* indicates monthly or quarterly data series

Public spending on education, percent of GDP, 2023:

The average for 2023 based on 31 countries was 3.44 percent. The highest value was in Kyrgyzstan: 6.83 percent and the lowest value was in Laos: 1.23 percent. The indicator is available from 1970 to 2025. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Measure: percent; Source: UNESCO
Select indicator
* indicates monthly or quarterly data series


Countries Education spending, percent of GDP, 2023 Global rank Available data
Kyrgyzstan 6.83 1 1994 - 2023
Bhutan 5.85 2 1971 - 2023
Uzbekistan 5.47 3 2013 - 2023
Tajikistan 5.44 4 1993 - 2023
Maldives 5.17 5 2002 - 2023
Kuwait 5.03 6 1971 - 2024
Kazakhstan 4.86 7 1995 - 2023
Saudi Arabia 4.48 8 1981 - 2023
Nepal 3.96 9 1998 - 2024
China 3.9 10 1971 - 2023
Hong Kong 3.8 11 1971 - 2024
Georgia 3.71 12 1994 - 2024
Azerbaijan 3.66 13 1992 - 2023
Mongolia 3.66 14 1997 - 2024
Philippines 3.62 15 1980 - 2025
Jordan 3.51 16 1970 - 2024
Malaysia 3.51 17 1971 - 2023
Macao 3.5 18 1998 - 2023
Iran 2.82 19 1971 - 2023
Turkmenistan 2.71 20 2012 - 2024
Thailand 2.52 21 1971 - 2023
Armenia 2.44 22 1996 - 2023
Cambodia 2.18 23 1998 - 2023
Bangladesh 2.16 24 1979 - 2024
Singapore 2.1 25 1971 - 2024
Pakistan 1.95 26 1971 - 2023
Bahrain 1.89 27 1970 - 2023
Sri Lanka 1.83 28 1973 - 2023
Lebanon 1.5 29 1993 - 2024
Indonesia 1.28 30 1972 - 2023
Laos 1.23 31 1992 - 2023


New - World map: Education spending, percent of GDP




Definition: General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of GDP. It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.

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