Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Mauritania
Mauritania: Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government was 31.9% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Mauritania, 1997–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in UIS calculation.
Analysis
The most recent figure for expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Mauritania is 31.9%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 19 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 68.8% on the previous year and up 167.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Mauritania peaked at 31.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1997.
Mauritania ranks 1st of 197 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Mauritania, year by year
| Year | UIS calculation | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 0.0% | — |
| 1999 | 0.0% | — |
| 2001 | 0.0% | — |
| 2002 | 0.0% | — |
| 2003 | 0.0% | — |
| 2004 | 8.2% | — |
| 2006 | 10.3% | +26.1% |
| 2011 | 13.7% | +32.7% |
| 2012 | 10.0% | -26.8% |
| 2013 | 11.4% | +13.9% |
| 2014 | 11.9% | +4.4% |
| 2015 | 12.8% | +7.9% |
| 2016 | 9.3% | -27.4% |
| 2019 | 10.2% | +9.6% |
| 2020 | 9.7% | -4.9% |
| 2021 | 9.1% | -6.4% |
| 2022 | 4.8% | -46.8% |
| 2023 | 18.9% | +290.1% |
| 2024 | 31.9% | +68.8% |
Mauritania compared with similar countries
- Mauritania's 31.9% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 14.3%, 2.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Mauritania's 31.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.2%, 2.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Mauritania 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | +290.1% | 4.8% | 18.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 2000s | 3.7% | 0.0% | 10.3% | 5 |
| 2010s | 11.3% | 9.3% | 13.7% | 7 |
| 2020s | 14.9% | 4.8% | 31.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Mauritania
- 2 Kenya 28.5% compare
- 3 Turkmenistan 27.6% compare
- 4 Solomon Islands 25.2% compare
More education data for Mauritania
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 9,029 (2020)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 52,338 (2020)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 258,591 (2020)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 891,821 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.49 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1725 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 891,821 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Mauritania?
- Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Mauritania was 31.9% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Mauritania?
- The highest recorded value was 31.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Mauritania?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1997.
- How does Mauritania rank for expenditure on education as a percentage of total government?
- Mauritania ranks 1st out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government rising or falling in Mauritania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 167.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Mauritania data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government expenditure (%) (UIS calculation). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 19 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release