Government spending on education overall vs. primary education in Brunei

Brunei: Government spending on education overall vs. primary education was 4.4% in 2016. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2016)
4.4%
Change on year
up 32.0%
World rank
85th
of 199 countries
All-time high
8.8%
in 1973
All-time low
0.5%
in 1980
Years of data
27
1970–2016

Government spending on education overall vs. primary education in Brunei, 1970–2016

024681970199320161970: 6.2 % of GDP1971: 5 % of GDP1972: 4 % of GDP1973: 8.8 % of GDP1974: 1.6 % of GDP1975: 0.918 % of GDP1976: 0.918 % of GDP1978: 1 % of GDP1979: 0.717 % of GDP1980: 0.544 % of GDP1981: 0.754 % of GDP1982: 0.81 % of GDP1987: 2.7 % of GDP1988: 3.2 % of GDP1989: 2.8 % of GDP1990: 2.3 % of GDP1991: 2.2 % of GDP1992: 2.5 % of GDP1993: 2.8 % of GDP1998: 3.8 % of GDP1999: 3.6 % of GDP2000: 3.4 % of GDP2010: 1.8 % of GDP2011: 3.3 % of GDP2012: 2.9 % of GDP2014: 3.4 % of GDP2016: 4.4 % of GDP

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.

Analysis

The most recent figure for government spending on education overall vs. primary education in Brunei is 4.4%, measured in 2016.

The figure is up 32.0% on the previous year and up 140.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, government spending on education overall vs. primary education in Brunei peaked at 8.8% in 1973 and was at its lowest, 0.5%, in 1980.

That places Brunei 85th out of 199 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 3.2% 0.7% 8.8% 9
1980s 1.8% 0.5% 3.2% 6
1990s 2.9% 2.2% 3.8% 6
2000s 3.4% 3.4% 3.4% 1
2010s 3.2% 1.8% 4.4% 5

Countries ranked near Brunei

  1. 82 Saudi Arabia 4.5% compare
  2. 83 Seychelles 4.5% compare
  3. 84 Guyana 4.5% compare
  4. 86 Cook Islands 4.4% compare
  5. 87 Oman 4.4% compare
  6. 88 Peru 4.4% compare

See the full ranking of 199 places →

More reference data data for Brunei

All data for Brunei →

Frequently asked questions

What is government spending on education overall vs. primary education in Brunei?
Government spending on education overall vs. primary education in Brunei was 4.4% in 2016, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest government spending on education overall vs. primary education recorded in Brunei?
The highest recorded value was 8.8% in 1973.
What is the lowest government spending on education overall vs. primary education recorded in Brunei?
The lowest recorded value was 0.5% in 1980.
How does Brunei rank for government spending on education overall vs. primary education?
Brunei ranks 85th out of 199 countries with data for 2016.
Is government spending on education overall vs. primary education rising or falling in Brunei?
Over the last ten years it is up 140.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Brunei data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Government spending on education overall vs. primary education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Government spending on education overall vs. primary education
Unit
% of GDP
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
199 places, 5,140 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Total annual general government spending on all levels of education, expressed as a percentage of GDP.