Education Expenditure (% of GDP) 2022
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 |  Namibia | 9.6 % of GDP |
2 |  Sierra Leone | 9.1 % of GDP |
3 |  Botswana | 8.7 % of GDP |
4 |  Lesotho | 8.7 % of GDP |
5 |  Cabo Verde | 7.6 % of GDP |
6 |  Tunisia | 7.3 % of GDP |
7 |  Algeria | 7 % of GDP |
8 |  Morocco | 6.8 % of GDP |
9 |  South Africa | 6.6 % of GDP |
10 |  Mozambique | 6.3 % of GDP |
11 |  Senegal | 5.5 % of GDP |
12 |  Burkina Faso | 5.5 % of GDP |
13 |  Seychelles | 5.2 % of GDP |
14 |  Burundi | 5 % of GDP |
15 |  Sao Tome and Principe | 5 % of GDP |
16 |  Eswatini | 5 % of GDP |
17 |  Mauritius | 4.9 % of GDP |
18 |  Kenya | 4.8 % of GDP |
19 |  Congo | 4.5 % of GDP |
20 |  Ethiopia | 4.5 % of GDP |
21 |  Mali | 4.4 % of GDP |
22 |  Togo | 4 % of GDP |
23 |  Ghana | 3.9 % of GDP |
24 |  Zimbabwe | 3.9 % of GDP |
25 |  Niger | 3.8 % of GDP |
26 |  Rwanda | 3.8 % of GDP |
27 |  Zambia | 3.7 % of GDP |
28 |  Djibouti | 3.6 % of GDP |
29 |  Côte d'Ivoire | 3.4 % of GDP |
30 |  Tanzania | 3.3 % of GDP |
31 |  Cameroon | 3.2 % of GDP |
32 |  Gabon | 3.2 % of GDP |
33 |  Madagascar | 3.1 % of GDP |
34 |  Benin | 3 % of GDP |
35 |  Chad | 2.9 % of GDP |
36 |  Malawi | 2.9 % of GDP |
37 |  Gambia | 2.8 % of GDP |
38 |  Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 2.7 % of GDP |
39 |  Liberia | 2.7 % of GDP |
40 |  Guinea-Bissau | 2.7 % of GDP |
41 |  Uganda | 2.7 % of GDP |
42 |  Comoros | 2.6 % of GDP |
43 |  Egypt | 2.5 % of GDP |
44 |  Angola | 2.4 % of GDP |
45 |  Central African Republic | 2.2 % of GDP |
46 |  Equatorial Guinea | NaN % of GDP |
47 |  Eritrea | NaN % of GDP |
48 |  Saint Helena | NaN % of GDP |
49 |  Guinea | 2.2 % of GDP |
50 |  Libya | NaN % of GDP |
51 |  Mauritania | 1.9 % of GDP |
52 |  South Sudan | 1.5 % of GDP |
53 |  Nigeria | 0.5 % of GDP |
54 |  Somalia | 0.3 % of GDP |
55 |  American Samoa | NaN % of GDP |
56 |  Solomon Islands | 12.8 % of GDP |
57 |  Kiribati | 12.4 % of GDP |
58 |  Belize | 8.7 % of GDP |
59 |  Curaçao | 7.4 % of GDP |
60 |  Nauru | 7.1 % of GDP |
61 |  Costa Rica | 6.7 % of GDP |
62 |  Tonga | 6.6 % of GDP |
63 |  Barbados | 6.5 % of GDP |
64 |  Australia | 6.1 % of GDP |
65 |  Northern Mariana Islands | NaN % of GDP |
66 |  Kyrgyzstan | 6.2 % of GDP |
67 |  New Zealand | 6 % of GDP |
68 |  Tajikistan | 5.9 % of GDP |
69 |  Fiji | 5.7 % of GDP |
70 |  Aruba | 5.5 % of GDP |
71 |  Dominica | 5.5 % of GDP |
72 |  Samoa | 4.8 % of GDP |
73 |  Cook Islands | 4.6 % of GDP |
74 |  French Polynesia | NaN % of GDP |
75 |  Guam | NaN % of GDP |
76 |  New Caledonia | NaN % of GDP |
77 |  Niue | NaN % of GDP |
78 |  Honduras | 6.4 % of GDP |
79 |  Jamaica | 6 % of GDP |
80 |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 5.7 % of GDP |
81 |  Montserrat | 5.4 % of GDP |
82 |  Dominican Republic | 4.6 % of GDP |
83 |  Nicaragua | 4.6 % of GDP |
84 |  Turks and Caicos Islands | 4.5 % of GDP |
85 |  Kazakhstan | 4.5 % of GDP |
86 |  El Salvador | 4.1 % of GDP |
87 |  Trinidad and Tobago | 4.1 % of GDP |
88 |  Anguilla | 4 % of GDP |
89 |  Panama | 3.9 % of GDP |
90 |  Russia | 3.7 % of GDP |
91 |  Grenada | 3.6 % of GDP |
92 |  Puerto Rico | 3.6 % of GDP |
93 |  Saint Lucia | 3.6 % of GDP |
94 |  Guatemala | 3.1 % of GDP |
95 |  Turkmenistan | 3.1 % of GDP |
96 |  Bahamas | 2.8 % of GDP |
97 |  British Virgin Islands | 2.6 % of GDP |
98 |  Saint Kitts and Nevis | 2.5 % of GDP |
99 |  Vanuatu | 2.2 % of GDP |
100 |  Tokelau | NaN % of GDP |
101 |  Tuvalu | NaN % of GDP |
102 |  Wallis and Futuna Islands | NaN % of GDP |
103 |  Antigua and Barbuda | 3.8 % of GDP |
104 |  Cayman Islands | 2.1 % of GDP |
105 |  Cuba | NaN % of GDP |
106 |  Haiti | 1.4 % of GDP |
107 |  Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | NaN % of GDP |
108 |  Saint Martin (French part) | NaN % of GDP |
109 |  Saint Barthélemy | NaN % of GDP |
110 |  United States Virgin Islands | NaN % of GDP |
111 |  Iceland | 7.7 % of GDP |
112 |  Faroe Islands | 7.6 % of GDP |
113 |  Belgium | 6.7 % of GDP |
114 |  Estonia | 6.6 % of GDP |
115 |  Denmark | 6.4 % of GDP |
116 |  Republic of Moldova | 6.4 % of GDP |
117 |  Cyprus | 6.1 % of GDP |
118 |  Latvia | 6 % of GDP |
119 |  Finland | 5.9 % of GDP |
120 |  Malta | 5.9 % of GDP |
121 |  Norway | 5.9 % of GDP |
122 |  France | 5.5 % of GDP |
123 |  Croatia | 5.5 % of GDP |
124 |  Netherlands | 5.3 % of GDP |
125 |  Poland | 5.2 % of GDP |
126 |  Austria | 5.1 % of GDP |
127 |  Czech Republic | 5.1 % of GDP |
128 |  Luxembourg | 5 % of GDP |
129 |  Portugal | 5 % of GDP |
130 |  Uzbekistan | 4.9 % of GDP |
131 |  Hungary | 4.8 % of GDP |
132 |  South Korea | 4.7 % of GDP |
133 |  Mongolia | 4.7 % of GDP |
134 |  Belarus | 4.7 % of GDP |
135 |  Germany | 4.7 % of GDP |
136 |  Slovakia | 4.6 % of GDP |
137 |  Brunei Darussalam | 4.4 % of GDP |
138 |  Greece | 4.4 % of GDP |
139 |  Italy | 4.3 % of GDP |
140 |  Timor-Leste | 4.2 % of GDP |
141 |  Vietnam | 4.1 % of GDP |
142 |  Bulgaria | 4 % of GDP |
143 |  Lithuania | 4 % of GDP |
144 |  Malaysia | 3.9 % of GDP |
145 |  Philippines | 3.7 % of GDP |
146 |  China | 3.6 % of GDP |
147 |  Indonesia | 3.5 % of GDP |
148 |  Japan | 3.4 % of GDP |
149 |  Thailand | 3.2 % of GDP |
150 |  Cambodia | 3.1 % of GDP |
151 |  Albania | 3.1 % of GDP |
152 |  Ireland | 3.1 % of GDP |
153 |  Andorra | 2.9 % of GDP |
154 |  Singapore | 2.8 % of GDP |
155 |  Laos | 2.3 % of GDP |
156 |  Myanmar | 2.1 % of GDP |
157 |  North Korea | NaN % of GDP |
158 |  Papua New Guinea | 1.4 % of GDP |
159 |  Taiwan | NaN % of GDP |
160 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina | NaN % of GDP |
161 |  Gibraltar | NaN % of GDP |
162 |  Liechtenstein | 2.6 % of GDP |
163 |  Montenegro | NaN % of GDP |
164 |  North Macedonia | NaN % of GDP |
165 |  Greenland | 10.2 % of GDP |
166 |  Bolivia | 9.8 % of GDP |
167 |  Saudi Arabia | 7.8 % of GDP |
168 |  Sweden | 7.2 % of GDP |
169 |  Israel | 7.1 % of GDP |
170 |  Bhutan | 7 % of GDP |
171 |  Kuwait | 6.6 % of GDP |
172 |  United States | 6.1 % of GDP |
173 |  Brazil | 6 % of GDP |
174 |  Slovenia | 5.8 % of GDP |
175 |  Maldives | 5.8 % of GDP |
176 |  Chile | 5.6 % of GDP |
177 |  United Kingdom | 5.5 % of GDP |
178 |  Ukraine | 5.4 % of GDP |
179 |  Oman | 5.4 % of GDP |
180 |  Switzerland | 5.2 % of GDP |
181 |  Canada | 5.2 % of GDP |
182 |  Argentina | 5 % of GDP |
183 |  Suriname | 5 % of GDP |
184 |  Colombia | 4.9 % of GDP |
185 |  Iraq | 4.7 % of GDP |
186 |  Spain | 4.6 % of GDP |
187 |  Uruguay | 4.6 % of GDP |
188 |  Guyana | 4.5 % of GDP |
189 |  India | 4.5 % of GDP |
190 |  Azerbaijan | 4.3 % of GDP |
191 |  Mexico | 4.3 % of GDP |
192 |  Nepal | 4.2 % of GDP |
193 |  Peru | 4 % of GDP |
194 |  United Arab Emirates | 3.9 % of GDP |
195 |  Romania | 3.7 % of GDP |
196 |  Ecuador | 3.7 % of GDP |
197 |  Serbia | 3.6 % of GDP |
198 |  Georgia | 3.6 % of GDP |
199 |  Iran | 3.6 % of GDP |
200 |  San Marino | 3.4 % of GDP |
201 |  Holy See | NaN % of GDP |
202 |  Turkey | 3.4 % of GDP |
203 |  Paraguay | 3.3 % of GDP |
204 |  Jordan | 3.2 % of GDP |
205 |  Qatar | 3.2 % of GDP |
206 |  Bahrain | 2.2 % of GDP |
207 |  Bermuda | 1.9 % of GDP |
208 |  Lebanon | 1.7 % of GDP |
209 |  Syrian Arab Republic | NaN % of GDP |
210 |  Yemen | NaN % of GDP |
211 |  Saint Pierre and Miquelon | NaN % of GDP |
212 |  Falkland Islands (Malvinas) | NaN % of GDP |
213 |  Afghanistan | 2.9 % of GDP |
214 |  Pakistan | 2.4 % of GDP |
215 |  Bangladesh | 2.1 % of GDP |
216 |  Sri Lanka | 1.9 % of GDP |
217 |  Venezuela | 1.3 % of GDP |
218 |  Monaco | 1.2 % of GDP |
- #1Namibia
- #2Sierra Leone
- #3Botswana
- #4Lesotho
- #5Cabo Verde
- #6Tunisia
- #7Algeria
- #8Morocco
- #9South Africa
- #10Mozambique
Analysis: These countries represent the highest values in this dataset, showcasing significant scale and impact on global statistics.
- #218Monaco
- #217Venezuela
- #216Sri Lanka
- #215Bangladesh
- #214Pakistan
- #213Afghanistan
- #212Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
- #211Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- #210Yemen
- #209Syrian Arab Republic
Context: These countries or territories have the lowest values, often due to geographic size, administrative status, or specific characteristics.
Analysis & Context
In 2022, the Solomon Islands led globally in Education Expenditure (% of GDP) with a remarkable 12.8%, while the range spanned from a low of 0.3% in Somalia to a high of 12.8%. The global average for this metric was 4.61%, providing a benchmark for international comparisons.
Economic Influence on Education Spending
Countries with higher education expenditure as a percentage of GDP often reflect their commitment to human capital development. For instance, the Solomon Islands and Kiribati top the list with 12.8% and 12.4% respectively, indicating a strategic focus on education despite limited economic resources. This contrasts sharply with Somalia, where the expenditure is a mere 0.3%, likely due to ongoing economic challenges and instability.
In contrast, Saudi Arabia at 7.8% demonstrates that even countries with substantial oil revenues prioritize educational spending. This reflects a policy-driven approach to diversify their economies and reduce dependency on oil through an educated workforce.
Policy and Demographic Drivers
Countries like Bolivia and Namibia with expenditures of 9.8% and 9.6% respectively, reveal how demographic factors and policy priorities affect spending. Both countries have young populations, necessitating significant investment in education to harness future economic potential. In contrast, Nigeria, despite being Africa's largest economy, spends only 0.5% of its GDP on education, reflecting a disparity between economic size and educational investment.
Additionally, Greenland and Belize exhibit high spending at 10.2% and 8.7%, indicating robust policy support for education despite smaller populations and economies. This contrasts with Monaco, spending just 1.2%, likely due to its unique economic structure and reliance on private education sectors.
Year-over-Year Trends and Analysis
Examining year-over-year changes, Cabo Verde saw the largest increase in education expenditure, rising by 2.90% or 61.7%. This significant boost underscores a policy shift towards prioritizing education. Similarly, the Solomon Islands increased by 2.70%, highlighting ongoing efforts to enhance educational infrastructure.
Conversely, countries like Montserrat and Timor-Leste experienced substantial declines of -3.70% and -2.60% respectively. These decreases may reflect economic contractions or shifts in budgetary priorities away from education. For example, Puerto Rico reduced its spending by 2.50%, potentially influenced by fiscal challenges and debt restructuring efforts.
Global Patterns and Implications
The global average education expenditure of 4.61% suggests that while many countries prioritize education, significant disparities remain. The Solomon Islands and Kiribati exemplify how smaller nations can lead in educational investment relative to their GDP, potentially setting a model for others. Meanwhile, lower spenders like Somalia and Nigeria highlight regions where increased educational funding could drive socio-economic improvements.
Understanding these patterns is crucial for policymakers aiming to balance economic growth with educational advancement. High education expenditure often correlates with long-term economic benefits, making it a critical area for sustainable development strategies worldwide.
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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