Government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of GDP in Sweden
Sweden: Government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of GDP was 1.0% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of GDP in Sweden, 1979–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of gdp in Sweden is 1.0%, measured in 2022.
The figure is down 3.8% on the previous year and down 15.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of gdp in Sweden peaked at 1.3% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1979.
Sweden ranks 5th of 169 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of GDP in Sweden, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 0.0% | — |
| 1980 | 0.0% | — |
| 1981 | 0.0% | — |
| 1992 | 0.0% | -33.3% |
| 1995 | 0.4% | +17396.7% |
| 1996 | 0.5% | +17.9% |
| 1998 | 0.5% | +3.8% |
| 1999 | 0.5% | -1.8% |
| 2000 | 0.4% | -13.2% |
| 2001 | 0.4% | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 0.5% | +9.6% |
| 2003 | 0.5% | -3.1% |
| 2004 | 0.5% | +3.7% |
| 2005 | 0.5% | +7.5% |
| 2006 | 0.6% | +10.1% |
| 2007 | 0.6% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 0.6% | +11.4% |
| 2009 | 0.7% | +8.0% |
| 2010 | 0.7% | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 0.7% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 1.2% | +82.7% |
| 2013 | 1.3% | +4.2% |
| 2014 | 1.3% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 1.3% | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 1.3% | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 1.2% | -4.9% |
| 2018 | 1.2% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 1.1% | -8.1% |
| 2020 | 1.1% | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 1.1% | -5.6% |
| 2022 | 1.0% | -3.8% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 1.0% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.4%, 2.6× the median. (65 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 1.0% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.6%, 1.9× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of GDP in Sweden 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +17396.7% | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| 2012 | +82.7% | 0.7% | 1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1980s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1990s | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.5% | 5 |
| 2000s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.1% | 0.7% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.1% | 1.0% | 1.1% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
More education data for Sweden
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 77,813 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1,302 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 235,975 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 222,360 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 987,895 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 859,847 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.8572 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0814 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of gdp in Sweden?
- Government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of gdp in Sweden was 1.0% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of gdp recorded in Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 1.3% in 2014.
- What is the lowest government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of gdp recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1979.
- How does Sweden rank for government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of gdp?
- Sweden ranks 5th out of 169 countries with data for 2022.
- Is government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of gdp rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sweden data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Government expenditure on pre-primary education as a percentage of GDP (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release