Malawi vs Sri Lanka: Initial government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP

Malawi
1.7%
in 2018
Sri Lanka
1.7%
in 2018
Malawi rank
172nd
Sri Lanka rank
170th

Initial government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP over time

  • Malawi
  • Sri Lanka
01234197319952018

How they compare

Sri Lanka currently reports 1.7% against 1.7% in Malawi, a difference of 0.0%.

The two have swapped places 4 times across 15 shared years of data; in 1986 it was Sri Lanka ahead.

Malawi ranks 172nd and Sri Lanka ranks 170th of 185 countries.

Across the 3 decades both report, Malawi averaged higher in 1 and Sri Lanka in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade Malawi Sri Lanka Difference Ahead
1980s 2.2% 2.8% 0.5% Sri Lanka
1990s 2.9% 2.9% 0.0% Sri Lanka
2010s 2.4% 1.9% 0.6% Malawi

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher initial government expenditure on education as a percentage of gdp, Malawi or Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka, at 1.7% against 1.7% in Malawi as of 2018.
What is the difference in initial government expenditure on education as a percentage of gdp between Malawi and Sri Lanka?
0.0%, with Sri Lanka ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Malawi and Sri Lanka?
15 years are reported by both, from 1986 to 2018.
How do Malawi and Sri Lanka rank globally for initial government expenditure on education as a percentage of gdp?
Malawi ranks 172nd and Sri Lanka ranks 170th of 185 countries.
Where does this data come from?
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Initial government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Malawi vs Sri Lanka: Initial government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/initial-government-expenditure-on-education-as-a-percentage-of-gdp-percent/malawi/sri-lanka/

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About this data

Indicator
Initial government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
185 places, 4,380 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release