Government expenditure on education, total in South Asia
South Asia: Government expenditure on education, total was 2.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Government expenditure on education, total in South Asia, 1979–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2024, government expenditure on education, total in South Asia stood at 2.9%.
The figure is up 32.3% on the previous year and up 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government expenditure on education, total in South Asia peaked at 3.9% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 1.7%, in 1984.
South Asia ranks 45th of 46 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 39 years of available data.
Government expenditure on education, total in South Asia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 1.8% | — |
| 1980 | 1.8% | -1.5% |
| 1981 | 1.8% | -3.5% |
| 1982 | 1.8% | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 1.7% | -4.1% |
| 1984 | 1.7% | -1.0% |
| 1985 | 1.9% | +13.5% |
| 1986 | 2.1% | +7.8% |
| 1987 | 2.1% | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 2.0% | -5.5% |
| 1991 | 2.2% | +10.5% |
| 1997 | 2.7% | +22.4% |
| 1998 | 3.1% | +14.8% |
| 1999 | 2.9% | -5.2% |
| 2000 | 3.0% | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 2.9% | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 2.6% | -12.1% |
| 2003 | 3.1% | +20.5% |
| 2004 | 3.2% | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 3.3% | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 3.1% | -4.1% |
| 2007 | 2.9% | -9.0% |
| 2008 | 2.9% | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 2.7% | -9.0% |
| 2010 | 3.4% | +26.6% |
| 2011 | 3.0% | -12.2% |
| 2012 | 2.7% | -7.7% |
| 2013 | 2.5% | -8.9% |
| 2014 | 2.8% | +11.8% |
| 2015 | 2.7% | -3.6% |
| 2016 | 3.6% | +32.8% |
| 2017 | 3.4% | -3.3% |
| 2018 | 3.2% | -6.4% |
| 2019 | 3.9% | +20.5% |
| 2020 | 3.2% | -18.0% |
| 2021 | 3.3% | +3.4% |
| 2022 | 3.1% | -6.3% |
| 2023 | 2.2% | -30.1% |
| 2024 | 2.9% | +32.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1 |
| 1980s | 1.9% | 1.7% | 2.1% | 8 |
| 1990s | 2.5% | 2.0% | 3.1% | 5 |
| 2000s | 3.0% | 2.6% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.1% | 2.5% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.9% | 2.2% | 3.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
- 42 United States of America 5.4% compare
- 43 Republic of Korea 5.4% compare
- 44 Dominica 5.4% compare
- 45 Burkina Faso 5.3% compare
- 46 France 5.3% compare
- 47 Costa Rica 5.3% compare
- 48 Tonga 5.3% compare
More education data for South Asia
- Population ages 0-14 24.6% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 4.5 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0959 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 152.88 million (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 68.1% (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 160.82 million (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.84 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government expenditure on education, total in South Asia?
- Government expenditure on education, total in South Asia was 2.9% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest government expenditure on education, total recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 3.9% in 2019.
- What is the lowest government expenditure on education, total recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.7% in 1984.
- How does South Asia rank for government expenditure on education, total?
- South Asia ranks 45th out of 46 groups with data for 2024.
- Is government expenditure on education, total rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Asia 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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About this data
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.