Eswatini vs South Africa: Government expenditure on education, total

Eswatini
19.2%
in 2025
South Africa
19.1%
in 2025
Eswatini rank
23rd
South Africa rank
26th

Government expenditure on education, total over time

  • Eswatini
  • South Africa
0102030198120032025

How they compare

Eswatini currently reports 19.2% against 19.1% in South Africa, a difference of 0.1%.

The two have swapped places 6 times across 32 shared years of data; in 1987 it was Eswatini ahead.

Eswatini ranks 23rd and South Africa ranks 26th of 193 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 22.4% 0.0% 22.4% Eswatini
1990s 21.4% 0.0% 21.4% Eswatini
2000s 20.4% 17.1% 3.3% Eswatini
2010s 19.1% 18.8% 0.3% Eswatini
2020s 17.2% 19.1% 1.8% 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 19.2% against 19.1% in South Africa as of 2025.
What is the difference in government expenditure on education, total between Eswatini and South Africa?
0.1%, with Eswatini ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Eswatini and South Africa?
32 years are reported by both, from 1987 to 2025.
How do Eswatini and South Africa rank globally for government expenditure on education, total?
Eswatini ranks 23rd and South Africa ranks 26th 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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Eswatini vs South Africa: 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/eswatini/south-africa/

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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.