Bahrain — Education spending
Government Education Spending (% of GDP) for Bahrain, 1970–2023.
Education spending for Bahrain was 1.89% in 2023, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 20 years, from 1970 to 2023. The highest recorded value was 2.87% in 2006. The lowest was 1.71% in 2022 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.12% per year.
Bahrain ranks 162 of 172 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 94%. The median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 4.38%, so Bahrain sits below it. It peaked in 2006 and has fallen 34% since. Over the last decade (2013–2023) the figure moved down 21%. Within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it ranks 16 of 17 economies; Lebanon (1.22%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 42% in 2006. That is 15% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 25th of 31 in 1970 → 114th of 130 in 2010 → 149th of 157 in 2020 → 97th of 107 in 2023.
Key figures
Full history — 1970 to 2023
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1.89% | +0.2 pp |
| 2022 | 1.71% | -0.1 pp |
| 2021 | 1.85% | -0.2 pp |
| 2020 | 2.06% | -0.1 pp |
| 2019 | 2.11% | -0.3 pp |
| 2018 | 2.39% | +0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 2.22% | -0.6 pp |
| 2016 | 2.8% | +0.2 pp |
| 2015 | 2.55% | +0.2 pp |
| 2014 | 2.37% | -0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 2.38% | -0.2 pp |
| 2012 | 2.54% | +0.2 pp |
| 2011 | 2.31% | -0.0 pp |
| 2010 | 2.35% | -0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 2.5% | -0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 2.58% | -0.3 pp |
| 2006 | 2.87% | +0.9 pp |
| 1972 | 2.02% | -0.3 pp |
| 1971 | 2.31% | +0.3 pp |
| 1970 | 2.01% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Bahrain’s Education spending in 1971?
2.31% (1971). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of GDP, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Bahrain’s Education spending growing or shrinking?
Between 1970 and 2023 the series was shrinking overall: -6.2% in total — about 0.1% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2023: 1.89%; 2022: 1.71%; 2021: 1.85%; 2020: 2.06%; 2019: 2.11%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS — Government Education Spending (% of GDP). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.