Vanuatu Education Spending
Government expenditure on education as % of GDP SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS
Vanuatu's education spending was 14.53% in 2025, ranked 3rd globally. This represents a 91.6% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1994–2025.
Overview
Vanuatu's education spending stood at 14.53% in 2025, a rise of +6.94% from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 14.53% by 2025. Vanuatu ranked 3rd globally.
Vanuatu’s education spending as a share of GDP has risen sharply over the past two decades, climbing from 4.12 in 1994 to an all‑time high of 14.53 in 2025, the third‑largest proportion among all nations reported by the World Bank. The surge accelerated after a pronounced trough of 1.77 in 2019, when fiscal constraints and natural‑disaster recovery limited public outlays. By contrast, peer small‑state economies such as Tuvalu (15.60) and Kiribati (16.10) already recorded higher education allocations, while the Marshall Islands (11.52) remains slightly below Vanuatu’s 2025 level. The rapid increase reflects sustained government prioritisation of schooling, supported by international development assistance and a growing recognition of human‑capital needs in a tourism‑dependent economy. Continued investment will likely depend on the stability of external aid flows and the country’s capacity to manage climate‑related expenditures; maintaining the upward trajectory will require balancing these competing fiscal pressures.
Data & projection
| Year | Education Spending | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 16.54% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 14.53% | - | - |
| 2025 | 14.53% | +6.94% | #3 |
| 2023 | 7.58% | −3.12% | #115 |
| 2022 | 10.70% | +0.59% | #161 |
| 2021 | 10.11% | +7.94% | #164 |
| 2020 | 2.17% | +0.40% | #16 |
| 2019 | 1.77% | −6.83% | #10 |
| 2018 | 8.61% | +4.07% | #164 |
| 2017 | 4.53% | −3.14% | #101 |
| 2016 | 7.68% | +2.07% | #153 |
| 2015 | 5.60% | +0.42% | #132 |
| 2014 | 5.18% | +0.02% | #113 |
| 2009 | 5.16% | −0.79% | #78 |
| 2008 | 5.95% | −2.49% | #100 |
| 2003 | 8.44% | +0.31% | #104 |
| 2002 | 8.13% | −0.82% | #114 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Vanuatu matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2019. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw education spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Vanuatu's education spending was 14.53% in 2025. Ranked 3rd globally. This represents a 91.6% increase from the previous year.
Vanuatu's education spending peaked at 14.53% in 2025.
The lowest education spending in Vanuatu was 1.77% in 2019.
Vanuatu ranks 3rd globally in education spending as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Vanuatu's education spending is projected to reach 14.53% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The education spending of Vanuatu in 2025 was 14.53%. This ranks 3rd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_vanuatu_education-spending-gdp,
title = {Vanuatu Education Spending},
url = {https://historysaid.com/vanuatu/education-spending-gdp/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}