Sub-Saharan Africa vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Government expenditure on education, total

Sub-Saharan Africa
3.3%
in 2023
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
5.9%
in 2021
Sub-Saharan Africa rank
32nd
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank
31st

Government expenditure on education, total over time

  • Sub-Saharan Africa
  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
0246197119972023

How they compare

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland currently reports 5.9% against 3.3% in Sub-Saharan Africa, a difference of 2.6%.

That makes United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's figure about 1.8 times Sub-Saharan Africa's.

Across all 20 years both countries report, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has been ahead every year.

Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 32nd and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 31st of 46 groups.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Sub-Saharan Africa United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Difference Ahead
1990s 3.0% 4.0% 1.0% United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2000s 2.9% 4.7% 1.8% United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2010s 3.3% 5.5% 2.1% United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2020s 3.4% 5.7% 2.3% United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher government expenditure on education, total, Sub-Saharan Africa or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, at 5.9% against 3.3% in Sub-Saharan Africa as of 2021.
What is the difference in government expenditure on education, total between Sub-Saharan Africa and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
2.6%, with United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Sub-Saharan Africa and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
20 years are reported by both, from 1999 to 2021.
How do Sub-Saharan Africa and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank globally for government expenditure on education, total?
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 32nd and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 31st of 46 groups.
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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Sub-Saharan Africa vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Government expenditure on education, total. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/government-expenditure-on-education-total-percent-of-gdp/sub-saharan-africa/united-kingdom/

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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.