Government expenditure on tertiary education as % of GDP in Gambia

Gambia: Government expenditure on tertiary education as % of GDP was 0.2% in 2015. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2015)
0.2%
Change on year
down 24.7%
World rank
149th
of 160 countries
All-time high
0.6%
in 1996
All-time low
0.0%
in 1992
Years of data
23
1985–2015

Government expenditure on tertiary education as % of GDP in Gambia, 1985–2015

00.20.40.61985200020151985: 0.576 %1986: 0.432 %1989: 0.399 %1990: 0.563 %1991: 0.533 %1992: 0 %1995: 0.49 %1996: 0.587 %2001: 0.307 %2002: 0.398 %2003: 0.355 %2004: 0.096 %2005: 0.099 %2006: 0.103 %2007: 0.123 %2008: 0.197 %2009: 0.167 %2010: 0.253 %2011: 0.191 %2012: 0.194 %2013: 0.195 %2014: 0.325 %2015: 0.245 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2015, government expenditure on tertiary education as % of gdp in Gambia stood at 0.2%.

The figure is down 24.7% on the previous year and up 147.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, government expenditure on tertiary education as % of gdp in Gambia peaked at 0.6% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1992.

That places Gambia 149th out of 160 countries with data for 2015, putting it in the bottom quarter.

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

Government expenditure on tertiary education as % of GDP in Gambia, year by year

Annual values for Government expenditure on tertiary education as % of GDP (%) in Gambia, 1985 to 2015.
Year % Change
1985 0.6%
1986 0.4% -25.1%
1989 0.4% -7.7%
1990 0.6% +41.3%
1991 0.5% -5.3%
1992 0.0% -100.0%
1995 0.5%
1996 0.6% +19.7%
2001 0.3% -47.6%
2002 0.4% +29.6%
2003 0.4% -11.0%
2004 0.1% -72.8%
2005 0.1% +2.5%
2006 0.1% +4.8%
2007 0.1% +18.4%
2008 0.2% +60.7%
2009 0.2% -15.4%
2010 0.3% +52.0%
2011 0.2% -24.6%
2012 0.2% +1.7%
2013 0.2% +0.5%
2014 0.3% +66.6%
2015 0.2% -24.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 0.5% 0.4% 0.6% 3
1990s 0.4% 0.0% 0.6% 5
2000s 0.2% 0.1% 0.4% 9
2010s 0.2% 0.2% 0.3% 6

Countries ranked near Gambia

  1. 146 Mongolia 0.3% compare
  2. 147 Bermuda 0.3% compare
  3. 148 Kazakhstan 0.2% compare
  4. 150 Chad 0.2% compare
  5. 151 Qatar 0.2%
  6. 152 Angola 0.2% compare

See the full ranking of 160 places →

More reference data data for Gambia

All data for Gambia →

Frequently asked questions

What is government expenditure on tertiary education as % of gdp in Gambia?
Government expenditure on tertiary education as % of gdp in Gambia was 0.2% in 2015, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest government expenditure on tertiary education as % of gdp recorded in Gambia?
The highest recorded value was 0.6% in 1996.
What is the lowest government expenditure on tertiary education as % of gdp recorded in Gambia?
The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1992.
How does Gambia rank for government expenditure on tertiary education as % of gdp?
Gambia ranks 149th out of 160 countries with data for 2015.
Is government expenditure on tertiary education as % of gdp rising or falling in Gambia?
Over the last ten years it is up 147.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Gambia data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Government expenditure on tertiary education as % of GDP (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Government expenditure on tertiary education as % of GDP in Gambia. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/government-expenditure-on-tertiary-education-as-percent-of-gdp-percent/gambia-the/

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About this data

Indicator
Government expenditure on tertiary education as % of GDP (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
160 places, 3,221 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Total general (local, regional and central) government expenditure on tertiary 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/