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
Latest (2023)
1.9%
Change on year
down 1.3%
World rank
182nd
of 199 countries
All-time high
3.0%
in 1997
All-time low
1.4%
in 2004
Years of data
48
1971–2023
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.
Government spending on education overall vs. primary education in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 1.7% | — |
| 1972 | 1.6% | -5.2% |
| 1973 | 1.8% | +16.7% |
| 1974 | 1.9% | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 2.0% | +5.3% |
| 1976 | 2.2% | +13.0% |
| 1977 | 2.1% | -3.9% |
| 1978 | 2.2% | +2.5% |
| 1979 | 2.2% | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 2.1% | -3.1% |
| 1981 | 2.0% | -7.4% |
| 1982 | 2.0% | +2.1% |
| 1983 | 2.0% | -0.9% |
| 1984 | 2.1% | +3.7% |
| 1985 | 2.4% | +17.7% |
| 1986 | 2.7% | +10.0% |
| 1987 | 3.0% | +11.2% |
| 1989 | 2.4% | -20.6% |
| 1990 | 2.5% | +6.5% |
| 1991 | 2.6% | +2.0% |
| 1992 | 2.5% | -0.7% |
| 1993 | 2.4% | -6.4% |
| 1994 | 2.6% | +8.5% |
| 1995 | 2.8% | +8.0% |
| 1996 | 2.8% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 3.0% | +7.5% |
| 1999 | 2.6% | -13.6% |
| 2000 | 1.8% | -29.6% |
| 2004 | 1.4% | -21.5% |
| 2005 | 1.7% | +15.7% |
| 2006 | 2.0% | +18.6% |
| 2007 | 2.2% | +12.8% |
| 2008 | 2.3% | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 2.2% | -4.1% |
| 2010 | 2.1% | -5.8% |
| 2011 | 2.0% | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 2.0% | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 2.2% | +13.0% |
| 2014 | 2.2% | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 2.4% | +8.2% |
| 2016 | 2.7% | +11.8% |
| 2017 | 2.6% | -3.4% |
| 2018 | 2.3% | -9.5% |
| 2019 | 2.2% | -5.0% |
| 2020 | 2.1% | -7.1% |
| 2021 | 1.7% | -18.0% |
| 2022 | 2.0% | +16.9% |
| 2023 | 1.9% | -1.3% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 1.9% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.0%, 48% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 1.9% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 4.4%, 44% of the median. (19 countries reporting)
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
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 6.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 20.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 61.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 61.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 20.3 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 5.75 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 91.27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 260 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 10.79 (2050)
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.
Download this data
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About this data
Total annual general government spending on all levels of education, expressed as a percentage of GDP.