Education Expenditure (% of GDP) 2025
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 |  Kiribati | 16.4 % of GDP |
2 |  North Korea | 14.6 % of GDP |
3 |  Tuvalu | 12.8 % of GDP |
4 |  Greenland | 10.2 % of GDP |
5 |  Namibia | 9.1 % of GDP |
6 |  Gibraltar | 8.6 % of GDP |
7 |  Cuba | 8.4 % of GDP |
8 |  Solomon Islands | 8.3 % of GDP |
9 |  Bolivia | 8.3 % of GDP |
10 |  Botswana | 8.1 % of GDP |
11 |  Vanuatu | 7.6 % of GDP |
12 |  Faroe Islands | 7.6 % of GDP |
13 |  Curaçao | 7.4 % of GDP |
14 |  Iceland | 7.3 % of GDP |
15 |  Sweden | 7.3 % of GDP |
16 |  Montserrat | 7.2 % of GDP |
17 |  Kyrgyzstan | 6.8 % of GDP |
18 |  Tunisia | 6.7 % of GDP |
19 |  Lesotho | 6.6 % of GDP |
20 |  Republic of Moldova | 6.6 % of GDP |
21 |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 6.5 % of GDP |
22 |  Denmark | 6.4 % of GDP |
23 |  Finland | 6.4 % of GDP |
24 |  Kuwait | 6.4 % of GDP |
25 |  Belgium | 6.3 % of GDP |
26 |  Senegal | 6.2 % of GDP |
27 |  Costa Rica | 6.2 % of GDP |
28 |  Morocco | 6 % of GDP |
29 |  Mozambique | 6 % of GDP |
30 |  South Africa | 6 % of GDP |
31 |  Eswatini | 6 % of GDP |
32 |  United Kingdom | 5.9 % of GDP |
33 |  Israel | 5.9 % of GDP |
34 |  Argentina | 5.9 % of GDP |
35 |  South Korea | 5.8 % of GDP |
36 |  Bhutan | 5.8 % of GDP |
37 |  Nauru | 5.7 % of GDP |
38 |  Algeria | 5.6 % of GDP |
39 |  Niue | 5.6 % of GDP |
40 |  Brazil | 5.6 % of GDP |
41 |  Samoa | 5.5 % of GDP |
42 |  Jamaica | 5.5 % of GDP |
43 |  Uzbekistan | 5.5 % of GDP |
44 |  Norway | 5.5 % of GDP |
45 |  Dominica | 5.4 % of GDP |
46 |  Tajikistan | 5.4 % of GDP |
47 |  United States | 5.4 % of GDP |
48 |  Burkina Faso | 5.3 % of GDP |
49 |  New Zealand | 5.3 % of GDP |
50 |  Tonga | 5.3 % of GDP |
51 |  Austria | 5.3 % of GDP |
52 |  France | 5.3 % of GDP |
53 |  Slovenia | 5.3 % of GDP |
54 |  Colombia | 5.3 % of GDP |
55 |  Timor-Leste | 5.2 % of GDP |
56 |  Estonia | 5.2 % of GDP |
57 |  Germany | 5.2 % of GDP |
58 |  Netherlands | 5.2 % of GDP |
59 |  Maldives | 5.2 % of GDP |
60 |  Australia | 5.1 % of GDP |
61 |  Grenada | 5.1 % of GDP |
62 |  Ukraine | 5.1 % of GDP |
63 |  Saudi Arabia | 5.1 % of GDP |
64 |  Sao Tome and Principe | 5 % of GDP |
65 |  Belarus | 5 % of GDP |
66 |  Burundi | 4.9 % of GDP |
67 |  Switzerland | 4.9 % of GDP |
68 |  Canada | 4.9 % of GDP |
69 |  Chile | 4.9 % of GDP |
70 |  Kazakhstan | 4.8 % of GDP |
71 |  Uruguay | 4.8 % of GDP |
72 |  Mauritania | 4.7 % of GDP |
73 |  Rwanda | 4.7 % of GDP |
74 |  Cyprus | 4.7 % of GDP |
75 |  Slovakia | 4.7 % of GDP |
76 |  Malta | 4.7 % of GDP |
77 |  Iraq | 4.7 % of GDP |
78 |  Belize | 4.6 % of GDP |
79 |  Portugal | 4.6 % of GDP |
80 |  Spain | 4.6 % of GDP |
81 |  Seychelles | 4.5 % of GDP |
82 |  Honduras | 4.5 % of GDP |
83 |  Bulgaria | 4.5 % of GDP |
84 |  Guyana | 4.5 % of GDP |
85 |  Brunei Darussalam | 4.4 % of GDP |
86 |  Cabo Verde | 4.3 % of GDP |
87 |  Puerto Rico | 4.3 % of GDP |
88 |  Czech Republic | 4.3 % of GDP |
89 |  Latvia | 4.3 % of GDP |
90 |  Lithuania | 4.3 % of GDP |
91 |  Poland | 4.3 % of GDP |
92 |  Oman | 4.3 % of GDP |
93 |  Afghanistan | 4.3 % of GDP |
94 |  Mali | 4.2 % of GDP |
95 |  Fiji | 4.2 % of GDP |
96 |  Russia | 4.2 % of GDP |
97 |  Peru | 4.2 % of GDP |
98 |  Mauritius | 4.1 % of GDP |
99 |  Niger | 4.1 % of GDP |
100 |  Togo | 4.1 % of GDP |
101 |  Zambia | 4.1 % of GDP |
102 |  Croatia | 4.1 % of GDP |
103 |  Italy | 4.1 % of GDP |
104 |  Mexico | 4.1 % of GDP |
105 |  India | 4.1 % of GDP |
106 |  Kenya | 4 % of GDP |
107 |  China | 4 % of GDP |
108 |  Georgia | 4 % of GDP |
109 |  Egypt | 3.9 % of GDP |
110 |  Saint Martin (French part) | 3.9 % of GDP |
111 |  United Arab Emirates | 3.9 % of GDP |
112 |  Ecuador | 3.9 % of GDP |
113 |  Djibouti | 3.8 % of GDP |
114 |  Dominican Republic | 3.8 % of GDP |
115 |  Saint Lucia | 3.8 % of GDP |
116 |  Hungary | 3.8 % of GDP |
117 |  Mongolia | 3.7 % of GDP |
118 |  Luxembourg | 3.7 % of GDP |
119 |  Azerbaijan | 3.7 % of GDP |
120 |  Nepal | 3.7 % of GDP |
121 |  Aruba | 3.6 % of GDP |
122 |  Barbados | 3.6 % of GDP |
123 |  Philippines | 3.6 % of GDP |
124 |  Saint Kitts and Nevis | 3.5 % of GDP |
125 |  Malaysia | 3.5 % of GDP |
126 |  Jordan | 3.5 % of GDP |
127 |  Côte d'Ivoire | 3.4 % of GDP |
128 |  Cook Islands | 3.4 % of GDP |
129 |  Greece | 3.4 % of GDP |
130 |  Serbia | 3.4 % of GDP |
131 |  Paraguay | 3.4 % of GDP |
132 |  Congo | 3.3 % of GDP |
133 |  Japan | 3.3 % of GDP |
134 |  Romania | 3.3 % of GDP |
135 |  Benin | 3.2 % of GDP |
136 |  Chad | 3.2 % of GDP |
137 |  Tanzania | 3.2 % of GDP |
138 |  El Salvador | 3.2 % of GDP |
139 |  British Virgin Islands | 3.2 % of GDP |
140 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina | 3.2 % of GDP |
141 |  Qatar | 3.2 % of GDP |
142 |  Antigua and Barbuda | 3.1 % of GDP |
143 |  Guatemala | 3.1 % of GDP |
144 |  Albania | 3.1 % of GDP |
145 |  Turkey | 3.1 % of GDP |
146 |  Madagascar | 3 % of GDP |
147 |  Trinidad and Tobago | 3 % of GDP |
148 |  Ghana | 2.9 % of GDP |
149 |  Nicaragua | 2.9 % of GDP |
150 |  Turks and Caicos Islands | 2.9 % of GDP |
151 |  Vietnam | 2.9 % of GDP |
152 |  Ireland | 2.9 % of GDP |
153 |  San Marino | 2.9 % of GDP |
154 |  Suriname | 2.9 % of GDP |
155 |  Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 2.8 % of GDP |
156 |  Cameroon | 2.8 % of GDP |
157 |  Gambia | 2.8 % of GDP |
158 |  Iran | 2.8 % of GDP |
159 |  Malawi | 2.7 % of GDP |
160 |  Guinea-Bissau | 2.7 % of GDP |
161 |  Bahamas | 2.7 % of GDP |
162 |  Turkmenistan | 2.7 % of GDP |
163 |  Sierra Leone | 2.6 % of GDP |
164 |  Uganda | 2.6 % of GDP |
165 |  Liechtenstein | 2.6 % of GDP |
166 |  Angola | 2.5 % of GDP |
167 |  Anguilla | 2.5 % of GDP |
168 |  Panama | 2.5 % of GDP |
169 |  Thailand | 2.5 % of GDP |
170 |  Comoros | 2.3 % of GDP |
171 |  Ethiopia | 2.3 % of GDP |
172 |  Gabon | 2.3 % of GDP |
173 |  Liberia | 2.3 % of GDP |
174 |  Cambodia | 2.2 % of GDP |
175 |  Singapore | 2.2 % of GDP |
176 |  Myanmar | 2 % of GDP |
177 |  Bangladesh | 2 % of GDP |
178 |  Andorra | 1.9 % of GDP |
179 |  Bermuda | 1.9 % of GDP |
180 |  Bahrain | 1.9 % of GDP |
181 |  Pakistan | 1.9 % of GDP |
182 |  Central African Republic | 1.8 % of GDP |
183 |  Sri Lanka | 1.8 % of GDP |
184 |  Guinea | 1.7 % of GDP |
185 |  Monaco | 1.7 % of GDP |
186 |  South Sudan | 1.6 % of GDP |
187 |  Cayman Islands | 1.6 % of GDP |
188 |  Indonesia | 1.3 % of GDP |
189 |  Laos | 1.2 % of GDP |
190 |  Lebanon | 1.2 % of GDP |
191 |  Haiti | 1 % of GDP |
192 |  Papua New Guinea | 0.8 % of GDP |
193 |  Zimbabwe | 0.4 % of GDP |
194 |  Nigeria | 0.3 % of GDP |
195 |  Somalia | 0 % of GDP |
196 |  Venezuela | 0 % of GDP |
- #1Kiribati
- #2North Korea
- #3Tuvalu
- #4Greenland
- #5Namibia
- #6Gibraltar
- #7Cuba
- #8Solomon Islands
- #9Bolivia
- #10Botswana
Analysis: These countries represent the highest values in this dataset, showcasing significant scale and impact on global statistics.
- #196Venezuela
- #195Somalia
- #194Nigeria
- #193Zimbabwe
- #192Papua New Guinea
- #191Haiti
- #190Lebanon
- #189Laos
- #188Indonesia
- #187Cayman Islands
Context: These countries or territories have the lowest values, often due to geographic size, administrative status, or specific characteristics.
Analysis & Context
In 2025, Kiribati leads the world in Education Expenditure (% of GDP) at 16.40%, while Venezuela and Somalia report the lowest with 0.00%. This global metric ranges dramatically, highlighting disparities in educational investment. The average global expenditure on education is 4.36% of GDP, which provides a benchmark for understanding how countries prioritize educational spending.
High Investment in Education: Small Economies Leading the Way
Several small economies top the list of countries with the highest education expenditure as a percentage of GDP. Kiribati not only leads globally but also represents a significant increase from previous years. Similarly, North Korea and Tuvalu also allocate a considerable portion of their GDPs to education, with expenditures of 14.6% and 12.8%, respectively. These high percentages often reflect a strategic prioritization of education as a means to drive social and economic development. In contrast, larger economies may have more diversified spending priorities, diluting the percentage of GDP dedicated to education.
Low Education Expenditure: Economic and Political Turbulence
At the other end of the spectrum, countries like Venezuela, Somalia, and Nigeria exhibit minimal investment in education, with figures as low as 0.00% and 0.3%. These numbers often correlate with economic instability or political challenges. For instance, Venezuela faces ongoing economic crises that severely limit governmental capacity to fund sectors like education. Similarly, Somalia struggles with political instability, which detracts from consistent investment in educational infrastructure.
Year-over-Year Changes: Significant Shifts in Education Funding
The data reveals noteworthy shifts in education expenditure over the past year. Vanuatu experienced a dramatic increase of 5.40%, representing a 245.5% rise in expenditure. This surge may be attributed to policy reforms aimed at improving educational outcomes. Conversely, Sierra Leone saw the most significant decrease, with a reduction of 6.50% or -71.4%, possibly due to shifting budget priorities or external financial constraints. The decrease in Zimbabwe by 3.50% reflects the ongoing economic challenges that limit educational funding.
Regional Trends and Policy Implications
Regional analysis indicates that countries with higher education expenditure as a percentage of GDP often share common traits such as smaller economies or focused governmental policies on education. For example, Namibia and Botswana allocate 9.1% and 8.1% respectively, emphasizing education as a cornerstone for national development. In contrast, countries with lower percentages often face broader economic or political challenges that divert attention and resources from education.
The global average of 4.36% provides a context for evaluating national priorities. Countries exceeding this average, like Greenland with 10.2%, demonstrate a commitment to educational advancement, which may yield long-term benefits in human capital development. In contrast, countries below this average, such as Haiti at 1%, may need to reassess their educational strategies to foster sustainable development.
Ultimately, the disparities in Education Expenditure (% of GDP) highlight the diverse approaches countries take in addressing educational needs, influenced by economic capacity, policy decisions, and socio-political contexts. Understanding these differences is crucial for formulating effective educational policies and international aid strategies.
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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