Expenditure on primary education in Small states
Small states: Expenditure on primary education was 28.9% in 2016. ▼ Falling
Expenditure on primary education in Small states, 1980–2016
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of government expenditure on education.
Analysis
Small states recorded 28.9% for expenditure on primary education in 2016.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.5% on the previous year and up 3.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on primary education in Small states peaked at 44.2% in 1984 and was at its lowest, 27.0%, in 2012.
That places Small states 16th out of 24 groups with data for 2016, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.
Expenditure on primary education in Small states, year by year
| Year | % of government expenditure on education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 36.8% | — |
| 1982 | 43.3% | +17.6% |
| 1983 | 44.1% | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 44.2% | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 43.6% | -1.5% |
| 1989 | 44.1% | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 43.1% | -2.4% |
| 1999 | 30.9% | -28.2% |
| 2000 | 42.8% | +38.5% |
| 2001 | 32.6% | -23.7% |
| 2002 | 34.1% | +4.4% |
| 2003 | 31.6% | -7.4% |
| 2004 | 28.7% | -9.0% |
| 2005 | 27.2% | -5.2% |
| 2006 | 27.8% | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 28.1% | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 27.1% | -3.6% |
| 2010 | 29.0% | +7.0% |
| 2011 | 31.3% | +8.1% |
| 2012 | 27.0% | -13.8% |
| 2013 | 30.6% | +13.5% |
| 2014 | 31.5% | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 28.9% | -8.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 42.7% | 36.8% | 44.2% | 6 |
| 1990s | 37.0% | 30.9% | 43.1% | 2 |
| 2000s | 31.1% | 27.1% | 42.8% | 9 |
| 2010s | 29.7% | 27.0% | 31.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Small states
- 13 Comoros 54.6% compare
- 14 North Macedonia 54.5% compare
- 15 Nepal 53.8% compare
- 16 Central African Republic 53.3% compare
- 17 Eswatini 50.8% compare
- 18 Benin 49.8% compare
- 19 Tanzania, United Republic of 49.2% compare
More education data for Small states
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 243,069 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2538 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.13 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 24.2% (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 66.0% (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.48 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure on primary education in Small states?
- Expenditure on primary education in Small states was 28.9% 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 Small states?
- The highest recorded value was 44.2% in 1984.
- What is the lowest expenditure on primary education recorded in Small states?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.0% in 2012.
- How does Small states rank for expenditure on primary education?
- Small states ranks 16th out of 24 groups with data for 2016.
- Is expenditure on primary education rising or falling in Small states?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Small states 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.