Burundi vs South Africa: Government expenditure on primary education as % of GDP

Burundi
2.7%
in 2013
South Africa
2.4%
in 2019
Burundi rank
9th
South Africa rank
11th

Government expenditure on primary education as % of GDP over time

  • Burundi
  • South Africa
11.522.533.5197919992019

How they compare

Burundi currently reports 2.7% against 2.4% in South Africa, a difference of 0.3%.

That makes Burundi's figure about 1.1 times South Africa's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 11 shared years of data; in 1999 it was South Africa ahead.

Burundi ranks 9th and South Africa ranks 11th of 152 countries.

Across the 3 decades both report, Burundi averaged higher in 1 and South Africa in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade Burundi South Africa Difference Ahead
1990s 1.3% 2.6% 1.4% South Africa
2000s 1.9% 2.2% 0.3% South Africa
2010s 3.0% 2.5% 0.5% Burundi

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher government expenditure on primary education as % of gdp, Burundi or South Africa?
Burundi, at 2.7% against 2.4% in South Africa as of 2013.
What is the difference in government expenditure on primary education as % of gdp between Burundi and South Africa?
0.3%, with Burundi ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Burundi and South Africa?
11 years are reported by both, from 1999 to 2012.
How do Burundi and South Africa rank globally for government expenditure on primary education as % of gdp?
Burundi ranks 9th and South Africa ranks 11th of 152 countries.
Where does this data come from?
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Government expenditure on primary education as % of GDP (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Burundi vs South Africa: Government expenditure on primary education as % of GDP. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/government-expenditure-on-primary-education-as-percent-of-gdp-percent/burundi/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Government expenditure on primary education as % of GDP (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
152 places, 2,924 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Total general (local, regional and central) government expenditure on primary education (current, capital, and transfers), expressed as a percentage of GDP. It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. Divide total government expenditure for a given level of education (ex. primary, secondary, or all levels combined) by the GDP, and multiply by 100. A higher percentage of GDP spent on education shows a higher government priority for education, but also a higher capacity of the government to raise revenues for public spending, in relation to the size of the country's economy. When interpreting this indicator however, one should keep in mind in some countries, the private sector and/or households may fund a higher proportion of total funding for education, thus making government expenditure appear lower than in other countries. Limitations: In some instances data on total public expenditure on education refers only to the Ministry of Education, excluding other ministries which may also spend a part of their budget on educational activities. For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute of Statistics website: http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/