Expenditure on primary education in Hong Kong, China
Hong Kong, China: Expenditure on primary education was 22.1% in 2018. ▼ Falling
Expenditure on primary education in Hong Kong, China, 1971–2018
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of government expenditure on education.
Analysis
In 2018, expenditure on primary education in Hong Kong, China stood at 22.1%.
That represents a change of up 1.8% on the previous year and up 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on primary education in Hong Kong, China peaked at 52.7% in 1973 and was at its lowest, 16.3%, in 2009.
That places Hong Kong, China 125th out of 149 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Expenditure on primary education in Hong Kong, China, year by year
| Year | % of government expenditure on education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 49.6% | — |
| 1972 | 47.3% | -4.5% |
| 1973 | 52.7% | +11.4% |
| 1974 | 52.2% | -0.9% |
| 1975 | 47.0% | -10.1% |
| 1976 | 46.5% | -0.9% |
| 1977 | 45.6% | -2.1% |
| 1978 | 40.7% | -10.7% |
| 1980 | 33.7% | -17.2% |
| 1981 | 31.8% | -5.5% |
| 1982 | 42.2% | +32.5% |
| 1983 | 32.4% | -23.2% |
| 1984 | 31.2% | -3.5% |
| 1985 | 31.4% | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 27.1% | -13.8% |
| 1992 | 23.9% | -12.0% |
| 1996 | 21.3% | -10.8% |
| 2001 | 23.3% | +9.7% |
| 2002 | 23.3% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 23.4% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 23.0% | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 23.1% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 22.2% | -3.9% |
| 2007 | 21.5% | -3.3% |
| 2008 | 21.4% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 16.3% | -23.9% |
| 2010 | 20.9% | +28.5% |
| 2011 | 20.5% | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 18.7% | -9.0% |
| 2013 | 17.5% | -5.9% |
| 2014 | 18.9% | +7.5% |
| 2015 | 20.9% | +11.1% |
| 2016 | 21.3% | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 21.7% | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 22.1% | +1.8% |
Hong Kong, China compared with similar countries
- Hong Kong, China's 22.1% is below the median for high income countries, which is 26.1%, 85% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Hong Kong, China's 22.1% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 34.3%, 64% of the median. (21 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Expenditure on primary education in Hong Kong, China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | +32.5% | 31.8% | 42.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 47.7% | 40.7% | 52.7% | 8 |
| 1980s | 33.8% | 31.2% | 42.2% | 6 |
| 1990s | 24.1% | 21.3% | 27.1% | 3 |
| 2000s | 21.9% | 16.3% | 23.4% | 9 |
| 2010s | 20.3% | 17.5% | 22.1% | 9 |
Countries ranked near Hong Kong, China
More education data for Hong Kong, China
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 31,678 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1,605 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 72,557 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 65,737 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 340,877 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 329,780 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.3 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0438 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure on primary education in Hong Kong, China?
- Expenditure on primary education in Hong Kong, China was 22.1% in 2018, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest expenditure on primary education recorded in Hong Kong, China?
- The highest recorded value was 52.7% in 1973.
- What is the lowest expenditure on primary education recorded in Hong Kong, China?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.3% in 2009.
- How does Hong Kong, China rank for expenditure on primary education?
- Hong Kong, China ranks 125th out of 149 countries with data for 2018.
- Is expenditure on primary education rising or falling in Hong Kong, China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Hong Kong, China data come from?
- The figures come from Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Expenditure on primary education (% of government expenditure on education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Expenditure on primary education is expressed as a percentage of total general government expenditure on education. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.