Proportion of total government spending on essential … education in China
China: Proportion of total government spending on essential … education was 10.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Proportion of total government spending on essential services in China, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
China recorded 10.2% for proportion of total government spending on essential services in 2024.
That represents a change of down 1.8% on the previous year and down 19.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of total government spending on essential services in China peaked at 14.4% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 1.3%, in 2004.
That places China 90th out of 130 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Proportion of total government spending on essential … education in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1.4% | — |
| 2001 | 1.5% | +6.2% |
| 2002 | 1.7% | +11.3% |
| 2003 | 1.8% | +6.2% |
| 2004 | 1.3% | -25.4% |
| 2005 | 9.5% | +612.6% |
| 2006 | 9.3% | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 8.4% | -9.7% |
| 2008 | 14.3% | +69.9% |
| 2009 | 13.5% | -5.5% |
| 2010 | 13.6% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 13.1% | -3.5% |
| 2012 | 14.4% | +10.2% |
| 2013 | 13.3% | -7.6% |
| 2014 | 12.8% | -4.2% |
| 2015 | 12.3% | -3.9% |
| 2016 | 12.3% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 12.2% | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 11.5% | -5.8% |
| 2019 | 11.2% | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 10.5% | -6.2% |
| 2021 | 10.9% | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 10.5% | -3.2% |
| 2023 | 10.4% | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 10.2% | -1.8% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 10.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 13.4%, 76% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
- China's 10.2% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 13.8%, 74% of the median. (19 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Proportion of total government spending on essential … education in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +612.6% | 1.3% | 9.5% |
| 2008 | +69.9% | 8.4% | 14.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6.3% | 1.3% | 14.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.6% | 11.2% | 14.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.5% | 10.2% | 10.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
- 87 Portugal 10.3% compare
- 88 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 10.3% compare
- 88 United Kingdom 10.3% compare
- 91 Azerbaijan 10.2% compare
- 92 Albania 10.1% compare
- 93 Trinidad and Tobago 10.1% compare
More education data for China
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 93.37 (1997)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 93.32 (1997)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.41 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 7,020 (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 21.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 19.36 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 97.98 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 108.57 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9587 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of total government spending on essential services in China?
- Proportion of total government spending on essential services in China was 10.2% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of total government spending on essential services recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 14.4% in 2012.
- What is the lowest proportion of total government spending on essential services recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.3% in 2004.
- How does China rank for proportion of total government spending on essential services?
- China ranks 90th out of 130 countries with data for 2024.
- Is proportion of total government spending on essential services rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of total government spending on essential services, education (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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