Proportion of total government spending on essential services … UIS in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Proportion of total government spending on essential services … UIS was 17.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Proportion of total government spending on essential services in Zimbabwe, 2010–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
Zimbabwe recorded 17.9% for proportion of total government spending on essential services in 2025.
That represents a change of up 9.7% on the previous year and down 39.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of total government spending on essential services in Zimbabwe peaked at 30.0% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 8.5%, in 2010.
Zimbabwe ranks 34th of 197 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 13 years of available data.
Proportion of total government spending on essential services … UIS in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 8.5% | — |
| 2012 | 29.8% | +248.5% |
| 2013 | 28.7% | -3.7% |
| 2014 | 30.0% | +4.7% |
| 2015 | 29.5% | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 23.5% | -20.2% |
| 2017 | 19.7% | -16.3% |
| 2018 | 19.2% | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 10.5% | -45.4% |
| 2020 | 15.7% | +49.7% |
| 2023 | 10.7% | -31.8% |
| 2024 | 16.3% | +52.7% |
| 2025 | 17.9% | +9.7% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 17.9% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 14.5%, 1.2× the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 17.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.4%, 1.2× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Proportion of total government spending on essential services … UIS in Zimbabwe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | +248.5% | 8.5% | 29.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 22.1% | 8.5% | 30.0% | 9 |
| 2020s | 15.1% | 10.7% | 17.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
- 31 Sao Tome and Principe 18.1% compare
- 32 Benin 18.0% compare
- 33 Madagascar 18.0% compare
- 35 Jamaica 17.9% compare
- 36 Mali 17.8% compare
- 37 Côte d'Ivoire 17.6% compare
- 37 Cote d'Ivoire 17.6% compare
More education data for Zimbabwe
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 42,585 (2013)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 12,514 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 328,055 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 322,698 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 957,461 (2013)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.94 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.4866 % 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 0.1767 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of total government spending on essential services in Zimbabwe?
- Proportion of total government spending on essential services in Zimbabwe was 17.9% 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 Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 30.0% in 2014.
- What is the lowest proportion of total government spending on essential services recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.5% in 2010.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for proportion of total government spending on essential services?
- Zimbabwe ranks 34th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is proportion of total government spending on essential services rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 39.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 13 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).