Health Expenditure (% of GDP) 2013
Health Expenditure as a percentage of GDP reveals how countries invest in healthcare. Compare rankings and explore interactive maps.
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Complete Data Rankings
Rank | ||
|---|---|---|
1 |  Liberia | 19.5 % of GDP |
2 |  Sierra Leone | 18.8 % of GDP |
3 |  United States | 17.9 % of GDP |
4 |  Tuvalu | 17.3 % of GDP |
5 |  Niue | 14.6 % of GDP |
6 |  Lesotho | 12.8 % of GDP |
7 |  Netherlands | 12 % of GDP |
8 |  France | 11.6 % of GDP |
9 |  Republic of Moldova | 11.4 % of GDP |
10 |  Canada | 11.2 % of GDP |
11 |  Denmark | 11.2 % of GDP |
12 |  Germany | 11.1 % of GDP |
13 |  Costa Rica | 10.9 % of GDP |
14 |  Switzerland | 10.9 % of GDP |
15 |  Rwanda | 10.8 % of GDP |
16 |  Austria | 10.6 % of GDP |
17 |  Belgium | 10.6 % of GDP |
18 |  Portugal | 10.4 % of GDP |
19 |  Serbia | 10.4 % of GDP |
20 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina | 10.2 % of GDP |
21 |  Kiribati | 10.1 % of GDP |
22 |  Nicaragua | 10.1 % of GDP |
23 |  New Zealand | 10.1 % of GDP |
24 |  Cuba | 10 % of GDP |
25 |  Nauru | 9.8 % of GDP |
26 |  Paraguay | 9.7 % of GDP |
27 |  Afghanistan | 9.6 % of GDP |
28 |  Spain | 9.6 % of GDP |
29 |  Italy | 9.5 % of GDP |
30 |  Uganda | 9.5 % of GDP |
31 |  Ireland | 9.4 % of GDP |
32 |  Georgia | 9.4 % of GDP |
33 |  Sweden | 9.4 % of GDP |
34 |  Japan | 9.3 % of GDP |
35 |  Montenegro | 9.3 % of GDP |
36 |  United Kingdom | 9.3 % of GDP |
37 |  Honduras | 9.1 % of GDP |
38 |  Iceland | 9.1 % of GDP |
39 |  Norway | 9.1 % of GDP |
40 |  Australia | 9 % of GDP |
41 |  Greece | 9 % of GDP |
42 |  Slovakia | 9 % of GDP |
43 |  Slovenia | 9 % of GDP |
44 |  Brazil | 8.9 % of GDP |
45 |  Finland | 8.9 % of GDP |
46 |  Solomon Islands | 8.8 % of GDP |
47 |  Burundi | 8.7 % of GDP |
48 |  Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 8.5 % of GDP |
49 |  Malta | 8.5 % of GDP |
50 |  Maldives | 8.5 % of GDP |
51 |  South Africa | 8.5 % of GDP |
52 |  Jordan | 8.4 % of GDP |
53 |  Malawi | 8.4 % of GDP |
54 |  Iraq | 8.3 % of GDP |
55 |  Panama | 8.2 % of GDP |
56 |  Argentina | 8.1 % of GDP |
57 |  Togo | 8 % of GDP |
58 |  Uruguay | 8 % of GDP |
59 |  Eswatini | 8 % of GDP |
60 |  Djibouti | 7.9 % of GDP |
61 |  Haiti | 7.9 % of GDP |
62 |  Croatia | 7.8 % of GDP |
63 |  Barbados | 7.7 % of GDP |
64 |  Bahamas | 7.7 % of GDP |
65 |  Hungary | 7.7 % of GDP |
66 |  Israel | 7.7 % of GDP |
67 |  Luxembourg | 7.7 % of GDP |
68 |  Sao Tome and Principe | 7.7 % of GDP |
69 |  Bulgaria | 7.6 % of GDP |
70 |  Chile | 7.5 % of GDP |
71 |  Cyprus | 7.4 % of GDP |
72 |  Czech Republic | 7.4 % of GDP |
73 |  Ecuador | 7.3 % of GDP |
74 |  Tanzania | 7.3 % of GDP |
75 |  Ukraine | 7.3 % of GDP |
76 |  Andorra | 7.2 % of GDP |
77 |  South Korea | 7.2 % of GDP |
78 |  San Marino | 7.2 % of GDP |
79 |  Saint Lucia | 7.2 % of GDP |
80 |  Lithuania | 7 % of GDP |
81 |  Samoa | 7 % of GDP |
82 |  El Salvador | 6.8 % of GDP |
83 |  Côte d'Ivoire | 6.8 % of GDP |
84 |  Mali | 6.8 % of GDP |
85 |  Vietnam | 6.8 % of GDP |
86 |  Guatemala | 6.7 % of GDP |
87 |  Latvia | 6.7 % of GDP |
88 |  Poland | 6.7 % of GDP |
89 |  Turkey | 6.7 % of GDP |
90 |  North Macedonia | 6.6 % of GDP |
91 |  Mozambique | 6.6 % of GDP |
92 |  Burkina Faso | 6.5 % of GDP |
93 |  Mexico | 6.4 % of GDP |
94 |  Albania | 6.3 % of GDP |
95 |  Lebanon | 6.3 % of GDP |
96 |  Guinea-Bissau | 6.3 % of GDP |
97 |  Grenada | 6.2 % of GDP |
98 |  Kyrgyzstan | 6.2 % of GDP |
99 |  Russia | 6.2 % of GDP |
100 |  Tunisia | 6.2 % of GDP |
101 |  Colombia | 6.1 % of GDP |
102 |  Zambia | 6.1 % of GDP |
103 |  Estonia | 6 % of GDP |
104 |  Guinea | 6 % of GDP |
105 |  Iran | 6 % of GDP |
106 |  Morocco | 6 % of GDP |
107 |  Senegal | 6 % of GDP |
108 |  Antigua and Barbuda | 5.9 % of GDP |
109 |  Dominica | 5.9 % of GDP |
110 |  Guyana | 5.9 % of GDP |
111 |  Mauritius | 5.9 % of GDP |
112 |  Romania | 5.9 % of GDP |
113 |  Tajikistan | 5.8 % of GDP |
114 |  Belize | 5.7 % of GDP |
115 |  Cambodia | 5.7 % of GDP |
116 |  Trinidad and Tobago | 5.7 % of GDP |
117 |  Cook Islands | 5.5 % of GDP |
118 |  Yemen | 5.5 % of GDP |
119 |  Dominican Republic | 5.4 % of GDP |
120 |  Mauritania | 5.4 % of GDP |
121 |  Nepal | 5.4 % of GDP |
122 |  Uzbekistan | 5.4 % of GDP |
123 |  Belarus | 5.3 % of GDP |
124 |  Comoros | 5.3 % of GDP |
125 |  Mongolia | 5.3 % of GDP |
126 |  Niger | 5.3 % of GDP |
127 |  Nigeria | 5.3 % of GDP |
128 |  Suriname | 5.3 % of GDP |
129 |  Tonga | 5.3 % of GDP |
130 |  Namibia | 5.3 % of GDP |
131 |  Azerbaijan | 5.2 % of GDP |
132 |  China | 5.2 % of GDP |
133 |  Cameroon | 5.2 % of GDP |
134 |  Jamaica | 5.2 % of GDP |
135 |  Venezuela | 5.2 % of GDP |
136 |  Botswana | 5.1 % of GDP |
137 |  Timor-Leste | 5.1 % of GDP |
138 |  Bolivia | 4.9 % of GDP |
139 |  Egypt | 4.9 % of GDP |
140 |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 4.9 % of GDP |
141 |  Cabo Verde | 4.8 % of GDP |
142 |  Ghana | 4.8 % of GDP |
143 |  Peru | 4.8 % of GDP |
144 |  Ethiopia | 4.7 % of GDP |
145 |  Benin | 4.6 % of GDP |
146 |  Singapore | 4.6 % of GDP |
147 |  Kenya | 4.5 % of GDP |
148 |  Gambia | 4.4 % of GDP |
149 |  Libya | 4.4 % of GDP |
150 |  Saint Kitts and Nevis | 4.4 % of GDP |
151 |  Chad | 4.3 % of GDP |
152 |  Monaco | 4.3 % of GDP |
153 |  Papua New Guinea | 4.3 % of GDP |
154 |  Bhutan | 4.1 % of GDP |
155 |  Madagascar | 4.1 % of GDP |
156 |  Vanuatu | 4.1 % of GDP |
157 |  Philippines | 4.1 % of GDP |
158 |  Thailand | 4.1 % of GDP |
159 |  Equatorial Guinea | 4 % of GDP |
160 |  Algeria | 3.9 % of GDP |
161 |  India | 3.9 % of GDP |
162 |  Kazakhstan | 3.9 % of GDP |
163 |  Bahrain | 3.8 % of GDP |
164 |  Central African Republic | 3.8 % of GDP |
165 |  Fiji | 3.8 % of GDP |
166 |  Seychelles | 3.8 % of GDP |
167 |  Bangladesh | 3.7 % of GDP |
168 |  Saudi Arabia | 3.7 % of GDP |
169 |  Syrian Arab Republic | 3.7 % of GDP |
170 |  Malaysia | 3.6 % of GDP |
171 |  Angola | 3.5 % of GDP |
172 |  Sri Lanka | 3.4 % of GDP |
173 |  United Arab Emirates | 3.3 % of GDP |
174 |  Gabon | 3.2 % of GDP |
175 |  Laos | 2.8 % of GDP |
176 |  Indonesia | 2.7 % of GDP |
177 |  Kuwait | 2.7 % of GDP |
178 |  Turkmenistan | 2.7 % of GDP |
179 |  Eritrea | 2.6 % of GDP |
180 |  Brunei Darussalam | 2.5 % of GDP |
181 |  Congo | 2.5 % of GDP |
182 |  Pakistan | 2.5 % of GDP |
183 |  Oman | 2.3 % of GDP |
184 |  Myanmar | 2 % of GDP |
185 |  Qatar | 1.9 % of GDP |
- #1Liberia
- #2Sierra Leone
- #3United States
- #4Tuvalu
- #5Niue
- #6Lesotho
- #7Netherlands
- #8France
- #9Republic of Moldova
- #10Canada
Analysis: These countries represent the highest values in this dataset, showcasing significant scale and impact on global statistics.
- #185Qatar
- #184Myanmar
- #183Oman
- #182Pakistan
- #181Congo
- #180Brunei Darussalam
- #179Eritrea
- #178Turkmenistan
- #177Kuwait
- #176Indonesia
Context: These countries or territories have the lowest values, often due to geographic size, administrative status, or specific characteristics.
Analysis & Context
In 2013, the country with the highest Health Expenditure (% of GDP) was Liberia at 19.5%, while the global range spanned from 1.9% to 19.5%. The global average health expenditure as a percentage of GDP was 6.92%, providing a crucial benchmark for understanding international healthcare investment levels.
Healthcare Investment Leaders and Laggards
The significant disparity in Health Expenditure (% of GDP) across countries in 2013 highlights diverse national priorities and economic capacities. Liberia led with 19.5%, followed closely by Sierra Leone at 18.8% and the United States at 17.9%. These high percentages often reflect both high healthcare costs and a strong emphasis on public health systems. In contrast, Qatar had the lowest expenditure at 1.9%, with Myanmar and Oman slightly higher at 2.0% and 2.3%, respectively. These lower values may indicate reliance on private healthcare or less comprehensive public health systems.
Economic and Policy Drivers of Health Expenditure
The variation in health expenditure is often driven by a combination of economic strength, policy priorities, and demographic factors. For instance, the high expenditure in countries like the United States and Netherlands (12%) can be attributed to advanced healthcare systems that require substantial investment to maintain quality and accessibility. Conversely, countries such as Qatar and Kuwait with lower expenditure levels might prioritize different sectors or rely heavily on private healthcare provisions.
- United States: High costs of healthcare services and insurance-driven market.
- Netherlands: Strong public health initiatives and insurance mandates.
- Qatar and Kuwait: Wealthy nations with significant private healthcare reliance.
Year-over-Year Trends in Health Expenditure
Analyzing year-over-year changes reveals substantial fluctuations in healthcare investment. Liberia experienced the most dramatic increase, with a 15.60% rise, equating to a 400.0% increase. This surge possibly reflects post-conflict recovery efforts and international aid inflows aimed at rebuilding healthcare infrastructure. Similarly, France saw an 8.10% increase, driven by reforms to enhance healthcare accessibility and quality.
Conversely, countries such as Malta and Kenya faced significant reductions in health expenditure. Malta experienced an 8.00% decrease, a 48.5% reduction, possibly due to budget reallocations or economic constraints. Similarly, Kenya saw a 7.70% decline, potentially reflecting shifts in government spending priorities.
Global Health Priorities and Expenditure Patterns
The 2013 data underscores the complex interplay between national priorities and economic capabilities in shaping health expenditure. Countries with higher investments, like France and Canada (11.2%), often reflect a commitment to universal healthcare and public welfare. In contrast, nations with lower percentages, such as Indonesia (2.7%), may prioritize economic development over healthcare, relying on external aid or private sectors to fill gaps.
Ultimately, the allocation of GDP to health expenditure is a reflection of a country's policy decisions, economic conditions, and demographic needs. Understanding these patterns provides insights into how nations prioritize health within their broader economic strategies and the potential impact on public health outcomes.
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 Health Expenditure (% of GDP) data across different years. Compare trends and see how statistics have changed over time.