Iran, Islamic Republic of vs South Africa: Government expenditure on education, total

Iran, Islamic Republic of
18.8%
in 2022
South Africa
19.1%
in 2025
Iran, Islamic Republic of rank
28th
South Africa rank
26th

Government expenditure on education, total over time

  • Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • South Africa
0102030198120032025

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 19.1% against 18.8% in Iran, Islamic Republic of, a difference of 0.3%.

The two have swapped places 6 times across 30 shared years of data; in 1987 it was South Africa ahead.

Iran, Islamic Republic of ranks 28th and South Africa ranks 26th of 193 countries.

Iran, Islamic Republic of has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Iran, Islamic Republic of South Africa Difference Ahead
1980s 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
1990s 15.1% 0.0% 15.1% Iran, Islamic Republic of
2000s 21.8% 17.2% 4.5% Iran, Islamic Republic of
2010s 19.9% 18.8% 1.1% Iran, Islamic Republic of
2020s 20.7% 19.3% 1.5% Iran, Islamic Republic of

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher government expenditure on education, total, Iran, Islamic Republic of or South Africa?
South Africa, at 19.1% against 18.8% in Iran, Islamic Republic of as of 2025.
What is the difference in government expenditure on education, total between Iran, Islamic Republic of and South Africa?
0.3%, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Iran, Islamic Republic of and South Africa?
30 years are reported by both, from 1987 to 2022.
How do Iran, Islamic Republic of and South Africa rank globally for government expenditure on education, total?
Iran, Islamic Republic of ranks 28th 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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Iran, Islamic Republic of vs South Africa: 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-government-expenditure/iran-islamic-rep/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.