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Public expenditure on education (% of GDP) (%)

Total public expenditure (current and capital) on education expressed as a percentage of GDP.

Source: World Bank (2012a). "World Development Indicators 2012." Washington, D.C.: World Bank. http://data.worldbank.org. Accessed April, 2012. http://data.worldbank.org/data-catalog/world-development-indicators

Data in the tables are those available to the Human Development Report Office as of 15 October 2012, unless otherwise specified.

HDI Rank Country 1980 1990 2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
.. Very high human development 5.2 4.8 4.5 5.0 5.1 5.0 5.0 5.4 3.8 ..
.. High human development 4.4 2.8 4.2 4.6 4.5 4.9 4.7 5.2 4.1 ..
.. Medium human development 2.5 5.5 4.6 3.6 3.7 3.9 3.8 4.2 4.0 ..
.. Low human development 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.3 3.3 3.2 3.5 3.1 3.7 5.2
1 Norway 5.8 6.4 6.6 7.0 6.5 6.7 6.4 7.3 .. ..
2 Australia 5.6 4.6 4.7 4.7 4.5 4.5 4.4 5.1 .. ..
3 United States .. 5.0 .. 5.3 5.6 5.5 5.5 5.4 .. ..
4 Netherlands 6.4 5.6 5.0 5.5 5.5 5.3 5.5 5.9 .. ..
5 Germany .. .. .. .. 4.4 4.5 4.6 .. .. ..
6 New Zealand 4.3 .. .. 6.4 6.0 6.0 5.6 6.4 7.2 ..
7 Ireland 5.5 4.7 4.2 4.7 4.7 4.9 5.7 .. .. ..
8 Sweden 7.0 5.6 7.2 6.9 6.7 6.6 6.8 7.3 .. ..
9 Switzerland 4.7 4.9 5.2 5.7 5.5 5.2 5.4 .. .. ..
10 Japan 5.2 .. 3.7 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.4 .. 3.8 ..
11 Canada 6.6 6.1 5.6 4.9 .. 4.9 4.8 .. .. ..
12 Korea (Republic of) 3.5 3.3 .. 4.1 4.2 4.2 4.8 5.0 .. ..
13 Iceland .. 4.3 6.7 7.6 7.5 7.4 7.5 7.8 .. ..
13 Hong Kong, China (SAR) 2.2 2.5 .. 4.2 3.9 3.5 3.3 4.5 3.6 ..
15 Denmark 6.0 .. 8.3 8.3 8.0 7.8 7.7 8.7 .. ..
16 Israel 8.6 6.1 6.5 6.1 6.1 5.9 5.9 5.8 .. ..
17 Belgium 5.4 .. .. 5.9 6.0 6.0 6.4 .. .. ..
18 Singapore 2.6 .. 3.4 .. .. .. 2.6 3.1 3.3 ..
18 Austria 5.0 5.0 5.7 5.4 5.4 5.3 5.5 .. .. ..
20 France 4.4 4.6 5.7 5.7 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.9 .. ..
21 Slovenia .. .. .. 5.7 5.7 5.2 5.2 5.7 .. ..
21 Finland 4.9 5.4 5.9 6.3 6.2 5.9 6.1 6.8 .. ..
23 Spain .. 3.7 4.3 4.2 4.3 4.3 4.6 5.0 .. ..
24 Liechtenstein .. .. .. .. 2.1 1.9 2.1 .. .. ..
25 Italy .. .. 4.4 4.4 4.7 4.3 4.6 4.7 .. ..
26 United Kingdom 5.3 4.4 4.5 5.4 5.5 5.5 5.4 5.6 .. ..
26 Luxembourg 4.6 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
28 Czech Republic .. .. 4.0 4.3 4.6 4.2 4.1 4.5 .. ..
29 Greece .. 2.1 3.4 4.1 .. .. .. .. .. ..
30 Brunei Darussalam 1.2 4.0 3.7 .. .. .. .. .. 2.0 ..
31 Cyprus 3.4 3.3 5.3 6.9 7.0 6.9 7.4 7.9 .. ..
32 Malta .. 3.8 .. .. .. 6.3 5.8 .. .. ..
33 Estonia .. .. 5.4 4.9 .. 4.8 5.7 .. .. ..
33 Andorra .. .. .. 2.0 2.7 2.6 3.2 3.1 2.9 ..
35 Slovakia .. .. 3.9 3.8 3.8 3.6 3.6 4.1 .. ..
36 Qatar .. .. .. .. .. .. 2.4 .. .. ..
37 Hungary 4.5 5.6 5.0 5.5 5.4 5.3 5.1 5.1 .. ..
38 Barbados .. .. 5.6 6.9 .. 6.9 6.7 6.7 .. ..
39 Poland .. .. 5.0 5.5 5.3 4.9 5.1 5.1 .. ..
40 Chile 4.4 2.4 3.9 3.4 3.2 3.4 4.0 4.5 .. ..
41 United Arab Emirates .. .. 1.3 1.0 0.8 0.7 0.8 1.0 .. ..
41 Lithuania .. .. .. 4.9 4.8 4.7 4.9 5.7 .. ..
43 Portugal 3.1 3.6 5.2 5.2 5.1 .. 4.9 5.8 .. ..
44 Latvia 3.3 3.8 5.4 .. 5.1 5.0 5.7 5.6 .. ..
45 Argentina 2.6 1.1 4.6 .. 4.5 4.9 5.4 6.0 .. ..
46 Seychelles .. .. .. .. 5.0 .. .. .. .. ..
47 Croatia .. .. .. .. .. 4.0 4.3 4.3 .. ..
48 Bahrain .. .. .. .. 3.4 3.0 2.9 .. .. ..
49 Bahamas .. .. 2.8 .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
50 Belarus .. .. 6.2 5.9 6.1 5.2 .. 4.5 .. ..
51 Uruguay 2.2 .. 2.4 2.7 2.9 .. .. .. .. ..
52 Montenegro .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
53 Palau .. .. 9.8 .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
54 Kuwait 2.8 .. .. 4.7 3.8 .. .. .. .. ..
55 Russian Federation .. .. 2.9 3.8 3.9 .. 4.1 .. .. ..
56 Romania .. .. 2.9 3.5 .. 4.3 .. .. .. ..
57 Saudi Arabia .. .. 5.9 5.7 6.2 6.4 5.6 .. .. ..
57 Bulgaria 3.5 4.5 .. 4.2 4.0 3.9 4.4 .. .. ..
59 Panama 4.3 .. 5.0 .. .. .. 3.8 .. .. ..
59 Cuba 8.4 .. 7.7 10.6 9.1 11.9 14.1 13.1 12.9 ..
61 Mexico .. 2.3 4.9 5.0 4.8 4.8 4.9 5.3 .. ..
62 Costa Rica 7.3 .. 4.4 .. 4.7 4.7 5.0 6.3 .. ..
63 Grenada .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
64 Serbia .. .. .. .. .. 4.7 4.9 5.0 .. ..
64 Malaysia 5.6 .. 6.0 .. 4.7 4.5 4.1 5.8 .. ..
64 Libya .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
67 Trinidad and Tobago 3.8 3.7 3.8 .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
67 Antigua and Barbuda .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2.5 .. ..
69 Kazakhstan .. .. 3.3 2.3 2.6 2.8 2.6 3.1 .. ..
70 Albania .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
71 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 3.9 2.5 .. .. 3.7 3.7 .. .. .. ..
72 Saint Kitts and Nevis .. .. 5.2 4.1 4.4 4.5 .. .. .. ..
72 Lebanon .. .. 1.9 2.6 2.7 2.6 2.0 1.8 .. ..
72 Georgia .. .. 2.2 2.5 3.0 2.7 2.9 3.2 .. ..
72 Dominica .. .. .. .. .. 3.3 3.8 3.5 3.6 ..
76 Iran (Islamic Republic of) .. 4.0 4.4 4.7 5.1 5.5 4.8 4.7 4.7 ..
77 Peru .. .. .. 2.7 2.5 2.5 2.7 .. 2.7 ..
78 Ukraine .. .. 4.2 6.1 6.2 5.3 .. .. .. ..
78 The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
80 Mauritius .. 3.2 3.8 4.2 3.8 3.4 3.2 3.1 .. ..
81 Bosnia and Herzegovina .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
82 Azerbaijan .. .. 3.9 3.0 2.6 2.5 2.4 3.2 .. ..
83 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines .. .. 7.9 6.3 .. 5.7 .. 5.5 4.9 ..
84 Oman .. 2.8 3.1 3.5 3.9 .. .. 4.3 .. ..
85 Jamaica .. 4.8 5.0 4.6 .. 5.5 6.2 6.0 6.1 ..
85 Brazil .. .. 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.1 5.4 5.7 .. ..
87 Armenia .. .. 2.8 2.7 2.7 3.0 3.2 3.8 3.2 ..
88 Saint Lucia .. .. 7.1 5.5 6.0 .. 5.6 3.9 4.4 ..
89 Ecuador .. .. 1.3 .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
90 Turkey .. 2.1 2.6 .. 2.9 .. .. .. .. ..
91 Colombia 1.7 .. 3.5 4.0 3.9 4.1 3.9 4.7 4.8 ..
92 Sri Lanka 2.7 2.4 .. .. .. .. .. 2.1 .. ..
93 Algeria 6.6 .. .. .. .. .. 4.3 .. .. ..
94 Tunisia 5.2 5.8 6.2 6.5 6.4 6.5 6.3 .. .. ..
95 Tonga .. .. 4.9 .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
96 Samoa .. .. 4.0 .. .. .. 5.3 .. .. ..
96 Fiji .. .. 5.9 5.1 5.6 5.8 4.2 4.5 .. ..
96 Dominican Republic .. .. 1.9 .. .. 2.2 .. .. .. ..
96 Belize .. .. 5.0 .. .. .. 5.7 6.1 .. ..
100 Jordan .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
101 China 1.9 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
102 Turkmenistan .. 4.3 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
103 Thailand 2.6 .. 5.4 4.2 4.3 3.8 3.8 4.1 3.8 ..
104 Maldives .. .. .. 6.0 5.7 5.5 5.7 8.7 .. ..
105 Suriname .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
106 Gabon .. .. 3.8 .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
107 El Salvador .. .. 2.5 2.7 3.0 3.1 3.7 .. 3.2 ..
108 Mongolia .. .. 5.6 .. .. 4.7 .. 5.1 5.4 ..
108 Bolivia (Plurinational State of) .. .. 5.5 .. 6.3 .. .. .. .. ..
110 Palestine, State of .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
111 Paraguay .. 1.1 5.3 .. .. 4.0 .. .. .. ..
112 Egypt 4.2 .. .. 4.8 4.0 3.7 3.8 .. .. ..
113 Moldova (Republic of) .. .. 4.5 7.2 7.5 8.3 8.2 9.5 9.1 ..
114 Uzbekistan .. 9.5 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
114 Philippines 1.7 .. 3.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.7 .. ..
116 Syrian Arab Republic 4.6 .. .. .. 5.3 4.9 .. .. .. ..
117 Micronesia (Federated States of) .. .. 6.7 .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
118 Guyana .. .. 8.5 8.1 5.1 3.8 .. 3.4 3.7 ..
119 Botswana 5.5 5.7 .. 9.5 .. 8.0 .. 7.8 .. ..
120 Honduras 3.0 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
121 South Africa .. 5.3 5.6 5.3 5.3 5.2 5.1 5.5 6.0 ..
121 Kiribati .. .. 11.0 .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
121 Indonesia .. .. .. 2.9 3.6 3.5 2.8 3.5 3.0 ..
124 Vanuatu .. .. 7.0 .. .. .. 6.6 5.2 .. ..
125 Tajikistan .. .. 2.3 3.5 3.4 3.4 3.5 4.1 4.0 ..
125 Kyrgyzstan .. .. 3.5 4.9 5.5 6.5 5.9 6.2 .. ..
127 Viet Nam .. .. .. .. .. .. 5.3 .. .. ..
128 Namibia .. .. 7.9 .. 6.0 .. 6.4 .. 8.1 ..
129 Nicaragua 3.3 .. 3.9 .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
130 Morocco 5.9 5.3 5.8 .. 5.5 .. 5.6 5.4 .. ..
131 Iraq 2.3 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
132 Cape Verde .. .. .. .. 6.5 6.1 6.4 5.7 5.6 ..
133 Guatemala .. .. .. .. 3.0 3.0 3.2 .. .. ..
134 Timor-Leste .. .. .. .. .. .. 11.3 15.7 14.0 ..
135 Ghana 2.7 .. .. 5.4 .. 5.5 5.7 5.3 5.5 ..
136 India .. .. 4.4 3.1 3.1 .. .. .. .. ..
136 Equatorial Guinea .. .. 0.7 .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
138 Lao People's Democratic Republic .. .. 1.5 2.4 2.9 3.1 2.3 .. 3.3 ..
138 Cambodia .. .. 1.7 .. .. 1.6 .. .. 2.6 ..
140 Bhutan .. .. 5.8 7.2 .. .. 4.8 4.6 4.0 ..
141 Swaziland 5.3 5.5 5.5 7.4 8.1 .. 7.5 7.1 7.4 ..
142 Congo 6.4 .. .. 1.8 .. .. .. .. 6.2 ..
143 Solomon Islands .. .. .. .. .. 5.9 6.1 .. .. ..
144 Sao Tome and Principe .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
145 Kenya 5.4 .. 5.2 7.3 7.0 .. .. .. 6.7 ..
146 Pakistan 2.1 2.5 1.8 2.3 2.6 2.8 2.9 2.7 2.4 ..
146 Bangladesh 0.9 1.6 2.4 .. 2.5 2.6 2.4 2.2 .. ..
148 Angola .. .. 2.6 2.6 2.6 .. .. .. 3.4 ..
149 Myanmar .. .. 0.6 .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
150 Cameroon .. 3.3 1.9 3.1 3.0 3.3 2.9 3.6 3.5 ..
151 Madagascar 4.3 .. 2.9 3.8 3.3 3.4 2.9 3.2 .. ..
152 Tanzania (United Republic of) .. 2.1 .. .. .. .. 6.8 .. 6.2 ..
153 Nigeria .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
154 Senegal .. .. 3.2 5.1 4.8 .. 5.0 5.6 5.6 ..
155 Mauritania .. .. .. .. 2.5 .. 4.0 .. 4.3 ..
156 Papua New Guinea .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
157 Nepal .. .. 3.0 3.4 3.6 3.5 3.8 4.7 4.7 ..
158 Lesotho .. .. 11.8 14.8 13.9 .. 13.0 .. .. ..
159 Togo .. .. 4.4 3.4 3.7 3.7 3.4 4.1 4.5 ..
160 Yemen .. .. 9.7 .. .. .. 5.2 .. .. ..
161 Uganda .. .. 2.5 .. .. .. 3.8 3.2 .. ..
161 Haiti .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
163 Zambia 4.1 .. 2.0 2.0 .. 1.5 1.3 .. .. ..
164 Djibouti .. .. 9.7 8.4 8.3 8.4 .. .. .. ..
165 Gambia .. 2.8 2.7 .. .. .. 4.1 3.8 5.0 ..
166 Benin .. .. 3.3 4.1 3.8 3.5 4.1 4.5 .. ..
167 Rwanda 2.7 .. 4.1 3.1 .. 4.3 3.8 .. 5.0 4.7
168 Côte d'Ivoire 6.9 .. 3.8 4.3 4.2 4.4 4.6 .. .. ..
169 Comoros .. .. .. .. .. .. 7.6 .. .. ..
170 Malawi .. 3.3 5.2 .. .. .. .. .. 4.6 5.7
171 Sudan .. 8.5 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
172 Zimbabwe .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2.5 ..
173 Ethiopia .. .. 3.9 .. 5.5 5.5 5.4 4.6 4.7 ..
174 Liberia 5.6 .. .. .. .. .. 2.8 .. .. ..
175 Afghanistan 1.8 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
176 Guinea-Bissau .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
177 Sierra Leone .. .. 4.9 3.7 .. 3.3 3.1 4.3 .. ..
178 Guinea .. .. 2.5 1.8 .. .. 2.4 .. .. ..
178 Burundi .. 3.4 3.2 5.1 .. .. 7.2 8.3 9.2 ..
180 Central African Republic .. 2.2 1.5 1.6 1.4 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.2 ..
181 Eritrea .. .. 3.2 .. 2.1 .. .. .. .. ..
182 Mali 3.4 .. 3.6 4.1 .. .. 3.8 4.4 4.5 ..
183 Burkina Faso 2.0 .. .. 4.5 4.5 4.6 .. .. 4.0 ..
184 Chad .. .. 2.6 2.1 .. .. .. 3.1 2.8 ..
185 Mozambique .. .. .. 5.2 5.0 .. .. .. .. ..
186 Niger .. 2.9 3.2 .. 3.3 4.0 3.7 4.6 3.8 ..
186 Congo (Democratic Republic of the) 2.3 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2.5 ..
.. South Sudan .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
.. Tuvalu .. 7.6 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
.. Somalia .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
.. San Marino .. 3.2 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
.. Nauru .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
.. Monaco .. .. 1.3 .. .. .. .. 1.2 .. ..
.. Marshall Islands .. .. 14.6 .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
.. Korea (Democratic People's Rep. of) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Footnotes
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.. Data not available
(.) Greater (or less) than zero but small enough to be rounded off to zero at the displayed number of decimal points
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