Belize's government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) was 18.9% in 2024, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is down 2.66 percentage points from 21.56% in 2014.
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 18.9% | 2024 |
| Five years earlier | 22.22% | 2019 |
| Ten years earlier | 21.56% | 2014 |
| Highest | 23.13% | 2013 |
| Lowest | 15.61% | 2000 |
| Average since 2015 | 19.97% | 2015–2024 |
| First recorded | 19.28% | 1999 |
What the numbers say
In 2024, Belize's government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) rose 0.84 percentage points on 2023 (from 18.06% to 18.9%).
Across the 18 yearly changes before that (2000 to 2023), the average change was −0.12 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.7 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
On record, the biggest yearly rise was 2.69 percentage points in 2001 and the biggest yearly fall was 3.67 percentage points in 2000. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.
From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is downward, about 0.46 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 58% of the movement over 10 observed years.
Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.
How it compares
In 2024, Belize had the 13th highest value of the 41 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Belize | 18.9% | 2024 |
| World | 13.96% | 2023 |
| Latin America & Caribbean | 16.56% | 2024 |
| Upper middle income | 15.08% | 2024 |
Closest to Belize in the 2024 ranking
- Vanuatu — 9th of 41: 19.31%
- Tajikistan — 10th of 41: 19.26%
- Peru — 11th of 41: 19.21%
- São Tomé and Principe — 13th of 41: 18.09%
- Jamaica — 14th of 41: 17.87%
- Mali — 15th of 41: 17.82%
What this measures
General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of total general government expenditure on all sectors (including health, education, social services, etc.). It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.
Limitations: Data on government expenditure on education may refer to spending by the ministry of education only (excluding spending on educational activities by other ministries). In addition, definitions and methods of data on total general government expenditure may differ across countries.
Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a median.
All 22 values
| Year | Government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 18.9 |
| 2023 | 18.06 |
| 2022 | 17.83 |
| 2021 | 17.95 |
| 2020 | 18.99 |
| 2019 | 22.22 |
| 2018 | 22.15 |
| 2017 | 21.52 |
| 2016 | 20.49 |
| 2015 | 21.59 |
| 2014 |
Government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) in nearby economies
- Antigua and Barbuda — 5.87% (2025)
- Argentina — 13.22% (2023)
- Aruba — 10.96% (2021)
- Bahamas, The — 10.62% (2025)
- Barbados — 14.19% (2025)
- Bolivia — 20.16% (2024)
- Brazil — 12.93% (2022)
- British Virgin Islands — 13.59% (2025)
More education data for Belize
- Primary school starting age (years) — 5 (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 11 (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
- Primary education, pupils — 44,757 (2024)
- School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 96.48% (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 96.07% (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 96.88% (2024)
- School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 0.96 (2021)
- School enrollment, preprimary (% gross)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is Belize's government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure)?
- 18.9% in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1999?
- It is down 0.38 percentage points from 19.28% in 1999. The highest value was 23.13% in 2013 and the lowest 15.61% in 2000.
- How does Belize rank?
- 13th highest of 41 economies with data for 2024.
- Is the latest change in government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) unusual for Belize?
- In 2024, Belize's government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) rose 0.84 percentage points on 2023 (from 18.06% to 18.9%). Across the 18 yearly changes before that (2000 to 2023), the average change was −0.12 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.7 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.XPD.TOTL.GB.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.
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