Government expenditure on tertiary education as % of GDP in Zambia
Zambia: Government expenditure on tertiary education as % of GDP was 0.3% in 2017. ▼ Falling
Government expenditure on tertiary education as % of GDP in Zambia, 1970–2017
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2017, government expenditure on tertiary education as % of gdp in Zambia stood at 0.3%. That is the lowest value across all 29 years on record.
The figure is down 28.1% on the previous year and down 25.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government expenditure on tertiary education as % of gdp in Zambia peaked at 1.1% in 1971 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 2017.
Zambia ranks 134th of 160 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 29 years of available data.
Government expenditure on tertiary education as % of GDP in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.6% | — |
| 1971 | 1.1% | +79.3% |
| 1972 | 0.9% | -21.3% |
| 1973 | 0.8% | -3.5% |
| 1974 | 0.7% | -18.1% |
| 1975 | 1.0% | +44.4% |
| 1976 | 1.0% | +3.6% |
| 1977 | 1.0% | -3.6% |
| 1978 | 0.9% | -14.8% |
| 1979 | 0.9% | +5.7% |
| 1980 | 0.8% | -14.4% |
| 1981 | 0.7% | -2.9% |
| 1982 | 0.9% | +24.3% |
| 1983 | 0.7% | -24.4% |
| 1984 | 0.6% | -19.6% |
| 1985 | 0.7% | +27.0% |
| 1986 | 0.6% | -11.0% |
| 1987 | 0.4% | -37.3% |
| 1991 | 0.6% | +42.6% |
| 1992 | 0.5% | -9.6% |
| 1993 | 0.6% | +8.2% |
| 1994 | 0.4% | -33.3% |
| 1995 | 0.4% | +8.7% |
| 2000 | 0.3% | -14.4% |
| 2004 | 0.4% | +28.1% |
| 2005 | 0.4% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 0.5% | +22.5% |
| 2016 | 0.5% | -15.5% |
| 2017 | 0.3% | -28.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.9% | 0.6% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.7% | 0.4% | 0.9% | 8 |
| 1990s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 5 |
| 2000s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 3 |
| 2010s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.5% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More reference data data for Zambia
- Spring temperature anomalies -0.0386 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies -0.018 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.3261 °C (2026)
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 19.51 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 19.51 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 19.51 (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.5273 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies -0.2981 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 483.32 2010 = 100 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government expenditure on tertiary education as % of gdp in Zambia?
- Government expenditure on tertiary education as % of gdp in Zambia was 0.3% in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest government expenditure on tertiary education as % of gdp recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.1% in 1971.
- What is the lowest government expenditure on tertiary education as % of gdp recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 2017.
- How does Zambia rank for government expenditure on tertiary education as % of gdp?
- Zambia ranks 134th out of 160 countries with data for 2017.
- Is government expenditure on tertiary education as % of gdp rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia 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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About this data
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/