesia	3 % of GDP
174	Congo	2.9 % of GDP
175	Eritrea	2.9 % of GDP
176	Pakistan	2.9 % of GDP
177	Angola	2.8 % of GDP
178	Gabon	2.8 % of GDP
179	Qatar	2.6 % of GDP
180	Laos	2.5 % of GDP
181	Papua New Guinea	2.5 % of GDP
182	Brunei Darussalam	2.4 % of GDP
183	Bangladesh	2.3 % of GDP
184	Monaco	1.8 % of GDP
185	Venezuela	1.2 % of GDP

↑Top 10 Countries

Analysis: These countries represent the highest values in this dataset, showcasing significant scale and impact on global statistics.

↓Bottom 10 Countries

Context: These countries or territories have the lowest values, often due to geographic size, administrative status, or specific characteristics.

Analysis & Context

United States and Tuvalu led the world in 2020 with the highest Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP) at 17.1%, while Venezuela marked the lowest at 1.2%. In that year, health expenditures as a percentage of GDP ranged widely across 185 countries. The global average was 6.49%, with a median value of 6.20%, highlighting significant disparities in health spending priorities worldwide.

Economic and Policy Drivers of Health Expenditure

Countries with high Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP) often reflect advanced healthcare systems and robust economic policies prioritizing public health. For example, the United States and Switzerland have sophisticated healthcare infrastructures, with expenditures at 17.1% and 12.3%, respectively. These countries invest heavily in healthcare technology and pharmaceuticals, driving up costs as a proportion of GDP. Conversely, nations like Monaco and Brunei Darussalam, despite their economic prosperity, maintain lower health expenditure percentages at 1.8% and 2.4%, respectively, possibly due to smaller populations and efficient health systems that rely on preventive care rather than high-cost treatments.

Geopolitical Context and Health Spending

Geopolitical factors significantly influence health spending. In Sierra Leone, the expenditure was 13.4% of GDP, reflecting the need to address public health challenges following the Ebola epidemic. The high expenditure is indicative of efforts to rebuild and strengthen healthcare systems. In contrast, Qatar recorded a low expenditure at 2.6%, which can be attributed to its well-funded healthcare system, largely supported by expatriate workers who often receive healthcare through employer provisions.

Year-over-Year Changes and Their Implications

The year 2020 saw significant shifts in health expenditure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. South Sudan experienced the largest increase at +7.30% (292.0%), driven by international aid and efforts to combat the pandemic's impact. Similarly, Jordan and Haiti saw increases of +2.60% each, reflecting their governments' push to enhance healthcare capacity during the crisis. On the flip side, Sierra Leone recorded a notable decrease of -3.10% (-18.8%), which could result from economic constraints limiting healthcare funding amid rising needs. Venezuela's sharp decrease of -2.00% (-62.5%) underscores the severe economic and political turmoil affecting its healthcare system's sustainability.

Socioeconomic Impact of Health Expenditure Levels

High health expenditure as a percentage of GDP often correlates with better health outcomes but can also strain national budgets. Countries like France and Germany, with expenditures of 11.3% and 11.2% respectively, balance high spending with comprehensive healthcare coverage, contributing to their high life expectancy and quality of life indices. Conversely, lower expenditure countries, such as Bangladesh at 2.3%, face challenges in providing adequate healthcare services, which can hinder socioeconomic development. This disparity underscores the need for policy interventions to optimize healthcare investments, particularly in countries with limited resources.

In conclusion, the data from 2020 vividly illustrates the diverse approaches and challenges countries face in managing healthcare expenditures. While some nations invest heavily, reflecting their economic capacity and policy priorities, others struggle to allocate sufficient resources, impacting their healthcare outcomes and overall development.

Data Source

CIA World Factbook

The World Factbook, also known as the CIA World Factbook, was a reference resource produced by the US Central Intelligence Agency between 1962 and 2026 with almanac-style information about the countries of the world. From 1971 it was not classified, and available to the public in print since 1975, initially by the CIA, and later the Government Publishing Office.

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Historical Data by Year

Explore Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP) data across different years. Compare trends and see how statistics have changed over time.

2021 2020 2019

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