Education spending ranking 1979 — the top 20 economies
The twenty largest economies by Government Education Spending (% of GDP) in 1979, ranked by the exact World Bank figures. The leader: Guyana (9.38%). A total of 56 economies reported a value that year.
The leader, Guyana, stood at 9.38%. The twentieth economy, Syria, reported 4.97% — a 1.9× spread inside the top 20 alone. Of 56 economies reporting that year, these twenty are the ones usually quoted.
| # | Country | % of GDP (1979) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guyana | 9.38% |
| 2 | Cote d'Ivoire | 8.23% |
| 3 | Algeria | 7.18% |
| 4 | Republic of the Congo | 7.04% |
| 5 | Canada | 6.69% |
| 6 | Sweden | 6.38% |
| 7 | Israel | 6.38% |
| 8 | Eswatini | 6.36% |
| 9 | Morocco | 6.32% |
| 10 | Botswana | 6.14% |
| 11 | Netherlands | 6.08% |
| 12 | Australia | 5.89% |
| 13 | Denmark | 5.58% |
| 14 | Belgium | 5.38% |
| 15 | Ireland | 5.29% |
| 16 | Fiji | 5.2% |
| 17 | Malaysia | 5.09% |
| 18 | Jordan | 5.08% |
| 19 | Austria | 5.06% |
| 20 | Syria | 4.97% |
Where are they now?
The top five of 1979 and their rank in the latest published year:
| Country | Rank in 1979 | Rank today |
|---|---|---|
| Guyana | #32 | #76 |
| Cote d'Ivoire | #41 | #112 |
| Algeria | #1 | #4 |
| Republic of the Congo | #43 | #119 |
| Canada | #23 | #62 |
Other years
Frequently asked questions
Which country had the largest Education spending in 1979?
Guyana, with 9.38% (% of GDP).
How many countries are included?
56 economies reported a value for SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS in 1979. Coverage widens over time — earlier years include fewer reporting economies.