Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan vs South Africa: Government expenditure on education, total
Government expenditure on education, total over time
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 19.1% against 13.1% in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, a difference of 6.0%.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.5 times Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan's.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 14 shared years of data; in 1989 it was South Africa ahead.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 28th and South Africa ranks 26th of 46 groups.
Across the 5 decades both report, Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan averaged higher in 1 and South Africa in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | — |
| 1990s | 12.8% | 0.0% | 12.8% | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 2000s | 15.3% | 19.1% | 3.7% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 13.6% | 19.0% | 5.4% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 12.9% | 19.3% | 6.3% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher government expenditure on education, total, Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 19.1% against 13.1% in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan as of 2025.
- What is the difference in government expenditure on education, total between Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan and South Africa?
- 6.0%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan and South Africa?
- 14 years are reported by both, from 1989 to 2022.
- How do Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan and South Africa rank globally for government expenditure on education, total?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 28th and South Africa ranks 26th 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 government expenditure). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
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.