China vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Government expenditure on education, total

China
11.9%
in 2023
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
11.8%
in 2021
China rank
115th
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank
117th

Government expenditure on education, total over time

  • China
  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
05101520198120022023

How they compare

China currently reports 11.9% against 11.8% in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a difference of 0.1%.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 14 shared years of data; in 1981 it was United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ahead.

China ranks 115th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 117th of 193 countries.

Across the 2 decades both report, China averaged higher in 1 and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade China United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Difference Ahead
1980s 7.6% 11.1% 3.5% United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
1990s 16.3% 11.7% 4.6% China

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher government expenditure on education, total, China or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
China, at 11.9% against 11.8% in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as of 2023.
What is the difference in government expenditure on education, total between China and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
0.1%, with China ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
14 years are reported by both, from 1981 to 1999.
How do China and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank globally for government expenditure on education, total?
China ranks 115th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 117th of 193 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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China 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 16 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/government-expenditure-on-education-total-percent-of-government-expenditure/china/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure)
Unit
% of government expenditure
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
239 places, 5,722 data points, 1980–2025
Last refreshed

General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of total general government expenditure on all sectors (including health, education, social services, etc.). It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.