External health expenditure in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: External health expenditure was 22.7% in 2023. ▲ Rising
External health expenditure in Least developed countries, 2000–2023
Source: Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of current health expenditure.
Analysis
Least developed countries recorded 22.7% for external health expenditure in 2023.
That represents a change of up 4.9% on the previous year and up 2.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external health expenditure in Least developed countries peaked at 23.5% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 14.2%, in 2003.
That places Least developed countries 5th out of 42 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
External health expenditure in Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | % of current health expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 15.7% | — |
| 2001 | 15.1% | -3.8% |
| 2002 | 15.5% | +2.9% |
| 2003 | 14.2% | -8.4% |
| 2004 | 16.5% | +16.4% |
| 2005 | 18.2% | +10.0% |
| 2006 | 20.4% | +12.1% |
| 2007 | 18.2% | -10.9% |
| 2008 | 18.2% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 20.8% | +13.8% |
| 2010 | 21.7% | +4.6% |
| 2011 | 23.5% | +8.3% |
| 2012 | 22.8% | -3.1% |
| 2013 | 22.1% | -3.1% |
| 2014 | 21.2% | -4.3% |
| 2015 | 19.5% | -8.0% |
| 2016 | 19.3% | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 20.0% | +3.8% |
| 2018 | 20.7% | +3.5% |
| 2019 | 21.9% | +5.6% |
| 2020 | 20.6% | -6.0% |
| 2021 | 22.1% | +7.6% |
| 2022 | 21.7% | -2.1% |
| 2023 | 22.7% | +4.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 17.3% | 14.2% | 20.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.3% | 19.3% | 23.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.8% | 20.6% | 22.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
More health data for Least developed countries
- Population ages 35-39, female, annual growth rate 2.32 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per capita 0.0255 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, annual growth rate 3.94 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per capita 0.0286 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, annual growth rate 2.37 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, per capita 0.03 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 25-29, male, per capita 0.0396 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external health expenditure in Least developed countries?
- External health expenditure in Least developed countries was 22.7% in 2023, according to Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest external health expenditure recorded in Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 23.5% in 2011.
- What is the lowest external health expenditure recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.2% in 2003.
- How does Least developed countries rank for external health expenditure?
- Least developed countries ranks 5th out of 42 groups with data for 2023.
- Is external health expenditure rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Least developed countries data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of External health expenditure (% of current health expenditure). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of current health expenditures funded from external sources. External sources compose of direct foreign transfers and foreign transfers distributed by government encompassing all financial inflows into the national health system from outside the country. External sources either flow through the government scheme or are channeled through non-governmental organizations or other schemes.