Health Expenditure (% of GDP) 2014
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 2014, Liberia led the world in Health Expenditure (% of GDP) at 19.5%, while the global range spanned from 1.90% to 19.50%. The global average for health expenditure was 6.92%, providing a benchmark for comparing national investments in healthcare.
Economic Influence on Health Expenditure
The disparity in health expenditure as a percentage of GDP among countries often reflects economic conditions and priorities. For instance, Liberia and Sierra Leone, with expenditures of 19.5% and 18.8% respectively, allocate significant portions of their GDP to health. This could be attributed to the ongoing recovery and rebuilding of their health systems post-Ebola outbreak, necessitating substantial investment despite their limited economic capacities.
In contrast, wealthier nations like the United States (with 17.9%) and the Netherlands (with 12%) also show high health expenditure levels. This is often driven by advanced healthcare systems, higher costs of medical services, and an aging population that demands more healthcare resources.
Low Expenditure and Policy Priorities
Countries with minimal health expenditure, such as Qatar at 1.9% and Myanmar at 2%, typically reflect different policy priorities or economic models. In Qatar, a relatively wealthy nation, low health expenditure as a percentage of GDP may indicate a smaller public sector role in healthcare, with private and expatriate sectors playing significant roles. Conversely, Myanmar's low figures may highlight limited government capacity or competing priorities in development and infrastructure over healthcare.
Other countries like Oman and Brunei Darussalam, both at 2.3% and 2.5% respectively, might prioritize other sectors or rely on different healthcare funding models, such as strong private sector participation or subsidized healthcare systems that do not heavily impact GDP.
Stability and Change in Health Expenditure
Interestingly, the data from 2014 shows no year-over-year change in health expenditure percentages for any of the top countries, including Liberia, Sierra Leone, and the United States. This stability suggests entrenched budgeting patterns in healthcare, often due to long-term policy commitments or stable economic conditions that do not necessitate abrupt shifts in health funding.
Such stability can be crucial for countries like Tuvalu and Niue, where health expenditure percentages stand at 17.3% and 14.6% respectively. For these smaller economies, consistent investment in health indicates a strategic focus on maintaining public health services despite potential external pressures like climate change impacts, which could otherwise divert resources.
Geopolitical and Demographic Drivers
Geopolitical context and demographic trends also play significant roles in shaping health expenditure. For example, countries like France and Canada, with expenditures of 11.6% and 11.2% respectively, often face demographic pressures from aging populations. These nations typically have comprehensive public healthcare systems designed to accommodate increasing demand from elderly populations.
In contrast, countries such as Pakistan and Indonesia, with relatively lower expenditures at 2.5% and 2.7%, may face challenges from rapidly growing populations, necessitating broader allocation of resources across various sectors. These demographic pressures can dilute focus on healthcare expenditure unless supported by robust economic growth and policy reforms.
The 2014 landscape of health expenditure as a percentage of GDP across countries reveals a complex interplay of economic strength, policy priorities, demographics, and geopolitical factors. As countries navigate these diverse challenges, their commitment to healthcare investment remains a critical indicator of their developmental trajectory and the well-being of their populations.
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.