Government spending on education as a share of GDP in Brunei
Brunei: Government spending on education as a share of GDP was 4.4% in 2016. ◆ Volatile
Government spending on education as a share of GDP in Brunei, 1970–2016
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for government spending on education as a share of gdp in Brunei is 4.4%, measured in 2016.
The figure is up 32.0% on the previous year and up 140.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government spending on education as a share of gdp in Brunei peaked at 8.8% in 1973 and was at its lowest, 0.5%, in 1980.
That places Brunei 85th out of 199 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Government spending on education as a share of GDP in Brunei, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6.2% | — |
| 1971 | 5.0% | -19.9% |
| 1972 | 4.0% | -19.1% |
| 1973 | 8.8% | +117.7% |
| 1974 | 1.6% | -82.1% |
| 1975 | 0.9% | -41.5% |
| 1976 | 0.9% | -0.0% |
| 1978 | 1.0% | +9.1% |
| 1979 | 0.7% | -28.4% |
| 1980 | 0.5% | -24.1% |
| 1981 | 0.8% | +38.6% |
| 1982 | 0.8% | +7.5% |
| 1987 | 2.7% | +227.5% |
| 1988 | 3.2% | +20.9% |
| 1989 | 2.8% | -12.4% |
| 1990 | 2.3% | -17.9% |
| 1991 | 2.2% | -6.4% |
| 1992 | 2.5% | +14.6% |
| 1993 | 2.8% | +14.7% |
| 1998 | 3.8% | +34.9% |
| 1999 | 3.6% | -6.2% |
| 2000 | 3.4% | -5.9% |
| 2010 | 1.8% | -45.5% |
| 2011 | 3.3% | +80.2% |
| 2012 | 2.9% | -13.0% |
| 2014 | 3.4% | +16.0% |
| 2016 | 4.4% | +32.0% |
Brunei compared with similar countries
- Brunei's 4.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.4%, 1.0× the median. (72 countries reporting)
- Brunei's 4.4% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 4.2%, 1.0× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Government spending on education as a share of GDP in Brunei changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | +227.5% | 0.8% | 2.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.2% | 0.7% | 8.8% | 9 |
| 1980s | 1.8% | 0.5% | 3.2% | 6 |
| 1990s | 2.9% | 2.2% | 3.8% | 6 |
| 2000s | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 1 |
| 2010s | 3.2% | 1.8% | 4.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Brunei
- 82 Saudi Arabia 4.5% compare
- 83 Seychelles 4.5% compare
- 84 Guyana 4.5% compare
- 86 Cook Islands 4.4%
- 87 Oman 4.4% compare
- 88 Peru 4.4% compare
More education data for Brunei
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 5,040 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 66 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 6,407 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 6,068 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 40,924 (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 37,751 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.21 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0816 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government spending on education as a share of gdp in Brunei?
- Government spending on education as a share of gdp in Brunei was 4.4% in 2016, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest government spending on education as a share of gdp recorded in Brunei?
- The highest recorded value was 8.8% in 1973.
- What is the lowest government spending on education as a share of gdp recorded in Brunei?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5% in 1980.
- How does Brunei rank for government spending on education as a share of gdp?
- Brunei ranks 85th out of 199 countries with data for 2016.
- Is government spending on education as a share of gdp rising or falling in Brunei?
- Over the last ten years it is up 140.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Brunei data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Government spending on education as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total annual general government spending on all levels of education, expressed as a percentage of GDP.