Government spending on education overall vs. primary education in Pakistan
Pakistan: Government spending on education overall vs. primary education was 1.9% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Government spending on education overall vs. primary education in Pakistan, 1971–2023
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 Pakistan is 1.9%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 13.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government spending on education overall vs. primary education in Pakistan peaked at 3.0% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 1.4%, in 2004.
Pakistan ranks 182nd of 199 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.0% | 1.6% | 2.2% | 9 |
| 1980s | 2.3% | 2.0% | 3.0% | 9 |
| 1990s | 2.6% | 2.4% | 3.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 1.9% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 7 |
| 2010s | 2.3% | 2.0% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.9% | 1.7% | 2.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More reference data data for Pakistan
- Number of child deaths per woman 0.1696 under-five deaths per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 3.6 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate vs. Human Development Index 3.6 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 3.6 live births per woman (2023)
- Human Development Index 0.544 (2023)
- Rule of Law - Governance score 39.46 0-100 (2024)
- Rule of Law - Governance estimate -1.02 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 (2024)
- Voice and Accountability - Governance score 36.44 0-100 (2024)
- Voice and Accountability - Governance estimate -1.17 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 (2024)
- Political Stability - Governance estimate -2.06 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government spending on education overall vs. primary education in Pakistan?
- Government spending on education overall vs. primary education in Pakistan was 1.9% in 2023, 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 Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 3.0% in 1997.
- What is the lowest government spending on education overall vs. primary education recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.4% in 2004.
- How does Pakistan rank for government spending on education overall vs. primary education?
- Pakistan ranks 182nd out of 199 countries with data for 2023.
- Is government spending on education overall vs. primary education rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Pakistan 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
Total annual general government spending on all levels of education, expressed as a percentage of GDP.