Eswatini vs South Africa: Government expenditure on education, total

Eswatini
6.0%
in 2024
South Africa
6.0%
in 2024
Eswatini rank
26th
South Africa rank
27th

Government expenditure on education, total over time

  • Eswatini
  • South Africa
02468197620002024

How they compare

Eswatini currently reports 6.0% against 6.0% in South Africa, a difference of 0.0%.

The two have swapped places 10 times across 31 shared years of data; in 1987 it was Eswatini ahead.

Eswatini ranks 26th and South Africa ranks 27th of 196 countries.

Across the 5 decades both report, Eswatini averaged higher in 4 and South Africa in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade Eswatini South Africa Difference Ahead
1980s 5.7% 4.7% 1.0% Eswatini
1990s 5.2% 5.1% 0.1% Eswatini
2000s 5.8% 4.6% 1.2% Eswatini
2010s 5.9% 5.5% 0.4% Eswatini
2020s 5.4% 6.2% 0.8% South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher government expenditure on education, total, Eswatini or South Africa?
Eswatini, at 6.0% against 6.0% in South Africa as of 2024.
What is the difference in government expenditure on education, total between Eswatini and South Africa?
0.0%, with Eswatini ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Eswatini and South Africa?
31 years are reported by both, from 1987 to 2024.
How do Eswatini and South Africa rank globally for government expenditure on education, total?
Eswatini ranks 26th and South Africa ranks 27th of 196 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Eswatini vs South Africa: Government expenditure on education, total. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/government-expenditure-on-education-total-percent-of-gdp/eswatini/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP)
Unit
% of GDP
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
242 places, 6,340 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

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.