Iran, Islamic Rep. — Education spending
Government Education Spending (% of GDP) for Iran, Islamic Rep., 1971–2023.
Education spending for Iran, Islamic Rep. was 2.82% in 2023, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 45 years, from 1971 to 2023. The highest recorded value was 7.13% in 1981. The lowest was 2.62% in 2014 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.04% per year.
Iran, Islamic Rep. ranks 143 of 172 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 83%. The median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 4.38%, so Iran, Islamic Rep. sits below it. It peaked in 1981 and has fallen 60% since. Over the last decade (2013–2023) the figure moved down 1%. Within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it ranks 14 of 17 economies; Pakistan (1.95%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 83% in 1977. That is 7% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1971 level: doubled by 1981.
World ranking. Slipped: 39th of 53 in 1971 → 23rd of 50 in 1990 → 54th of 116 in 2000 → 74th of 130 in 2010 → 124th of 157 in 2020 → 79th of 107 in 2023.
Key figures
Full history — 1971 to 2023
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2.82% | +0.2 pp |
| 2022 | 2.67% | -0.5 pp |
| 2020 | 3.2% | -0.0 pp |
| 2019 | 3.24% | -0.4 pp |
| 2018 | 3.62% | +0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 3.46% | +0.3 pp |
| 2016 | 3.17% | +0.5 pp |
| 2015 | 2.63% | +0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 2.62% | -0.2 pp |
| 2013 | 2.85% | -0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 2.94% | -0.5 pp |
| 2011 | 3.48% | -0.2 pp |
| 2010 | 3.71% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 3.84% | -0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 3.91% | -0.7 pp |
| 2007 | 4.6% | +0.3 pp |
| 2006 | 4.29% | +0.2 pp |
| 2005 | 4.06% | -0.2 pp |
| 2004 | 4.3% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 4.36% | -0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 4.48% | +0.4 pp |
| 2001 | 4.07% | +0.0 pp |
| 2000 | 4.03% | -0.2 pp |
| 1999 | 4.22% | +0.7 pp |
| 1996 | 3.54% | -0.5 pp |
| 1995 | 4.08% | -0.2 pp |
| 1993 | 4.31% | +0.7 pp |
| 1992 | 3.64% | -0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 3.74% | -0.0 pp |
| 1990 | 3.77% | -0.2 pp |
| 1989 | 4% | +0.3 pp |
| 1988 | 3.68% | -0.5 pp |
| 1987 | 4.14% | +0.6 pp |
| 1986 | 3.57% | +0.1 pp |
| 1985 | 3.46% | -0.3 pp |
| 1984 | 3.8% | -0.4 pp |
| 1983 | 4.18% | -1.6 pp |
| 1982 | 5.8% | -1.3 pp |
| 1981 | 7.13% | +1.7 pp |
| 1977 | 5.42% | +2.5 pp |
| 1975 | 2.97% | +0.3 pp |
| 1974 | 2.69% | -0.2 pp |
| 1973 | 2.88% | +0.1 pp |
| 1972 | 2.77% | -0.0 pp |
| 1971 | 2.77% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Iran, Islamic Rep.’s Education spending in 1972?
2.77% (1972). 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 Iran, Islamic Rep.’s Education spending growing or shrinking?
Between 1971 and 2023 the series was growing overall: +2.0% in total.
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: 2.82%; 2022: 2.67%; 2020: 3.2%; 2019: 3.24%; 2018: 3.62%. 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.