Government expenditure on education, total in Botswana

Botswana: Government expenditure on education, total was 8.1% in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
8.1%
Change on year
down 4.1%
World rank
8th
of 196 countries
All-time high
10.8%
in 2011
All-time low
3.3%
in 1973
Years of data
31
1971–2020

Government expenditure on education, total in Botswana, 1971–2020

468101971199520201971: 4.4 % of GDP1972: 3.9 % of GDP1973: 3.3 % of GDP1974: 3.7 % of GDP1975: 5.6 % of GDP1976: 6.1 % of GDP1977: 5.4 % of GDP1978: 6 % of GDP1979: 6.1 % of GDP1980: 5.5 % of GDP1983: 5.6 % of GDP1984: 5.6 % of GDP1985: 5.7 % of GDP1986: 5.2 % of GDP1987: 6.1 % of GDP1988: 6.2 % of GDP1990: 5.7 % of GDP1992: 6.8 % of GDP2005: 10.7 % of GDP2007: 9 % of GDP2009: 9.8 % of GDP2011: 10.8 % of GDP2012: 8.1 % of GDP2013: 8 % of GDP2014: 7.9 % of GDP2015: 8.4 % of GDP2016: 8.7 % of GDP2017: 7.8 % of GDP2018: 7.9 % of GDP2019: 8.4 % of GDP2020: 8.1 % of GDP

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of GDP.

Analysis

In 2020, government expenditure on education, total in Botswana stood at 8.1%.

That represents a change of down 4.1% on the previous year and down 18.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, government expenditure on education, total in Botswana peaked at 10.8% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 3.3%, in 1973.

That places Botswana 8th out of 196 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.

Government expenditure on education, total in Botswana, year by year

Annual values for Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) in Botswana, 1971 to 2020.
Year % of GDP Change
1971 4.4%
1972 3.9% -11.0%
1973 3.3% -16.5%
1974 3.7% +12.6%
1975 5.6% +53.8%
1976 6.1% +7.3%
1977 5.4% -10.9%
1978 6.0% +10.2%
1979 6.1% +3.2%
1980 5.5% -10.9%
1983 5.6% +1.5%
1984 5.6% -0.0%
1985 5.7% +1.8%
1986 5.2% -8.2%
1987 6.1% +18.0%
1988 6.2% +0.5%
1990 5.7% -6.7%
1992 6.8% +19.2%
2005 10.7% +56.1%
2007 9.0% -15.3%
2009 9.8% +8.6%
2011 10.8% +10.2%
2012 8.1% -25.1%
2013 8.0% -1.1%
2014 7.9% -1.6%
2015 8.4% +6.4%
2016 8.7% +4.1%
2017 7.8% -10.6%
2018 7.9% +1.2%
2019 8.4% +6.2%
2020 8.1% -4.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 4.9% 3.3% 6.1% 9
1980s 5.7% 5.2% 6.2% 7
1990s 6.3% 5.7% 6.8% 2
2000s 9.9% 9.0% 10.7% 3
2010s 8.5% 7.8% 10.8% 9
2020s 8.1% 8.1% 8.1% 1

Countries ranked near Botswana

  1. 5 Algeria 9.0% compare
  2. 6 Cuba 8.4% compare
  3. 7 Solomon Islands 8.3% compare
  4. 9 Marshall Islands 7.7% compare
  5. 10 Vanuatu 7.6% compare
  6. 11 Mauritania 7.6% compare

See the full ranking of 242 places →

More education data for Botswana

All data for Botswana →

Frequently asked questions

What is government expenditure on education, total in Botswana?
Government expenditure on education, total in Botswana was 8.1% in 2020, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Botswana?
The highest recorded value was 10.8% in 2011.
What is the lowest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Botswana?
The lowest recorded value was 3.3% in 1973.
How does Botswana rank for government expenditure on education, total?
Botswana ranks 8th out of 196 countries with data for 2020.
Is government expenditure on education, total rising or falling in Botswana?
Over the last ten years it is down 18.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Botswana data come from?
The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Government expenditure on education, total in Botswana. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/government-expenditure-on-education-total-percent-of-gdp/botswana/

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About this data

Indicator
Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP)
Unit
% of GDP
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
242 places, 6,340 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of GDP. It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.