Government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of GDP in Lesotho
Lesotho: Government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of GDP was 0.5% in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of GDP in Lesotho, 1971–2018
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gdp in Lesotho is 0.5%, measured in 2018. That is the lowest value across all 20 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 88.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gdp in Lesotho peaked at 4.5% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 0.5%, in 2018.
That places Lesotho 119th out of 173 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of GDP in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 0.6% | — |
| 1972 | 0.8% | +25.4% |
| 1973 | 1.1% | +38.7% |
| 1974 | 0.9% | -21.0% |
| 1983 | 2.1% | +141.2% |
| 1984 | 1.2% | -42.3% |
| 1985 | 1.3% | +12.3% |
| 1988 | 1.3% | -2.9% |
| 1989 | 1.0% | -20.0% |
| 1993 | 1.3% | +29.4% |
| 1994 | 1.3% | -1.1% |
| 1995 | 1.2% | -10.6% |
| 1997 | 2.7% | +124.0% |
| 1999 | 2.7% | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 1.7% | -38.3% |
| 2001 | 1.7% | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 4.4% | +152.2% |
| 2006 | 4.1% | -5.7% |
| 2008 | 4.5% | +8.1% |
| 2018 | 0.5% | -88.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.8% | 0.6% | 1.1% | 4 |
| 1980s | 1.4% | 1.0% | 2.1% | 5 |
| 1990s | 1.8% | 1.2% | 2.7% | 5 |
| 2000s | 3.3% | 1.7% | 4.5% | 5 |
| 2010s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 116 Malaysia 0.6% compare
- 117 Mali 0.6% compare
- 118 Papua New Guinea 0.5% compare
- 120 Cook Islands 0.5% compare
- 121 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 0.5% compare
- 122 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.5% compare
More education data for Lesotho
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 5,672 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 30,627 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 22,924 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 23,698 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 136,497 (2017)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 309,480 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.8093 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1324 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gdp in Lesotho?
- Government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gdp in Lesotho was 0.5% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gdp recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 4.5% in 2008.
- What is the lowest government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gdp recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5% in 2018.
- How does Lesotho rank for government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gdp?
- Lesotho ranks 119th out of 173 countries with data for 2018.
- Is government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gdp rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 88.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Government expenditure on tertiary 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