Health Expenditure (% of GDP) 2015
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 |  Tuvalu | 19.7 % of GDP |
2 |  United States | 17.1 % of GDP |
3 |  Netherlands | 12.9 % of GDP |
4 |  Republic of Moldova | 11.8 % of GDP |
5 |  Sierra Leone | 11.8 % of GDP |
6 |  France | 11.7 % of GDP |
7 |  Lesotho | 11.5 % of GDP |
8 |  Switzerland | 11.5 % of GDP |
9 |  Germany | 11.3 % of GDP |
10 |  Belgium | 11.2 % of GDP |
11 |  Rwanda | 11.1 % of GDP |
12 |  Austria | 11 % of GDP |
13 |  Canada | 10.9 % of GDP |
14 |  Maldives | 10.8 % of GDP |
15 |  Denmark | 10.6 % of GDP |
16 |  Serbia | 10.6 % of GDP |
17 |  Japan | 10.3 % of GDP |
18 |  Kiribati | 10.1 % of GDP |
19 |  Liberia | 10 % of GDP |
20 |  Costa Rica | 9.9 % of GDP |
21 |  Greece | 9.8 % of GDP |
22 |  Uganda | 9.8 % of GDP |
23 |  Brazil | 9.7 % of GDP |
24 |  New Zealand | 9.7 % of GDP |
25 |  Portugal | 9.7 % of GDP |
26 |  Sweden | 9.7 % of GDP |
27 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina | 9.6 % of GDP |
28 |  Norway | 9.6 % of GDP |
29 |  Australia | 9.4 % of GDP |
30 |  Finland | 9.4 % of GDP |
31 |  Georgia | 9.4 % of GDP |
32 |  Haiti | 9.4 % of GDP |
33 |  Slovenia | 9.2 % of GDP |
34 |  Iceland | 9.1 % of GDP |
35 |  Italy | 9.1 % of GDP |
36 |  United Kingdom | 9.1 % of GDP |
37 |  Paraguay | 9 % of GDP |
38 |  Djibouti | 8.9 % of GDP |
39 |  Ireland | 8.9 % of GDP |
40 |  South Africa | 8.9 % of GDP |
41 |  Spain | 8.9 % of GDP |
42 |  Cuba | 8.8 % of GDP |
43 |  Uruguay | 8.8 % of GDP |
44 |  Honduras | 8.7 % of GDP |
45 |  Malta | 8.7 % of GDP |
46 |  Togo | 8.6 % of GDP |
47 |  Saint Lucia | 8.5 % of GDP |
48 |  Nicaragua | 8.4 % of GDP |
49 |  Eswatini | 8.4 % of GDP |
50 |  Malawi | 8.3 % of GDP |
51 |  Slovakia | 8.2 % of GDP |
52 |  Afghanistan | 8.1 % of GDP |
53 |  Andorra | 8.1 % of GDP |
54 |  Burundi | 8 % of GDP |
55 |  Hungary | 8 % of GDP |
56 |  Ukraine | 7.8 % of GDP |
57 |  Chile | 7.7 % of GDP |
58 |  Namibia | 7.7 % of GDP |
59 |  Bulgaria | 7.6 % of GDP |
60 |  Cambodia | 7.5 % of GDP |
61 |  Ecuador | 7.5 % of GDP |
62 |  Samoa | 7.5 % of GDP |
63 |  Cyprus | 7.4 % of GDP |
64 |  Argentina | 7.3 % of GDP |
65 |  Bahamas | 7.3 % of GDP |
66 |  Croatia | 7.3 % of GDP |
67 |  Tanzania | 7.3 % of GDP |
68 |  Czech Republic | 7.2 % of GDP |
69 |  Israel | 7.2 % of GDP |
70 |  Jordan | 7.2 % of GDP |
71 |  South Korea | 7.2 % of GDP |
72 |  Lebanon | 7.2 % of GDP |
73 |  Panama | 7.2 % of GDP |
74 |  Luxembourg | 7.1 % of GDP |
75 |  Mali | 7.1 % of GDP |
76 |  Niue | 7.1 % of GDP |
77 |  Tunisia | 7.1 % of GDP |
78 |  El Salvador | 6.9 % of GDP |
79 |  Sao Tome and Principe | 6.9 % of GDP |
80 |  Barbados | 6.8 % of GDP |
81 |  Colombia | 6.8 % of GDP |
82 |  Mozambique | 6.8 % of GDP |
83 |  Tajikistan | 6.8 % of GDP |
84 |  Iran | 6.7 % of GDP |
85 |  Kyrgyzstan | 6.7 % of GDP |
86 |  Poland | 6.7 % of GDP |
87 |  Algeria | 6.6 % of GDP |
88 |  Guatemala | 6.5 % of GDP |
89 |  Guyana | 6.5 % of GDP |
90 |  Montenegro | 6.5 % of GDP |
91 |  Niger | 6.5 % of GDP |
92 |  Russia | 6.5 % of GDP |
93 |  San Marino | 6.5 % of GDP |
94 |  North Macedonia | 6.4 % of GDP |
95 |  Saint Kitts and Nevis | 6.4 % of GDP |
96 |  Burkina Faso | 6.4 % of GDP |
97 |  Grenada | 6.3 % of GDP |
98 |  Nauru | 6.3 % of GDP |
99 |  Lithuania | 6.2 % of GDP |
100 |  Mexico | 6.2 % of GDP |
101 |  Bolivia | 6.1 % of GDP |
102 |  Belarus | 6.1 % of GDP |
103 |  Uzbekistan | 6.1 % of GDP |
104 |  Dominica | 6 % of GDP |
105 |  Gambia | 6 % of GDP |
106 |  Mongolia | 6 % of GDP |
107 |  Morocco | 6 % of GDP |
108 |  Nepal | 6 % of GDP |
109 |  Vietnam | 6 % of GDP |
110 |  Albania | 5.9 % of GDP |
111 |  Jamaica | 5.9 % of GDP |
112 |  Comoros | 5.8 % of GDP |
113 |  Estonia | 5.7 % of GDP |
114 |  Côte d'Ivoire | 5.7 % of GDP |
115 |  Latvia | 5.7 % of GDP |
116 |  Azerbaijan | 5.6 % of GDP |
117 |  China | 5.6 % of GDP |
118 |  Turkey | 5.6 % of GDP |
119 |  Guinea-Bissau | 5.5 % of GDP |
120 |  Trinidad and Tobago | 5.5 % of GDP |
121 |  Botswana | 5.4 % of GDP |
122 |  Belize | 5.4 % of GDP |
123 |  Dominican Republic | 5.4 % of GDP |
124 |  Ghana | 5.4 % of GDP |
125 |  Yemen | 5.4 % of GDP |
126 |  Peru | 5.3 % of GDP |
127 |  Romania | 5.3 % of GDP |
128 |  Iraq | 5.2 % of GDP |
129 |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 5.2 % of GDP |
130 |  Solomon Islands | 5.1 % of GDP |
131 |  Cameroon | 5.1 % of GDP |
132 |  Egypt | 5.1 % of GDP |
133 |  Ethiopia | 5.1 % of GDP |
134 |  Zambia | 5 % of GDP |
135 |  Antigua and Barbuda | 4.9 % of GDP |
136 |  Bahrain | 4.9 % of GDP |
137 |  Mauritius | 4.8 % of GDP |
138 |  Guinea | 4.7 % of GDP |
139 |  Tonga | 4.7 % of GDP |
140 |  Benin | 4.6 % of GDP |
141 |  Singapore | 4.6 % of GDP |
142 |  Thailand | 4.6 % of GDP |
143 |  Kenya | 4.5 % of GDP |
144 |  Papua New Guinea | 4.5 % of GDP |
145 |  Cabo Verde | 4.4 % of GDP |
146 |  Philippines | 4.4 % of GDP |
147 |  Kazakhstan | 4.3 % of GDP |
148 |  Libya | 4.3 % of GDP |
149 |  Madagascar | 4.2 % of GDP |
150 |  Senegal | 4.2 % of GDP |
151 |  Congo | 4.1 % of GDP |
152 |  Fiji | 4.1 % of GDP |
153 |  India | 4 % of GDP |
154 |  Monaco | 4 % of GDP |
155 |  Malaysia | 4 % of GDP |
156 |  Seychelles | 4 % of GDP |
157 |  Central African Republic | 3.9 % of GDP |
158 |  Vanuatu | 3.9 % of GDP |
159 |  Nigeria | 3.9 % of GDP |
160 |  Angola | 3.8 % of GDP |
161 |  Gabon | 3.8 % of GDP |
162 |  Mauritania | 3.8 % of GDP |
163 |  Bangladesh | 3.7 % of GDP |
164 |  Bhutan | 3.6 % of GDP |
165 |  Chad | 3.6 % of GDP |
166 |  Venezuela | 3.6 % of GDP |
167 |  Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 3.5 % of GDP |
168 |  Equatorial Guinea | 3.5 % of GDP |
169 |  Syrian Arab Republic | 3.3 % of GDP |
170 |  United Arab Emirates | 3.2 % of GDP |
171 |  Sri Lanka | 3.2 % of GDP |
172 |  Saudi Arabia | 3.2 % of GDP |
173 |  Cook Islands | 3.1 % of GDP |
174 |  Indonesia | 3.1 % of GDP |
175 |  Eritrea | 3 % of GDP |
176 |  Kuwait | 2.9 % of GDP |
177 |  Pakistan | 2.8 % of GDP |
178 |  Oman | 2.6 % of GDP |
179 |  Brunei Darussalam | 2.5 % of GDP |
180 |  South Sudan | 2.2 % of GDP |
181 |  Qatar | 2.2 % of GDP |
182 |  Laos | 2 % of GDP |
183 |  Turkmenistan | 2 % of GDP |
184 |  Myanmar | 1.8 % of GDP |
185 |  Timor-Leste | 1.3 % of GDP |
- #1Tuvalu
- #2United States
- #3Netherlands
- #4Republic of Moldova
- #5Sierra Leone
- #6France
- #7Lesotho
- #8Switzerland
- #9Germany
- #10Belgium
Analysis: These countries represent the highest values in this dataset, showcasing significant scale and impact on global statistics.
- #185Timor-Leste
- #184Myanmar
- #183Turkmenistan
- #182Laos
- #181Qatar
- #180South Sudan
- #179Brunei Darussalam
- #178Oman
- #177Pakistan
- #176Kuwait
Context: These countries or territories have the lowest values, often due to geographic size, administrative status, or specific characteristics.
Analysis & Context
In 2015, Tuvalu led global Health Expenditure with 19.7% of its GDP, while the worldwide range spanned from 1.3% to 19.7%. The global average Health Expenditure was 6.69%, highlighting significant disparities in healthcare investment among countries.
High Health Expenditure: Economic and Policy Influences
Countries with high Health Expenditure as a percentage of GDP, such as Tuvalu at 19.7% and the United States at 17.1%, often reflect robust healthcare systems supported by substantial public and private investments. In the case of the United States, the high expenditure is driven by a combination of high healthcare costs, advanced medical technology, and a significant emphasis on private healthcare insurance. Similarly, European countries like Netherlands (12.9%), France (11.7%), and Germany (11.3%) maintain high expenditures due to comprehensive healthcare policies that ensure universal coverage, which necessitates significant government spending to maintain quality and accessibility.
Low Health Expenditure: Economic Constraints and Policy Choices
At the lower end of the spectrum, countries like Timor-Leste with 1.3% and Myanmar with 1.8% of GDP dedicated to health, often face economic constraints that limit their ability to invest in healthcare. Political factors and policy choices also play crucial roles. For instance, Qatar and Kuwait, despite their wealth, allocate only 2.2% and 2.9% respectively, reflecting policy decisions prioritizing other sectors over healthcare. These countries often rely on expatriate labor and may not prioritize extensive public healthcare infrastructure for all residents.
Year-Over-Year Changes: Significant Movers
Examining year-over-year changes, Algeria saw the most significant increase in Health Expenditure, with a rise of 2.70% (69.2%), likely due to increased government investment in healthcare infrastructure and services. Similarly, Tuvalu and Maldives increased their expenditures by 2.40% (13.9%) and 2.30% (27.1%), respectively, potentially reflecting efforts to enhance healthcare access and quality.
Conversely, Liberia experienced the largest decrease, with a drop of 9.50% (-48.7%), possibly due to reduced international aid or shifts in government spending priorities post-Ebola epidemic. Timor-Leste also saw a significant reduction of 3.80% (-74.5%), indicating potential budget reallocations or economic challenges impacting healthcare funding.
Healthcare Investment and Economic Development
Health Expenditure as a percentage of GDP is often indicative of a country's commitment to its population's well-being, reflecting both economic capacity and policy priorities. High expenditure can suggest a focus on comprehensive healthcare systems, while lower percentages may indicate economic constraints or alternative policy focuses. For example, countries like Switzerland (11.5%) and Germany (11.3%) invest heavily in healthcare, aligning with their high GDPs and strong social welfare policies. In contrast, nations with emerging economies or different policy priorities, such as Oman (2.6%) and Laos (2%), may allocate less to healthcare relative to their GDPs.
Understanding these dynamics is crucial for interpreting how countries prioritize health in relation to economic growth and societal needs. The diverse range of Health Expenditure across the globe in 2015 underscores the complex interplay between economic capacity, policy decisions, and healthcare 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.