Proportion of total government spending on essential services, education [UIS methodology] (%) by country
Countries reporting
197
Highest
31.9%
Mauritania
Lowest
0.0%
South Sudan
Median
12.7%
Years covered
26
2000–2025
Data points
3,927
What the numbers show
Proportion of total government spending on essential services, education [UIS methodology] (%) is currently reported for 197 countries. The highest value is 31.9% in Mauritania; the lowest is 0.0% in South Sudan.
The median across all reporting countries is 12.7%, and the mean is 13.3%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 9,490.
Over the past decade 78 countries rose and 118 fell. The largest increase was in Sierra Leone (up 136,059.0%), and the largest decrease in South Sudan (down 99.9%).
Proportion of total government spending on essential services … UIS: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mauritania | 31.9% | 2024 | up 167.8% | volatile |
| 2 | Kenya | 28.5% | 2025 | up 64.4% | falling |
| 3 | Turkmenistan | 27.6% | 2024 | up 32.8% | rising |
| 4 | Solomon Islands | 25.2% | 2024 | down 23.8% | falling |
| 5 | Namibia | 24.6% | 2025 | up 8.9% | rising |
| 6 | Morocco | 23.3% | 2024 | up 5.5% | rising |
| 7 | Bhutan | 22.2% | 2025 | down 12.3% | rising |
| 8 | Uzbekistan | 22.1% | 2024 | down 3.9% | falling |
| 9 | Kazakhstan | 22.0% | 2024 | up 36.5% | rising |
| 10 | Botswana | 21.5% | 2020 | down 8.9% | falling |
| 11 | Senegal | 20.9% | 2025 | down 12.1% | rising |
| 12 | Dominican Republic | 20.9% | 2025 | down 6.4% | rising |
| 13 | Sierra Leone | 20.5% | 2025 | up 136,059.0% | volatile |
| 14 | Mozambique | 20.4% | 2021 | up 7.1% | falling |
| 15 | Costa Rica | 20.4% | 2023 | down 10.7% | rising |
| 16 | Burkina Faso | 20.3% | 2023 | up 25.6% | rising |
| 17 | Bolivia (Plurinational State of) | 20.2% | 2024 | up 11.2% | rising |
| 18 | Kiribati | 20.1% | 2024 | down 5.6% | rising |
| 19 | Kyrgyzstan | 19.6% | 2024 | up 36.8% | rising |
| 20 | Vanuatu | 19.3% | 2024 | down 13.0% | volatile |
| 21 | Tajikistan | 19.3% | 2024 | up 8.2% | rising |
| 22 | Eswatini | 19.2% | 2025 | up 17.0% | falling |
| 23 | Peru | 19.2% | 2024 | up 18.3% | rising |
| 24 | Syria | 19.2% | 2009 | up 22.5% | rising |
| 24 | Syrian Arab Republic | 19.2% | 2009 | up 22.5% | rising |
| 26 | South Africa | 19.1% | 2025 | up 2.4% | rising |
| 27 | Belize | 18.9% | 2024 | down 12.3% | rising |
| 28 | Iran (Islamic Republic of) | 18.8% | 2022 | up 8.2% | falling |
| 29 | Micronesia (Federated States of) | 18.6% | 2020 | up 4.8% | rising |
| 30 | Chile | 18.4% | 2022 | up 3.6% | rising |
| 31 | Sao Tome and Principe | 18.1% | 2024 | up 46.8% | rising |
| 32 | Benin | 18.0% | 2025 | up 3.1% | flat |
| 33 | Madagascar | 18.0% | 2019 | down 20.5% | rising |
| 34 | Zimbabwe | 17.9% | 2025 | down 39.3% | falling |
| 35 | Jamaica | 17.9% | 2024 | down 18.0% | rising |
| 36 | Mali | 17.8% | 2024 | down 2.2% | rising |
| 37 | Cote d'Ivoire | 17.6% | 2024 | down 19.0% | falling |
| 37 | Côte d'Ivoire | 17.6% | 2024 | down 19.0% | falling |
| 39 | Tunisia | 17.3% | 2025 | down 23.8% | falling |
| 40 | Guatemala | 17.3% | 2025 | down 28.3% | flat |
| 41 | Cuba | 17.0% | 2022 | up 2.9% | flat |
| 42 | Tuvalu | 16.8% | 2025 | up 52.6% | rising |
| 43 | Ethiopia | 16.7% | 2024 | down 35.6% | rising |
| 44 | Chad | 16.5% | 2023 | up 32.3% | rising |
| 45 | Curacao | 16.4% | 2024 | down 8.9% | falling |
| 45 | Curaçao | 16.4% | 2024 | down 8.9% | falling |
| 47 | Panama | 16.3% | 2024 | up 22.1% | falling |
| 48 | Israel | 16.1% | 2022 | up 14.1% | rising |
| 49 | Malawi | 16.0% | 2024 | down 3.6% | rising |
| 50 | Moldova | 16.0% | 2024 | down 14.9% | flat |
| 50 | Republic of Moldova | 16.0% | 2024 | down 14.9% | flat |
| 52 | Puerto Rico | 16.0% | 2025 | up 30.0% | rising |
| 53 | El Salvador | 15.9% | 2025 | up 10.2% | falling |
| 54 | Afghanistan | 15.7% | 2017 | down 8.3% | volatile |
| 55 | Iceland | 15.7% | 2022 | down 1.4% | rising |
| 56 | Saudi Arabia | 15.6% | 2024 | — | falling |
| 57 | Uruguay | 15.6% | 2023 | up 8.6% | rising |
| 58 | Algeria | 15.5% | 2025 | down 3.4% | rising |
| 59 | Ecuador | 15.5% | 2025 | up 33.7% | rising |
| 60 | Vietnam | 15.4% | 2022 | down 17.8% | falling |
| 60 | Viet Nam | 15.4% | 2022 | down 17.8% | falling |
| 62 | Switzerland | 15.4% | 2022 | down 0.4% | flat |
| 63 | Sweden | 15.3% | 2022 | up 1.3% | rising |
| 64 | Philippines | 15.2% | 2025 | up 0.3% | rising |
| 65 | Congo | 14.7% | 2023 | up 0.0% | rising |
| 66 | Democratic People's Republic of Korea | 14.6% | 2025 | up 3.8% | flat |
| 67 | Zambia | 14.5% | 2025 | down 13.3% | rising |
| 68 | Djibouti | 14.5% | 2018 | down 35.7% | falling |
| 69 | Norway | 14.5% | 2022 | down 16.3% | flat |
| 70 | Russia | 14.3% | 2018 | up 19.9% | rising |
| 70 | Russian Federation | 14.3% | 2018 | up 19.9% | rising |
| 72 | Mexico | 14.2% | 2022 | down 21.3% | falling |
| 73 | Gambia | 14.2% | 2025 | up 28.8% | rising |
| 74 | Mauritius | 14.2% | 2024 | down 32.1% | rising |
| 75 | Barbados | 14.2% | 2025 | down 20.3% | falling |
| 76 | Oman | 14.2% | 2022 | up 28.0% | rising |
| 77 | Denmark | 14.2% | 2022 | up 13.2% | falling |
| 78 | India | 14.2% | 2022 | up 1.2% | rising |
| 79 | Malaysia | 14.1% | 2023 | down 27.5% | falling |
| 80 | Rwanda | 13.9% | 2025 | up 11.1% | falling |
| 81 | Kuwait | 13.8% | 2025 | up 23.0% | falling |
| 82 | Cameroon | 13.8% | 2024 | up 7.4% | falling |
| 83 | Fiji | 13.8% | 2025 | down 20.7% | falling |
| 84 | Mongolia | 13.8% | 2024 | down 6.1% | falling |
| 85 | British Virgin Islands | 13.6% | 2025 | up 2.5% | falling |
| 86 | Gabon | 13.6% | 2023 | up 55.3% | falling |
| 87 | Cabo Verde | 13.4% | 2024 | down 17.6% | falling |
| 88 | United Republic of Tanzania | 13.4% | 2024 | down 22.5% | falling |
| 89 | Argentina | 13.2% | 2023 | down 8.5% | falling |
| 90 | Ghana | 13.2% | 2022 | down 50.4% | falling |
| 91 | Haiti | 13.2% | 2025 | down 9.5% | falling |
| 92 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 13.1% | 2017 | up 37.3% | rising |
| 93 | Estonia | 13.0% | 2022 | up 9.8% | falling |
| 94 | San Marino | 13.0% | 2023 | up 22.1% | rising |
| 95 | Brazil | 12.9% | 2022 | down 13.2% | rising |
| 96 | Niger | 12.8% | 2023 | down 29.2% | falling |
| 97 | Saint Lucia | 12.7% | 2025 | down 22.5% | falling |
| 98 | New Zealand | 12.7% | 2023 | down 18.2% | falling |
| 99 | Ukraine | 12.7% | 2021 | down 5.8% | falling |
| 100 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 12.6% | 2024 | down 26.6% | falling |
| 101 | Thailand | 12.6% | 2025 | down 38.8% | falling |
| 102 | Trinidad and Tobago | 12.6% | 2025 | up 2.2% | falling |
| 103 | Malta | 12.5% | 2022 | down 16.6% | rising |
| 104 | Cyprus | 12.5% | 2022 | down 19.5% | falling |
| 105 | Belarus | 12.3% | 2024 | down 0.5% | rising |
| 106 | Ireland | 12.3% | 2021 | down 0.0% | flat |
| 107 | Georgia | 12.2% | 2024 | up 26.3% | flat |
| 108 | Andorra | 12.1% | 2025 | up 16.1% | rising |
| 109 | Finland | 12.1% | 2022 | down 5.9% | flat |
| 110 | Belgium | 12.0% | 2022 | up 2.9% | flat |
| 111 | Singapore | 12.0% | 2025 | down 32.2% | falling |
| 112 | Bulgaria | 12.0% | 2022 | up 12.1% | rising |
| 113 | Netherlands (Kingdom of the) | 12.0% | 2022 | up 6.3% | rising |
| 114 | Azerbaijan | 11.9% | 2025 | up 56.3% | falling |
| 115 | Bangladesh | 11.9% | 2025 | down 1.3% | falling |
| 116 | United Kingdom | 11.8% | 2021 | down 5.2% | rising |
| 116 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 11.8% | 2021 | down 5.2% | rising |
| 118 | Lithuania | 11.7% | 2022 | down 10.2% | falling |
| 119 | Samoa | 11.7% | 2025 | down 20.3% | rising |
| 120 | Paraguay | 11.7% | 2025 | down 35.8% | flat |
| 121 | Togo | 11.6% | 2024 | down 25.5% | falling |
| 122 | Cambodia | 11.6% | 2025 | up 31.4% | rising |
| 123 | Comoros | 11.5% | 2025 | down 13.7% | falling |
| 124 | Grenada | 11.4% | 2025 | up 15.6% | flat |
| 125 | Brunei | 11.4% | 2016 | up 115.8% | rising |
| 125 | Brunei Darussalam | 11.4% | 2016 | up 115.8% | rising |
| 127 | Marshall Islands | 11.3% | 2022 | down 56.5% | falling |
| 128 | Turkey | 11.3% | 2022 | down 11.9% | falling |
| 128 | Türkiye | 11.3% | 2022 | down 11.9% | falling |
| 130 | United States | 11.3% | 2021 | down 16.6% | falling |
| 131 | Slovenia | 11.1% | 2022 | down 2.3% | falling |
| 132 | Nicaragua | 11.0% | 2024 | down 52.2% | rising |
| 133 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 11.0% | 2025 | up 25.4% | falling |
| 134 | Aruba | 11.0% | 2021 | down 49.6% | falling |
| 135 | Egypt | 10.9% | 2008 | down 28.7% | falling |
| 136 | Albania | 10.9% | 2023 | down 10.5% | flat |
| 137 | Slovakia | 10.8% | 2022 | up 12.5% | rising |
| 138 | Sudan | 10.8% | 2009 | up 18.3% | flat |
| 139 | Nepal | 10.8% | 2025 | down 36.7% | falling |
| 140 | Seychelles | 10.7% | 2025 | down 31.5% | rising |
| 141 | Germany | 10.7% | 2022 | down 0.3% | flat |
| 142 | Canada | 10.7% | 2022 | down 12.8% | falling |
| 143 | Bahamas | 10.6% | 2025 | down 8.1% | falling |
| 144 | Indonesia | 10.6% | 2025 | down 48.1% | falling |
| 145 | Portugal | 10.4% | 2022 | up 2.5% | falling |
| 146 | Lesotho | 10.4% | 2024 | down 25.6% | falling |
| 147 | Burundi | 10.3% | 2025 | down 62.6% | rising |
| 148 | Anguilla | 10.3% | 2024 | down 11.3% | flat |
| 149 | Czechia | 10.0% | 2022 | up 6.0% | rising |
| 150 | Central African Republic | 10.0% | 2023 | up 23.6% | falling |
| 151 | Poland | 10.0% | 2022 | down 10.9% | falling |
| 152 | Austria | 10.0% | 2022 | down 6.6% | flat |
| 153 | Latvia | 9.9% | 2022 | down 44.1% | falling |
| 154 | Spain | 9.9% | 2022 | up 9.0% | falling |
| 155 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 9.8% | 2025 | down 30.9% | volatile |
| 156 | Jordan | 9.8% | 2024 | down 22.0% | falling |
| 157 | Pakistan | 9.8% | 2023 | down 15.3% | falling |
| 158 | Maldives | 9.6% | 2025 | down 15.8% | falling |
| 159 | Tonga | 9.3% | 2024 | down 15.8% | falling |
| 160 | Qatar | 9.3% | 2020 | down 32.6% | falling |
| 161 | Cook Islands | 9.2% | 2025 | down 9.3% | rising |
| 162 | Guinea | 9.2% | 2025 | down 20.8% | falling |
| 163 | Palau | 9.1% | 2025 | up 1.4% | falling |
| 164 | France | 9.1% | 2022 | down 3.8% | falling |
| 165 | Romania | 8.8% | 2022 | up 4.0% | falling |
| 166 | Armenia | 8.7% | 2025 | down 18.3% | volatile |
| 167 | Lebanon | 8.6% | 2025 | up 20.2% | rising |
| 168 | Gibraltar | 8.6% | 2025 | up 21.6% | rising |
| 169 | Suriname | 8.6% | 2024 | down 24.8% | falling |
| 170 | Croatia | 8.5% | 2021 | up 0.6% | rising |
| 171 | Uganda | 8.5% | 2022 | down 25.9% | falling |
| 172 | Luxembourg | 8.5% | 2022 | down 8.9% | falling |
| 173 | Serbia | 8.4% | 2023 | down 17.6% | falling |
| 174 | Bahrain | 8.3% | 2025 | up 13.8% | falling |
| 175 | Laos | 8.2% | 2024 | down 29.9% | falling |
| 175 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 8.2% | 2024 | down 29.9% | falling |
| 177 | Somalia | 8.1% | 2025 | up 471.8% | volatile |
| 178 | Hungary | 7.8% | 2022 | down 7.5% | falling |
| 179 | Bermuda | 7.8% | 2017 | down 35.8% | falling |
| 180 | Monaco | 7.7% | 2023 | up 9.5% | falling |
| 181 | Italy | 7.4% | 2022 | down 7.4% | falling |
| 182 | Liberia | 7.4% | 2021 | up 42.1% | rising |
| 183 | Guyana | 7.2% | 2025 | down 59.6% | falling |
| 184 | Sri Lanka | 7.2% | 2024 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 185 | Nauru | 6.6% | 2025 | up 6.4% | rising |
| 185 | Naoero | 6.6% | 2025 | up 6.4% | rising |
| 187 | Angola | 6.5% | 2025 | down 26.8% | falling |
| 188 | Greece | 6.4% | 2022 | down 10.0% | falling |
| 189 | Antigua and Barbuda | 5.9% | 2025 | down 23.1% | falling |
| 190 | Dominica | 5.8% | 2025 | down 43.2% | falling |
| 191 | Montserrat | 5.7% | 2025 | down 24.5% | falling |
| 192 | Niue | 5.6% | 2025 | down 17.0% | falling |
| 193 | East Timor | 4.3% | 2025 | down 49.9% | falling |
| 193 | Timor-Leste | 4.3% | 2025 | down 49.9% | falling |
| 195 | Papua New Guinea | 3.5% | 2023 | down 51.1% | volatile |
| 196 | Nigeria | 3.0% | 2024 | down 67.0% | falling |
| 197 | South Sudan | 0.0% | 2024 | down 99.9% | volatile |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Central Asia 22.0%
- Central and Southern Asia 16.4%
- Landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) 16.2%
- China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 15.7%
- Sub-Saharan Africa 14.7%
- Latin America and the Caribbean 13.8%
- Least Developed Countries (LDCs) 13.4%
- World 12.7%
- Eastern and South-Eastern Asia 12.6%
- Northern Africa and Western Asia 12.5%
- Western Asia 12.4%
- Oceania (exc. Australia and New Zealand) 12.3%
- Small Island Developing States (SIDS) 12.3%
- Eastern Asia 12.3%
- China, Macao Special Administrative Region 12.3%
- Southern Asia 12.0%
- South-eastern Asia 11.6%
- United States of America 11.3%
- Europe 10.8%
- Europe and Northern America 10.7%