Education Expenditure (% of GDP) 2019
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 |  Cuba | 12.8 % of GDP |
2 |  Solomon Islands | 9.9 % of GDP |
3 |  Botswana | 9.6 % of GDP |
4 |  Denmark | 7.6 % of GDP |
5 |  Belize | 7.4 % of GDP |
6 |  Costa Rica | 7.4 % of GDP |
7 |  Cyprus | 6.4 % of GDP |
8 |  Aruba | 6.2 % of GDP |
9 |  Brazil | 6.2 % of GDP |
10 |  Austria | 5.5 % of GDP |
11 |  Canada | 5.3 % of GDP |
12 |  Cabo Verde | 5.2 % of GDP |
13 |  Antigua and Barbuda | 2.5 % of GDP |
14 |  United Arab Emirates | NaN % of GDP |
15 |  Chile | 5.4 % of GDP |
16 |  Belarus | 4.8 % of GDP |
17 |  Colombia | 4.5 % of GDP |
18 |  Afghanistan | 4.1 % of GDP |
19 |  Algeria | NaN % of GDP |
20 |  Bolivia | 7.3 % of GDP |
21 |  Bhutan | 6.6 % of GDP |
22 |  Belgium | 6.5 % of GDP |
23 |  Argentina | 5.5 % of GDP |
24 |  Australia | 5.3 % of GDP |
25 |  Burundi | 4.8 % of GDP |
26 |  Barbados | 4.7 % of GDP |
27 |  Cook Islands | 4.7 % of GDP |
28 |  Congo | 4.6 % of GDP |
29 |  Albania | 4 % of GDP |
30 |  Benin | 4 % of GDP |
31 |  Angola | 3.4 % of GDP |
32 |  Dominica | 3.4 % of GDP |
33 |  Andorra | 3.2 % of GDP |
34 |  Azerbaijan | 2.5 % of GDP |
35 |  American Samoa | NaN % of GDP |
36 |  Anguilla | NaN % of GDP |
37 |  Djibouti | 4.5 % of GDP |
38 |  Brunei Darussalam | 4.4 % of GDP |
39 |  Bulgaria | 4.1 % of GDP |
40 |  Cameroon | 3.1 % of GDP |
41 |  Chad | 2.9 % of GDP |
42 |  Sri Lanka | 2.8 % of GDP |
43 |  Bahrain | 2.3 % of GDP |
44 |  Myanmar | 2.2 % of GDP |
45 |  Bangladesh | 2 % of GDP |
46 |  Bermuda | 1.5 % of GDP |
47 |  Bahamas | NaN % of GDP |
48 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina | NaN % of GDP |
49 |  Cambodia | 1.9 % of GDP |
50 |  Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 1.5 % of GDP |
51 |  China | NaN % of GDP |
52 |  Cayman Islands | NaN % of GDP |
53 |  Comoros | 2.5 % of GDP |
54 |  Northern Mariana Islands | NaN % of GDP |
55 |  Central African Republic | 1.2 % of GDP |
56 |  Dominican Republic | NaN % of GDP |
57 |  Kyrgyzstan | 7.2 % of GDP |
58 |  Finland | 6.9 % of GDP |
59 |  Guyana | 6.3 % of GDP |
60 |  Honduras | 6 % of GDP |
61 |  Czech Republic | 5.6 % of GDP |
62 |  Ecuador | 5 % of GDP |
63 |  Egypt | NaN % of GDP |
64 |  Iceland | 7.5 % of GDP |
65 |  France | 5.4 % of GDP |
66 |  Jamaica | 5.4 % of GDP |
67 |  Latvia | 5.3 % of GDP |
68 |  Ethiopia | 4.7 % of GDP |
69 |  Georgia | 3.8 % of GDP |
70 |  Ireland | 3.7 % of GDP |
71 |  Equatorial Guinea | NaN % of GDP |
72 |  Estonia | 5.2 % of GDP |
73 |  Eritrea | NaN % of GDP |
74 |  Israel | 5.8 % of GDP |
75 |  South Korea | 5.3 % of GDP |
76 |  Kenya | 5.2 % of GDP |
77 |  Côte d'Ivoire | 5.1 % of GDP |
78 |  Germany | 4.8 % of GDP |
79 |  Hungary | 4.7 % of GDP |
80 |  Croatia | 4.6 % of GDP |
81 |  Lithuania | 4.2 % of GDP |
82 |  Iran | 4 % of GDP |
83 |  Fiji | 3.9 % of GDP |
84 |  El Salvador | 3.8 % of GDP |
85 |  India | 3.8 % of GDP |
86 |  Italy | 3.8 % of GDP |
87 |  Liberia | 3.8 % of GDP |
88 |  Ghana | 3.6 % of GDP |
89 |  Indonesia | 3.6 % of GDP |
90 |  Jordan | 3.6 % of GDP |
91 |  Japan | 3.5 % of GDP |
92 |  Grenada | 3.2 % of GDP |
93 |  Laos | 2.9 % of GDP |
94 |  Guatemala | 2.8 % of GDP |
95 |  Kazakhstan | 2.8 % of GDP |
96 |  Gabon | 2.7 % of GDP |
97 |  Gambia | 2.1 % of GDP |
98 |  Gibraltar | NaN % of GDP |
99 |  Greenland | NaN % of GDP |
100 |  Guam | NaN % of GDP |
101 |  Greece | NaN % of GDP |
102 |  Lebanon | 2.5 % of GDP |
103 |  Haiti | 2.4 % of GDP |
104 |  Guinea | 2.2 % of GDP |
105 |  Iraq | NaN % of GDP |
106 |  North Korea | NaN % of GDP |
107 |  Kiribati | NaN % of GDP |
108 |  Kuwait | NaN % of GDP |
109 |  Norway | 8 % of GDP |
110 |  Oman | 6.8 % of GDP |
111 |  Republic of Moldova | 6.7 % of GDP |
112 |  Mozambique | 6.5 % of GDP |
113 |  Lesotho | 6.4 % of GDP |
114 |  New Zealand | 6.4 % of GDP |
115 |  Puerto Rico | 6.1 % of GDP |
116 |  Netherlands | 5.5 % of GDP |
117 |  Morocco | 5.3 % of GDP |
118 |  Malta | 5.3 % of GDP |
119 |  Nepal | 5.2 % of GDP |
120 |  Montserrat | 5.1 % of GDP |
121 |  Mexico | 4.9 % of GDP |
122 |  Portugal | 4.9 % of GDP |
123 |  Mauritius | 4.8 % of GDP |
124 |  Malaysia | 4.7 % of GDP |
125 |  Vanuatu | 4.7 % of GDP |
126 |  Poland | 4.6 % of GDP |
127 |  Nicaragua | 4.3 % of GDP |
128 |  Mongolia | 4.1 % of GDP |
129 |  Maldives | 4.1 % of GDP |
130 |  Malawi | 4 % of GDP |
131 |  Serbia | 4 % of GDP |
132 |  Slovakia | 3.9 % of GDP |
133 |  Luxembourg | 3.9 % of GDP |
134 |  Peru | 3.9 % of GDP |
135 |  Russia | 3.7 % of GDP |
136 |  Paraguay | 3.4 % of GDP |
137 |  Liechtenstein | 2.6 % of GDP |
138 |  Libya | NaN % of GDP |
139 |  Panama | 3.2 % of GDP |
140 |  Mali | 3.1 % of GDP |
141 |  Romania | 3.1 % of GDP |
142 |  Rwanda | 3.1 % of GDP |
143 |  Madagascar | 2.8 % of GDP |
144 |  Montenegro | NaN % of GDP |
145 |  North Macedonia | NaN % of GDP |
146 |  Niger | 3.5 % of GDP |
147 |  Qatar | 2.9 % of GDP |
148 |  Philippines | 2.7 % of GDP |
149 |  Mauritania | 2.6 % of GDP |
150 |  Monaco | 1.5 % of GDP |
151 |  New Caledonia | NaN % of GDP |
152 |  Niue | NaN % of GDP |
153 |  Nigeria | NaN % of GDP |
154 |  Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | NaN % of GDP |
155 |  Nauru | NaN % of GDP |
156 |  Suriname | NaN % of GDP |
157 |  Pakistan | 2.9 % of GDP |
158 |  Guinea-Bissau | 2.1 % of GDP |
159 |  South Sudan | 1 % of GDP |
160 |  Papua New Guinea | NaN % of GDP |
161 |  Saint Martin (French part) | NaN % of GDP |
162 |  Saudi Arabia | NaN % of GDP |
163 |  Saint Pierre and Miquelon | NaN % of GDP |
164 |  Sweden | 7.7 % of GDP |
165 |  Eswatini | 7.1 % of GDP |
166 |  Venezuela | 6.9 % of GDP |
167 |  Tunisia | 6.6 % of GDP |
168 |  Uzbekistan | 6.3 % of GDP |
169 |  South Africa | 6.2 % of GDP |
170 |  Zimbabwe | 6.1 % of GDP |
171 |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 5.8 % of GDP |
172 |  Vietnam | 5.7 % of GDP |
173 |  United Kingdom | 5.5 % of GDP |
174 |  Ukraine | 5.4 % of GDP |
175 |  Tajikistan | 5.2 % of GDP |
176 |  Syrian Arab Republic | 5.1 % of GDP |
177 |  Switzerland | 5.1 % of GDP |
178 |  Togo | 5 % of GDP |
179 |  United States | 5 % of GDP |
180 |  Sao Tome and Principe | 4.9 % of GDP |
181 |  Curaçao | 4.9 % of GDP |
182 |  Uruguay | 4.9 % of GDP |
183 |  Senegal | 4.8 % of GDP |
184 |  Slovenia | 4.8 % of GDP |
185 |  Sierra Leone | 4.6 % of GDP |
186 |  Seychelles | 4.4 % of GDP |
187 |  Turkey | 4.3 % of GDP |
188 |  Spain | 4.2 % of GDP |
189 |  Samoa | 4.1 % of GDP |
190 |  Saint Lucia | 3.8 % of GDP |
191 |  San Marino | 3 % of GDP |
192 |  Singapore | 2.9 % of GDP |
193 |  Saint Kitts and Nevis | 2.6 % of GDP |
194 |  Saint Helena | NaN % of GDP |
195 |  Somalia | NaN % of GDP |
196 |  Saint Barthélemy | NaN % of GDP |
197 |  Trinidad and Tobago | NaN % of GDP |
198 |  Burkina Faso | 4.2 % of GDP |
199 |  Thailand | 4.1 % of GDP |
200 |  Timor-Leste | 3.8 % of GDP |
201 |  Namibia | 3.1 % of GDP |
202 |  Turks and Caicos Islands | 2.8 % of GDP |
203 |  Tokelau | NaN % of GDP |
204 |  Tonga | NaN % of GDP |
205 |  Tuvalu | NaN % of GDP |
206 |  Taiwan | NaN % of GDP |
207 |  Tanzania | 3.4 % of GDP |
208 |  British Virgin Islands | 3.2 % of GDP |
209 |  Turkmenistan | 3.1 % of GDP |
210 |  Uganda | 2.6 % of GDP |
211 |  United States Virgin Islands | NaN % of GDP |
212 |  Holy See | NaN % of GDP |
213 |  Wallis and Futuna Islands | NaN % of GDP |
214 |  Yemen | NaN % of GDP |
215 |  Zambia | NaN % of GDP |
Analysis: These countries represent the highest values in this dataset, showcasing significant scale and impact on global statistics.
- #215Zambia
- #214Yemen
- #213Wallis and Futuna Islands
- #212Holy See
- #211United States Virgin Islands
- #210Uganda
- #209Turkmenistan
- #208British Virgin Islands
- #207Tanzania
- #206Taiwan
Context: These countries or territories have the lowest values, often due to geographic size, administrative status, or specific characteristics.
Analysis & Context
In 2019, Cuba led the world in Education Expenditure (% of GDP) with a substantial allocation of 12.8%, while the global range spanned from 1.00% to 12.80%. The average expenditure among the 168 countries with available data was 4.51%, closely aligning with the median of 4.50%.
High Investment in Education: Economic and Policy Drivers
The top countries by education expenditure, including Cuba at 12.8%, Solomon Islands at 9.9%, and Botswana at 9.6%, demonstrate a strong commitment to education as a key policy priority. These nations typically view education as a strategic investment in human capital, essential for long-term economic development and social stability. In Cuba, for instance, the government’s socialist policies emphasize universal education, ensuring a high allocation of GDP towards this sector. Similarly, Norway and Sweden, with expenditures of 8% and 7.7% respectively, benefit from robust economies that allow them to invest heavily in education, supported by a strong cultural emphasis on social welfare and equality.
Low Education Expenditure: Challenges and Constraints
At the lower end of the spectrum, countries like South Sudan and the Central African Republic, with expenditures of 1% and 1.2% respectively, face significant challenges. These nations often grapple with political instability, economic constraints, and competing priorities that limit their ability to allocate more resources to education. In South Sudan, ongoing conflict and a fragile government infrastructure impede the development of a robust educational system. Similarly, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cambodia spend only 1.5% and 1.9% of GDP on education, reflecting systemic issues such as limited government revenue and high poverty rates that restrict educational investment.
Year-over-Year Trends: Significant Movers
While the average year-over-year change in education expenditure was a decrease of -0.25%, several countries exhibited notable shifts. Guyana experienced the most significant increase, nearly doubling its education expenditure by 96.9% to 3.10%. This surge reflects targeted policy reforms aimed at improving educational outcomes and addressing historical underfunding. On the other hand, Grenada saw a dramatic decrease of -68.9% to -7.10%, potentially due to economic adjustments or shifts in government priorities. Similarly, Namibia and Lesotho reduced their education spending by -62.7% and -43.9%, respectively, possibly as a result of budgetary reallocations or economic pressures.
Implications of Education Expenditure
The disparities in education expenditure as a percentage of GDP highlight the varying capacities and policy priorities of countries around the world. High expenditure on education generally correlates with better educational outcomes, higher literacy rates, and improved socio-economic conditions. In contrast, countries with lower expenditure often struggle to provide quality education, which can perpetuate cycles of poverty and limit economic growth. As nations continue to evaluate their budgetary commitments, understanding the drivers behind these investments and their long-term impacts remains crucial for shaping future educational and economic policies.
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.
Visit Data SourceHistorical Data by Year
Explore Education Expenditure (% of GDP) data across different years. Compare trends and see how statistics have changed over time.
More People and Society Facts
Currently married (Percent)
The percentage of currently married individuals by country highlights societal trends in family structure and relationships. Understanding these statistics can provide insights into cultural norms and demographic shifts, influencing policies and social programs.
View dataBrowse All People and Society
Explore more facts and statistics in this category
All Categories
Discover more categories with comprehensive global data