Pakistan — Education spending
Government Education Spending (% of GDP) for Pakistan, 1971–2023.
Education spending for Pakistan was 1.95% in 2023, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 48 years, from 1971 to 2023. The highest recorded value was 3.02% in 1997. The lowest was 1.44% in 2004 (about 1.3× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.31% per year.
Pakistan ranks 160 of 172 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 93%. The median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 4.38%, so Pakistan sits below it. It peaked in 1997 and has fallen 36% since. Over the last decade (2013–2023) the figure moved down 13%. Within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it ranks 15 of 17 economies; Bahrain (1.89%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 30% in 2000. That is 12% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 49th of 53 in 1971 → 55th of 63 in 1980 → 35th of 50 in 1990 → 107th of 116 in 2000 → 117th of 130 in 2010 → 150th of 157 in 2020 → 95th of 107 in 2023.
Key figures
Full history — 1971 to 2023
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1.95% | -0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 1.97% | +0.3 pp |
| 2021 | 1.69% | -0.4 pp |
| 2020 | 2.06% | -0.2 pp |
| 2019 | 2.21% | -0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 2.33% | -0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 2.58% | -0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 2.67% | +0.3 pp |
| 2015 | 2.39% | +0.2 pp |
| 2014 | 2.2% | -0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 2.24% | +0.3 pp |
| 2012 | 1.98% | -0.0 pp |
| 2011 | 2% | -0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 2.05% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 2.18% | -0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 2.27% | +0.0 pp |
| 2007 | 2.23% | +0.3 pp |
| 2006 | 1.98% | +0.3 pp |
| 2005 | 1.67% | +0.2 pp |
| 2004 | 1.44% | -0.4 pp |
| 2000 | 1.84% | -0.8 pp |
| 1999 | 2.61% | -0.4 pp |
| 1997 | 3.02% | +0.2 pp |
| 1996 | 2.81% | +0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 2.8% | +0.2 pp |
| 1994 | 2.59% | +0.2 pp |
| 1993 | 2.39% | -0.2 pp |
| 1992 | 2.55% | -0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 2.57% | +0.0 pp |
| 1990 | 2.52% | +0.2 pp |
| 1989 | 2.36% | -0.6 pp |
| 1987 | 2.98% | +0.3 pp |
| 1986 | 2.68% | +0.2 pp |
| 1985 | 2.44% | +0.4 pp |
| 1984 | 2.07% | +0.1 pp |
| 1983 | 2% | -0.0 pp |
| 1982 | 2.01% | +0.0 pp |
| 1981 | 1.97% | -0.2 pp |
| 1980 | 2.13% | -0.1 pp |
| 1979 | 2.2% | -0.0 pp |
| 1978 | 2.2% | +0.1 pp |
| 1977 | 2.15% | -0.1 pp |
| 1976 | 2.24% | +0.3 pp |
| 1975 | 1.98% | +0.1 pp |
| 1974 | 1.88% | +0.1 pp |
| 1973 | 1.83% | +0.3 pp |
| 1972 | 1.57% | -0.1 pp |
| 1971 | 1.65% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Pakistan’s Education spending in 1972?
1.57% (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 Pakistan’s Education spending growing or shrinking?
Between 1971 and 2023 the series was growing overall: +17.7% in total — about 0.3% 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: 1.95%; 2022: 1.97%; 2021: 1.69%; 2020: 2.06%; 2019: 2.21%. 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.