Government spending on education overall vs. primary education in Eritrea

Eritrea: Government spending on education overall vs. primary education was 2.1% in 2006. ▼ Falling

Latest (2006)
2.1%
Change on year
down 32.5%
World rank
177th
of 199 countries
All-time high
5.3%
in 1999
All-time low
1.6%
in 1996
Years of data
7
1996–2006

Government spending on education overall vs. primary education in Eritrea, 1996–2006

23451996200120061996: 1.6 % of GDP1998: 4.6 % of GDP1999: 5.3 % of GDP2001: 4 % of GDP2002: 3.5 % of GDP2004: 3.1 % of GDP2006: 2.1 % 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 Eritrea is 2.1%, measured in 2006.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 32.5% on the previous year and up 29.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, government spending on education overall vs. primary education in Eritrea peaked at 5.3% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 1.6%, in 1996.

Eritrea ranks 177th of 199 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 3.8% 1.6% 5.3% 3
2000s 3.2% 2.1% 4.0% 4

Countries ranked near Eritrea

  1. 174 Liberia 2.3% compare
  2. 175 Singapore 2.2% compare
  3. 176 Cambodia 2.2% compare
  4. 178 Bangladesh 2.0% compare
  5. 179 Sudan 2.0% compare
  6. 180 Guinea-Bissau 2.0% compare

See the full ranking of 199 places →

More reference data data for Eritrea

All data for Eritrea →

Frequently asked questions

What is government spending on education overall vs. primary education in Eritrea?
Government spending on education overall vs. primary education in Eritrea was 2.1% in 2006, 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 Eritrea?
The highest recorded value was 5.3% in 1999.
What is the lowest government spending on education overall vs. primary education recorded in Eritrea?
The lowest recorded value was 1.6% in 1996.
How does Eritrea rank for government spending on education overall vs. primary education?
Eritrea ranks 177th out of 199 countries with data for 2006.
Is government spending on education overall vs. primary education rising or falling in Eritrea?
Over the last ten years it is up 29.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Eritrea 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.