Average number of completed years in formal education, aged 17 and above, primary education and below by country
Countries reporting
87
Highest
8.48
South Africa
Lowest
0
Austria
Median
4.69
Years covered
52
1970–2021
Data points
1,191
What the numbers show
Average number of completed years in formal education, aged 17 and above, primary education and below is currently reported for 87 countries. The highest value is 8.48 in South Africa; the lowest is 0 in Austria.
The median across all reporting countries is 4.69, and the mean is 4.51.
Over the past decade 47 countries rose and 34 fell. The largest increase was in Senegal (up 377.2%), and the largest decrease in Norway (down 80.5%).
Average number of completed years in formal education, aged 17 and: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Africa | 8.48 | 2020 | up 0.2% | rising |
| 2 | Belarus | 7.38 | 2010 | up 330.0% | volatile |
| 3 | Albania | 6.97 | 2016 | down 2.6% | rising |
| 4 | North Macedonia | 6.95 | 2020 | up 5.9% | volatile |
| 5 | Chile | 6.82 | 2017 | up 1.3% | rising |
| 6 | Mexico | 6.77 | 2020 | up 10.1% | rising |
| 7 | Serbia | 6.74 | 2018 | down 5.9% | falling |
| 8 | Georgia | 6.52 | 2020 | up 129.8% | rising |
| 9 | Belize | 6.39 | 1999 | up 3.5% | rising |
| 10 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 6.32 | 2019 | up 1.0% | rising |
| 11 | Montenegro | 6.11 | 2010 | down 16.6% | falling |
| 12 | Argentina | 6.03 | 2021 | up 98.2% | rising |
| 13 | Jordan | 6.01 | 2016 | up 54.5% | falling |
| 14 | Sweden | 6 | 2016 | unchanged | flat |
| 14 | Slovenia | 6 | 2013 | up 23.3% | rising |
| 14 | Belgium | 6 | 2003 | — | volatile |
| 14 | Germany | 6 | 2011 | up 97.1% | rising |
| 14 | Denmark | 6 | 2016 | unchanged | rising |
| 14 | Iceland | 6 | 2015 | unchanged | flat |
| 20 | Ireland | 5.77 | 2016 | down 3.8% | flat |
| 21 | Malta | 5.64 | 2016 | down 3.4% | falling |
| 22 | Poland | 5.62 | 2016 | up 5.9% | rising |
| 23 | Estonia | 5.53 | 2016 | up 3.4% | flat |
| 24 | Zambia | 5.45 | 2015 | up 126.1% | rising |
| 25 | Ethiopia | 5.42 | 2021 | up 245.9% | volatile |
| 26 | Mauritius | 5.38 | 2017 | up 18.3% | rising |
| 27 | Luxembourg | 5.32 | 2016 | down 11.3% | volatile |
| 28 | France | 5.28 | 2016 | down 4.5% | flat |
| 29 | Romania | 5.27 | 2016 | down 15.3% | falling |
| 30 | Nigeria | 5.2 | 2018 | up 180.7% | volatile |
| 31 | Uruguay | 5.14 | 2021 | up 1.6% | rising |
| 32 | Hungary | 5.14 | 2016 | down 11.7% | falling |
| 33 | Lithuania | 5.04 | 2016 | down 16.1% | volatile |
| 34 | Colombia | 5.01 | 2021 | up 5.5% | falling |
| 35 | Croatia | 4.95 | 2016 | down 3.5% | falling |
| 36 | Portugal | 4.94 | 2016 | down 17.6% | falling |
| 37 | Netherlands | 4.92 | 2016 | down 15.1% | rising |
| 38 | Puerto Rico | 4.9 | 2005 | down 3.4% | rising |
| 39 | Italy | 4.87 | 2016 | down 2.9% | volatile |
| 40 | Jamaica | 4.85 | 2002 | down 6.1% | falling |
| 41 | Greece | 4.79 | 2016 | down 20.2% | falling |
| 42 | Costa Rica | 4.71 | 2021 | up 1.6% | rising |
| 43 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 4.69 | 2012 | up 3.2% | flat |
| 44 | Senegal | 4.69 | 2018 | up 377.2% | volatile |
| 45 | Ecuador | 4.58 | 2021 | up 10.3% | rising |
| 46 | Cyprus | 4.54 | 2016 | up 4.9% | rising |
| 47 | Panama | 4.47 | 2021 | up 5.0% | falling |
| 48 | El Salvador | 4.45 | 2019 | up 10.9% | rising |
| 49 | Paraguay | 4.41 | 2021 | up 10.1% | rising |
| 50 | Brazil | 4.38 | 2021 | down 4.5% | rising |
| 51 | Dominican Republic | 4.32 | 2013 | up 3.4% | rising |
| 52 | Bulgaria | 4.32 | 2016 | down 7.4% | falling |
| 53 | Latvia | 4.23 | 2016 | down 25.1% | falling |
| 54 | Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of | 4.2 | 2006 | up 5.9% | flat |
| 55 | Malawi | 4.18 | 2016 | up 19.3% | volatile |
| 56 | Republic of Korea | 4.11 | 2017 | up 6.4% | rising |
| 57 | Uganda | 3.97 | 2016 | up 8.1% | rising |
| 58 | Bolivia, Plurinational State of | 3.88 | 2021 | up 8.2% | rising |
| 59 | Honduras | 3.77 | 2019 | up 9.6% | rising |
| 60 | Slovakia | 3.73 | 2016 | down 37.8% | falling |
| 61 | Spain | 3.68 | 2016 | down 38.6% | volatile |
| 62 | Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) | 3.66 | 2017 | down 49.9% | falling |
| 62 | Kosovo | 3.66 | 2017 | down 49.9% | falling |
| 64 | Pakistan | 3.61 | 2020 | up 7.5% | rising |
| 65 | Republic of Moldova | 3.6 | 2017 | up 20.2% | volatile |
| 66 | Palestine, State of | 3.57 | 2017 | down 43.1% | falling |
| 67 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 3.57 | 2018 | up 21.4% | rising |
| 68 | Rwanda | 3.46 | 2021 | down 7.8% | rising |
| 69 | Mongolia | 3.37 | 2021 | — | volatile |
| 70 | Sri Lanka | 3.35 | 2016 | up 3.4% | flat |
| 71 | Peru | 3.27 | 2021 | up 7.6% | rising |
| 72 | Egypt | 3.09 | 2019 | up 49.8% | rising |
| 73 | Ghana | 3.08 | 2016 | up 65.6% | rising |
| 74 | Nicaragua | 3 | 2014 | up 73.4% | rising |
| 75 | Namibia | 2.97 | 2015 | down 45.0% | falling |
| 76 | Kazakhstan | 2.94 | 2017 | down 22.6% | falling |
| 77 | Guatemala | 2.9 | 2019 | up 16.7% | rising |
| 78 | Cambodia | 2.75 | 2012 | up 16.2% | falling |
| 79 | Türkiye | 2.68 | 2019 | down 60.2% | falling |
| 80 | Czechia | 2.47 | 2016 | down 58.8% | falling |
| 81 | Madagascar | 2.07 | 2012 | down 11.3% | flat |
| 82 | Ukraine | 1.97 | 2018 | down 44.6% | falling |
| 83 | Nepal | 1.76 | 2014 | up 51.1% | rising |
| 84 | Mali | 0.9845 | 2018 | up 82.4% | volatile |
| 85 | Gambia | 0.6346 | 2020 | down 44.5% | volatile |
| 86 | Norway | 0.5056 | 2016 | down 80.5% | falling |
| 87 | Austria | 0 | 2003 | — | volatile |