Share of GDP per capita spent by the government on each primary school student vs. GDP per capita in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Share of GDP per capita spent by the government on each primary school student vs. GDP per capita was 7.9% in 2018. ▲ Rising
Share of GDP per capita spent by the government on each primary school student vs. GDP per capita in Sri Lanka, 2009–2018
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP per capita.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 7.9% for share of gdp per capita spent by the government on each primary school student vs. gdp per capita in 2018.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 30.5% on the previous year and up 9.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of gdp per capita spent by the government on each primary school student vs. gdp per capita in Sri Lanka peaked at 14.4% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 4.2%, in 2012.
Sri Lanka ranks 107th of 122 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Share of GDP per capita spent by the government on each primary school student vs. GDP per capita in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of GDP per capita | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 7.2% | — |
| 2010 | 5.1% | -29.9% |
| 2011 | 5.1% | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 4.2% | -19.0% |
| 2013 | 4.3% | +4.2% |
| 2014 | 6.5% | +49.2% |
| 2015 | 7.4% | +14.9% |
| 2016 | 14.4% | +93.8% |
| 2017 | 11.4% | -21.0% |
| 2018 | 7.9% | -30.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 7.2% | 7.2% | 7.2% | 1 |
| 2010s | 7.4% | 4.2% | 14.4% | 9 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More education data for Sri Lanka
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) -5.98 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 64,434 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 8,899 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 222,100 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) -5.62 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 136,118 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) -6.56 % change on previous year (2023)
- Theoretical duration of primary education (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of gdp per capita spent by the government on each primary school student vs. gdp per capita in Sri Lanka?
- Share of gdp per capita spent by the government on each primary school student vs. gdp per capita in Sri Lanka was 7.9% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of gdp per capita spent by the government on each primary school student vs. gdp per capita recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 14.4% in 2016.
- What is the lowest share of gdp per capita spent by the government on each primary school student vs. gdp per capita recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.2% in 2012.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for share of gdp per capita spent by the government on each primary school student vs. gdp per capita?
- Sri Lanka ranks 107th out of 122 countries with data for 2018.
- Is share of gdp per capita spent by the government on each primary school student vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of GDP per capita spent by the government on each primary school student vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
GDP per capita data is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.