Education Expenditure (% of GDP) 2015
Education expenditure measures the percentage of GDP spent on education. Compare countries and explore interactive rankings and trends.
Interactive Map
Complete Data Rankings
Rank | ||
|---|---|---|
1 |  Denmark | 8.7 % of GDP |
2 |  Ghana | 8.1 % of GDP |
3 |  Iceland | 7.4 % of GDP |
4 |  Cyprus | 7.2 % of GDP |
5 |  Finland | 6.8 % of GDP |
6 |  Kyrgyzstan | 6.8 % of GDP |
7 |  Kenya | 6.6 % of GDP |
8 |  Jamaica | 6.3 % of GDP |
9 |  Ireland | 6.2 % of GDP |
10 |  Aruba | 6 % of GDP |
11 |  France | 5.9 % of GDP |
12 |  Israel | 5.6 % of GDP |
13 |  Estonia | 5.2 % of GDP |
14 |  Germany | 5 % of GDP |
15 |  South Korea | 4.9 % of GDP |
16 |  Ethiopia | 4.7 % of GDP |
17 |  Hungary | 4.7 % of GDP |
18 |  Côte d'Ivoire | 4.6 % of GDP |
19 |  Djibouti | 4.5 % of GDP |
20 |  Czech Republic | 4.5 % of GDP |
21 |  Ecuador | 4.4 % of GDP |
22 |  Italy | 4.3 % of GDP |
23 |  Fiji | 4.2 % of GDP |
24 |  Croatia | 4.2 % of GDP |
25 |  Gambia | 4.1 % of GDP |
26 |  Greece | 4.1 % of GDP |
27 |  Dominican Republic | 3.8 % of GDP |
28 |  Egypt | 3.8 % of GDP |
29 |  India | 3.8 % of GDP |
30 |  Japan | 3.8 % of GDP |
31 |  Kuwait | 3.8 % of GDP |
32 |  Iran | 3.7 % of GDP |
33 |  Indonesia | 3.6 % of GDP |
34 |  El Salvador | 3.4 % of GDP |
35 |  Guyana | 3.2 % of GDP |
36 |  Cook Islands | 3.1 % of GDP |
37 |  Kazakhstan | 3.1 % of GDP |
38 |  Antigua and Barbuda | 2.6 % of GDP |
39 |  United Arab Emirates | NaN % of GDP |
40 |  Afghanistan | NaN % of GDP |
41 |  Cuba | 12.8 % of GDP |
42 |  Solomon Islands | 9.9 % of GDP |
43 |  Botswana | 9.5 % of GDP |
44 |  Comoros | 7.6 % of GDP |
45 |  Costa Rica | 6.9 % of GDP |
46 |  Belize | 6.6 % of GDP |
47 |  Belgium | 6.5 % of GDP |
48 |  Bolivia | 6.4 % of GDP |
49 |  Congo | 6.2 % of GDP |
50 |  Austria | 5.8 % of GDP |
51 |  Brazil | 5.8 % of GDP |
52 |  Burundi | 5.8 % of GDP |
53 |  Barbados | 5.6 % of GDP |
54 |  Bhutan | 5.5 % of GDP |
55 |  Benin | 5.3 % of GDP |
56 |  Canada | 5.3 % of GDP |
57 |  Argentina | 5.1 % of GDP |
58 |  Australia | 5.1 % of GDP |
59 |  Belarus | 5.1 % of GDP |
60 |  Cabo Verde | 5 % of GDP |
61 |  Colombia | 4.9 % of GDP |
62 |  Chile | 4.6 % of GDP |
63 |  Algeria | 4.3 % of GDP |
64 |  Angola | 3.5 % of GDP |
65 |  Albania | 3.3 % of GDP |
66 |  Andorra | 3.1 % of GDP |
67 |  Bahrain | 2.7 % of GDP |
68 |  Azerbaijan | 2.4 % of GDP |
69 |  American Samoa | NaN % of GDP |
70 |  Bulgaria | 3.8 % of GDP |
71 |  Cameroon | 3 % of GDP |
72 |  Anguilla | 2.8 % of GDP |
73 |  Bermuda | 2.6 % of GDP |
74 |  Bahamas | NaN % of GDP |
75 |  Cambodia | 2.6 % of GDP |
76 |  Chad | 2.3 % of GDP |
77 |  Bangladesh | 2.2 % of GDP |
78 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina | NaN % of GDP |
79 |  Brunei Darussalam | 3.8 % of GDP |
80 |  Lebanon | 2.6 % of GDP |
81 |  Eritrea | 2.1 % of GDP |
82 |  Sri Lanka | 1.7 % of GDP |
83 |  Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 1.6 % of GDP |
84 |  Myanmar | 0.8 % of GDP |
85 |  China | NaN % of GDP |
86 |  Cayman Islands | NaN % of GDP |
87 |  Central African Republic | 1.2 % of GDP |
88 |  Gabon | NaN % of GDP |
89 |  Guinea | 2.5 % of GDP |
90 |  Georgia | 2 % of GDP |
91 |  Gibraltar | NaN % of GDP |
92 |  Guatemala | 2.8 % of GDP |
93 |  Haiti | NaN % of GDP |
94 |  Honduras | NaN % of GDP |
95 |  Iraq | NaN % of GDP |
96 |  Jordan | NaN % of GDP |
97 |  North Korea | NaN % of GDP |
98 |  Lesotho | 13 % of GDP |
99 |  Republic of Moldova | 8.3 % of GDP |
100 |  Malta | 8 % of GDP |
101 |  New Zealand | 7.4 % of GDP |
102 |  Morocco | 6.6 % of GDP |
103 |  Norway | 6.6 % of GDP |
104 |  Maldives | 6.2 % of GDP |
105 |  Malaysia | 5.9 % of GDP |
106 |  Netherlands | 5.9 % of GDP |
107 |  Mongolia | 5.5 % of GDP |
108 |  Malawi | 5.4 % of GDP |
109 |  Portugal | 5.3 % of GDP |
110 |  Lithuania | 5.2 % of GDP |
111 |  Mexico | 5.1 % of GDP |
112 |  Mozambique | 5 % of GDP |
113 |  Vanuatu | 5 % of GDP |
114 |  Paraguay | 5 % of GDP |
115 |  Latvia | 4.9 % of GDP |
116 |  Poland | 4.9 % of GDP |
117 |  Mali | 4.8 % of GDP |
118 |  Serbia | 4.8 % of GDP |
119 |  Nepal | 4.7 % of GDP |
120 |  Niger | 4.4 % of GDP |
121 |  Nicaragua | 4.4 % of GDP |
122 |  Oman | 4.2 % of GDP |
123 |  Slovakia | 4.1 % of GDP |
124 |  Russia | 4.1 % of GDP |
125 |  Mauritania | 3.8 % of GDP |
126 |  Mauritius | 3.7 % of GDP |
127 |  Peru | 3.3 % of GDP |
128 |  Panama | 3.3 % of GDP |
129 |  Romania | 3.1 % of GDP |
130 |  Liberia | 2.8 % of GDP |
131 |  Madagascar | 2.7 % of GDP |
132 |  Philippines | 2.7 % of GDP |
133 |  Pakistan | 2.5 % of GDP |
134 |  Qatar | 2.4 % of GDP |
135 |  Liechtenstein | 2.1 % of GDP |
136 |  Libya | NaN % of GDP |
137 |  Montenegro | NaN % of GDP |
138 |  Monaco | 1.6 % of GDP |
139 |  Niue | NaN % of GDP |
140 |  Nigeria | NaN % of GDP |
141 |  Nauru | NaN % of GDP |
142 |  Suriname | NaN % of GDP |
143 |  South Sudan | 0.7 % of GDP |
144 |  Papua New Guinea | NaN % of GDP |
145 |  Guinea-Bissau | NaN % of GDP |
146 |  Puerto Rico | NaN % of GDP |
147 |  Sao Tome and Principe | 9.5 % of GDP |
148 |  Timor-Leste | 9.4 % of GDP |
149 |  Namibia | 8.5 % of GDP |
150 |  Eswatini | 7.8 % of GDP |
151 |  Thailand | 7.6 % of GDP |
152 |  Venezuela | 6.9 % of GDP |
153 |  Sweden | 6.8 % of GDP |
154 |  Ukraine | 6.7 % of GDP |
155 |  Vietnam | 6.3 % of GDP |
156 |  South Africa | 6.2 % of GDP |
157 |  Tunisia | 6.2 % of GDP |
158 |  Tanzania | 6.2 % of GDP |
159 |  United Kingdom | 6 % of GDP |
160 |  Samoa | 5.8 % of GDP |
161 |  Slovenia | 5.7 % of GDP |
162 |  Senegal | 5.6 % of GDP |
163 |  Switzerland | 5.3 % of GDP |
164 |  United States | 5.2 % of GDP |
165 |  Rwanda | 5.1 % of GDP |
166 |  Saudi Arabia | 5.1 % of GDP |
167 |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 5.1 % of GDP |
168 |  Spain | 5 % of GDP |
169 |  Syrian Arab Republic | 4.9 % of GDP |
170 |  Saint Lucia | 4.7 % of GDP |
171 |  Saint Kitts and Nevis | 4.2 % of GDP |
172 |  Tajikistan | 4 % of GDP |
173 |  Togo | 4 % of GDP |
174 |  Seychelles | 3.6 % of GDP |
175 |  Sierra Leone | 2.9 % of GDP |
176 |  Singapore | 2.9 % of GDP |
177 |  San Marino | NaN % of GDP |
178 |  Somalia | NaN % of GDP |
179 |  Turks and Caicos Islands | NaN % of GDP |
180 |  Tokelau | NaN % of GDP |
181 |  Yemen | 4.6 % of GDP |
182 |  Uruguay | 4.4 % of GDP |
183 |  British Virgin Islands | 4.4 % of GDP |
184 |  Burkina Faso | 3.4 % of GDP |
185 |  Uganda | 3.3 % of GDP |
186 |  Turkey | 2.9 % of GDP |
187 |  Laos | 2.8 % of GDP |
188 |  Tuvalu | NaN % of GDP |
189 |  Turkmenistan | 3 % of GDP |
190 |  Uzbekistan | NaN % of GDP |
191 |  Holy See | NaN % of GDP |
192 |  Zimbabwe | 2 % of GDP |
193 |  Zambia | 1.3 % of GDP |
Analysis: These countries represent the highest values in this dataset, showcasing significant scale and impact on global statistics.
- #193Zambia
- #192Zimbabwe
- #191Holy See
- #190Uzbekistan
- #189Turkmenistan
- #188Tuvalu
- #187Laos
- #186Turkey
- #185Uganda
- #184Burkina Faso
Context: These countries or territories have the lowest values, often due to geographic size, administrative status, or specific characteristics.
Analysis & Context
In 2015, Lesotho led the world in Education Expenditure (% of GDP) with a remarkable 13%, highlighting the highest commitment to education as a percentage of GDP globally. The range of education expenditure among the 163 countries with available data extended from a minimum of 0.7% to a maximum of 13%. The global average expenditure was 4.8%, while the median stood at 4.7%, reflecting a modest investment in education across nations.
Economic Factors Driving Education Expenditure
The wide disparity in education expenditure as a percentage of GDP can often be attributed to economic conditions. Countries with higher expenditures, such as Lesotho (13%) and Cuba (12.8%), often prioritize education despite having smaller economies. This commitment might be driven by policies aimed at addressing educational gaps and fostering long-term human capital development. Conversely, nations like South Sudan (0.7%) and Myanmar (0.8%), which allocate the least to education, often face economic challenges and political instability that can divert resources away from education.
Geographic and Demographic Influences
Geography and demographics also play crucial roles in determining education expenditure. In regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa, countries like Namibia (8.5%) and Ghana (8.1%) invest heavily in education, possibly to counteract historical educational deficits and to capitalize on a young population eager for learning opportunities. On the other hand, smaller or wealthier nations, like Monaco (1.6%) and Liechtenstein (2.1%), may allocate less of their GDP to education due to already well-established educational infrastructures and smaller youth populations.
Policy Decisions and Their Impact
Policy decisions significantly influence education spending. In countries like Denmark (8.7%), robust social welfare systems ensure substantial investment in education, reflecting a policy choice to emphasize education as a cornerstone of societal development. In contrast, countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1.6%) may allocate fewer resources due to competing priorities such as healthcare and infrastructure, or due to governance challenges that limit effective policy implementation.
Year-over-Year Trends and Notable Changes
The year-over-year changes in education expenditure reveal significant shifts in priorities for some countries. The Solomon Islands experienced the largest increase, with a 2.6% rise to 9.9%, likely reflecting a strategic push to improve educational outcomes. Thailand and the Dominican Republic also saw notable increases of 1.8% and 1.6%, respectively, suggesting an intensified focus on education reform. Conversely, Djibouti saw the most significant decrease, with a drop of 3.9% to 46.4%, which might be attributed to economic pressures or shifts in policy focus. Similarly, Argentina and Romania experienced declines of 1.2% and 1.1%, respectively, highlighting challenges in maintaining previous levels of educational investment.
Overall, the data from 2015 indicates that while education remains a priority for many nations, the extent of investment varies significantly due to a complex interplay of economic, demographic, and policy factors. Understanding these nuances is essential for comprehending global education trends and the diverse contexts in which they unfold.
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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