Expenditure on primary education in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)
Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries): Expenditure on primary education was 34.8% in 2016. ▼ Falling
Expenditure on primary education in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries), 1995–2016
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of government expenditure on education.
Analysis
In 2016, expenditure on primary education in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) stood at 34.8%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.5% on the previous year and down 8.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on primary education in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 41.9% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 32.8%, in 2011.
Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 12th of 24 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 13 years of available data.
Expenditure on primary education in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | % of government expenditure on education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 40.0% | — |
| 2000 | 41.9% | +4.8% |
| 2001 | 39.6% | -5.5% |
| 2002 | 40.6% | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 37.2% | -8.3% |
| 2007 | 38.2% | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 36.3% | -5.1% |
| 2011 | 32.8% | -9.8% |
| 2012 | 36.6% | +11.8% |
| 2013 | 36.4% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 35.6% | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 36.5% | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 34.8% | -4.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 40.0% | 40.0% | 40.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 39.5% | 37.2% | 41.9% | 5 |
| 2010s | 35.6% | 32.8% | 36.6% | 7 |
Countries ranked near Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)
- 9 Mauritania 55.9% compare
- 10 Gambia 55.8% compare
- 11 Guatemala 55.6% compare
- 12 Philippines 55.0% compare
- 13 Comoros 54.6% compare
- 14 North Macedonia 54.5%
- 15 Nepal 53.8% compare
More education data for Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 3.22 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 62.34 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 60.53 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.1513 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0936 units per person (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 67.7% (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 22.3% (2025)
All data for Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure on primary education in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Expenditure on primary education in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) was 34.8% in 2016, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest expenditure on primary education recorded in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 41.9% in 2000.
- What is the lowest expenditure on primary education recorded in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.8% in 2011.
- How does Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for expenditure on primary education?
- Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 12th out of 24 groups with data for 2016.
- Is expenditure on primary education rising or falling in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 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.