Proportion of total government spending on essential services in Gambia
Gambia: Proportion of total government spending on essential services was 14.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Proportion of total government spending on essential services in Gambia, 2000–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
In 2025, proportion of total government spending on essential services in Gambia stood at 14.2%.
That represents a change of down 5.9% on the previous year and up 28.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of total government spending on essential services in Gambia peaked at 18.9% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 5.0%, in 2004.
Gambia ranks 59th of 170 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Proportion of total government spending on essential services in Gambia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 11.9% | — |
| 2001 | 8.2% | -31.2% |
| 2002 | 10.9% | +33.4% |
| 2003 | 8.5% | -22.6% |
| 2004 | 5.0% | -40.6% |
| 2005 | 5.3% | +6.3% |
| 2006 | 5.4% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 7.3% | +36.1% |
| 2008 | 18.9% | +158.7% |
| 2009 | 13.3% | -29.6% |
| 2010 | 17.6% | +32.5% |
| 2011 | 15.1% | -14.2% |
| 2012 | 13.8% | -8.7% |
| 2013 | 10.6% | -23.3% |
| 2014 | 11.8% | +11.0% |
| 2015 | 11.0% | -6.1% |
| 2016 | 10.4% | -5.3% |
| 2017 | 15.4% | +47.8% |
| 2018 | 12.4% | -19.4% |
| 2019 | 16.9% | +35.4% |
| 2020 | 14.3% | -15.3% |
| 2021 | 15.6% | +9.4% |
| 2022 | 17.1% | +9.6% |
| 2023 | 18.7% | +9.2% |
| 2024 | 15.1% | -19.2% |
| 2025 | 14.2% | -5.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 9.5% | 5.0% | 18.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.5% | 10.4% | 17.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.8% | 14.2% | 18.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Gambia
More education data for Gambia
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 369,783 (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.12 % change on previous year (2010)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 13,495 (2025)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.0148 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 199,300 (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.6853 % change on previous year (2010)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 170,483 (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -2.97 % change on previous year (1996)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 148,299 (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 4.21 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of total government spending on essential services in Gambia?
- Proportion of total government spending on essential services in Gambia was 14.2% in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of total government spending on essential services recorded in Gambia?
- The highest recorded value was 18.9% in 2008.
- What is the lowest proportion of total government spending on essential services recorded in Gambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.0% in 2004.
- How does Gambia rank for proportion of total government spending on essential services?
- Gambia ranks 59th out of 170 countries with data for 2025.
- Is proportion of total government spending on essential services rising or falling in Gambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 28.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Gambia 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 [UIS methodology] (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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