Countries Ranked by Education expenditure share of GDP in 1990
Education expenditure share of GDP for each country in 1990, ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
In 1990, Tuvalu ranks #1 with 6.99% of GDP. Norway is second with 6.31% of GDP, 10.7% behind. The top five are Tuvalu, Norway, Canada, Tunisia and Botswana. The median across all 51 is 3.64% of GDP; Paraguay is last at 1.04% of GDP.
- #1
- Tuvalu · 6.99% of GDP
- Median
- 3.64% of GDP
- Coverage
- 51 countries
- Data year
- 1990
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Education expenditure share of GDP (% of GDP) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tuvalu | 6.99 |
| 2 | Norway | 6.31 |
| 3 | Canada | 5.97 |
| 4 | Tunisia | 5.79 |
| 5 | Botswana | 5.74 |
| 6 | Eswatini | 5.48 |
| 7 | Hungary | 5.41 |
| 8 | Finland | 5.34 |
| 9 | Netherlands | 5.22 |
| 10 | Sweden | 5.22 |
| 11 | Israel | 5.16 |
| 12 | Austria | 4.98 |
| 13 | Jamaica | 4.78 |
| 14 | South Africa | 4.7 |
| 15 | Australia | 4.67 |
| 16 | Ireland | 4.6 |
| 17 | France | 4.56 |
| 18 | Morocco | 4.51 |
| 19 | Bulgaria | 4.45 |
| 20 | Switzerland | 4.39 |
| 21 | Iceland | 4.26 |
| 22 | United Kingdom | 4.06 |
| 23 | Malta | 3.83 |
| 24 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 3.77 |
| 25 | Trinidad and Tobago | 3.65 |
| 26 | Spain | 3.64 |
| 27 | Latvia | 3.58 |
| 28 | Portugal | 3.57 |
| 29 | Burundi | 3.36 |
| 30 | Cyprus | 3.34 |
| 31 | Cameroon | 3.29 |
| 32 | Bermuda | 3.14 |
| 33 | Mauritius | 3.13 |
| 34 | Korea, Rep. | 2.95 |
| 35 | Gambia, The | 2.83 |
| 36 | Pakistan | 2.52 |
| 37 | Oman | 2.49 |
| 38 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 2.47 |
| 39 | Venezuela, RB | 2.45 |
| 40 | Sri Lanka | 2.41 |
| 41 | Mexico | 2.33 |
| 42 | Brunei Darussalam | 2.31 |
| 43 | Malawi | 2.25 |
| 44 | Central African Republic | 2.24 |
| 45 | Chile | 2.23 |
| 46 | Greece | 2.07 |
| 47 | Niger | 2.07 |
| 48 | Bangladesh | 1.52 |
| 49 | Tanzania | 1.47 |
| 50 | Argentina | 1.07 |
| 51 | Paraguay | 1.04 |
About the top 10
#1 Tuvalu
Tuvalu ranks #1 on this list with 6.99% of GDP.
- Capital
- Funafuti
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 9,492 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$57.35 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,041 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 65.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in agricultural land share · #1 in health expenditure share of gdp · #1 in literacy rate.
#2 Norway
Norway ranks #2 on this list with 6.31% of GDP.
- Capital
- Oslo
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 5.61 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$530.76 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$94,594 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 83.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 83.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim.
Also ranks #2 in nurses and midwives per 1,000 · #2 in voice and accountability score · #3 in gni per capita.
#3 Canada
Canada ranks #3 on this list with 5.97% of GDP.
- Capital
- Ottawa
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 41.65 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.32 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$55,698 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 82.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Toronto, Montreal, Calgary.
Also ranks #2 in surface area · #3 in forest area · #4 in land area.
#4 Tunisia
Tunisia ranks #4 on this list with 5.79% of GDP.
- Capital
- Tunis
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 12.35 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$57.5 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,657 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 70.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #9 in youth unemployment rate · #9 in gender parity index (school enrolment) · #16 in unemployment rate.
#5 Botswana
Botswana ranks #5 on this list with 5.74% of GDP.
- Capital
- Gaborone
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 2.56 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$19.93 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,778 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 69.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 68% of population (2025)
Also ranks #4 in unemployment rate · #4 in hiv prevalence · #5 in youth unemployment rate.
#6 Eswatini
Eswatini ranks #6 on this list with 5.48% of GDP.
- Capital
- Mbabane, Lobamba
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 1.26 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$5.16 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,108 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 64.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 26.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in unemployment rate · #1 in hiv prevalence · #3 in youth unemployment rate.
#7 Hungary
Hungary ranks #7 on this list with 5.41% of GDP.
- Capital
- Budapest
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 9.51 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$246.49 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$25,907 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 70.7% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Budapest.
Also ranks #3 in access to clean water · #5 in immunisation (dpt) rate · #6 in immunisation (measles) rate.
#8 Finland
Finland ranks #8 on this list with 5.34% of GDP.
- Capital
- Helsinki
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 5.65 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$317.04 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$56,149 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 74.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in rule of law score · #2 in bank accounts share (adults) · #2 in control of corruption score.
#9 Netherlands
Netherlands ranks #9 on this list with 5.22% of GDP.
- Capital
- Amsterdam
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 18.09 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.33 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$73,684 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 95.9% of population (2025)
Also ranks #4 in fdi outflows · #5 in school enrolment (secondary) · #6 in secure internet servers per million.
#10 Sweden
Sweden ranks #10 on this list with 5.22% of GDP.
- Capital
- Stockholm
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 10.6 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$669 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$63,133 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 84.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 89.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö.
Also ranks #3 in researchers in r&d per million · #4 in r&d expenditure share of gdp · #6 in male life expectancy.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Education expenditure share of GDP for each country in 1990, ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP): Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.