Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years) by country
Number of grades (years) in pre-primary education.
Countries reporting
206
Highest
4 years
Bulgaria
Lowest
1 years
United States Virgin Islands
Median
3 years
Years covered
51
1970–2020
Data points
10,271
What the numbers show
Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years) is currently reported for 206 countries. The highest value is 4 years in Bulgaria; the lowest is 1 years in United States Virgin Islands.
The median across all reporting countries is 3 years, and the mean is 2.71 years.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 4.
Over the past decade 15 countries rose and 8 fell. The largest increase was in Papua New Guinea (up 300.0%), and the largest decrease in Brazil (down 33.3%).
Theoretical duration of pre-primary education: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bulgaria | 4 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Estonia | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Finland | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Gambia | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Croatia | 4 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Hungary | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Kyrgyzstan | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Lithuania | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Latvia | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Moldova | 4 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Mongolia | 4 years | 2019 | up 33.3% | flat |
| 1 | Papua New Guinea | 4 years | 2019 | up 300.0% | rising |
| 1 | Poland | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Russia | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Serbia | 4 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Sweden | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Tajikistan | 4 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Uzbekistan | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | South Africa | 4 years | 2019 | up 300.0% | volatile |
| 1 | Zambia | 4 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Albania | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Andorra | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Argentina | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 21 | Armenia | 3 years | 2020 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 21 | American Samoa | 3 years | 2019 | — | flat |
| 21 | Austria | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Azerbaijan | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 21 | Belgium | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Burkina Faso | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Bangladesh | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 21 | Bahrain | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Belarus | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 21 | Brunei | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Botswana | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Central African Republic | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Chile | 3 years | 2019 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 21 | China | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 21 | Cote d'Ivoire | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 21 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Congo | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Colombia | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Comoros | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 21 | Cape Verde | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 21 | Cuba | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 21 | Cyprus | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 21 | Czechia | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Germany | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Denmark | 3 years | 2020 | down 25.0% | volatile |
| 21 | Dominican Republic | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 21 | Ecuador | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 21 | Spain | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Ethiopia | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Fiji | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | France | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Micronesia (country) | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 21 | Gabon | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Georgia | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Guinea | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Guinea-Bissau | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Equatorial Guinea | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 21 | Guatemala | 3 years | 2019 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 21 | Guyana | 3 years | 2019 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 21 | Hong Kong | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Honduras | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Haiti | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 21 | India | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 21 | Iceland | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 21 | Israel | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 21 | Italy | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Jamaica | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Japan | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Kazakhstan | 3 years | 2020 | down 25.0% | flat |
| 21 | Kenya | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Cambodia | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Kiribati | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | South Korea | 3 years | 2019 | up 200.0% | volatile |
| 21 | Laos | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Lebanon | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Liberia | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 21 | Lesotho | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Macao | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Monaco | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Madagascar | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Maldives | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 21 | Mexico | 3 years | 2019 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 21 | North Macedonia | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 21 | Mali | 3 years | 2019 | down 25.0% | rising |
| 21 | Montenegro | 3 years | 2019 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 21 | Mozambique | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 21 | Mauritania | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Malawi | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | New Caledonia | 3 years | 2019 | — | flat |
| 21 | Niger | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 21 | Nicaragua | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 21 | Netherlands | 3 years | 2020 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 21 | Norway | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 21 | Nauru | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Peru | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Palau | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Puerto Rico | 3 years | 2019 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 21 | Portugal | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Paraguay | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | French Polynesia | 3 years | 2019 | — | flat |
| 21 | Qatar | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 21 | Romania | 3 years | 2020 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 21 | Rwanda | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Saudi Arabia | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 21 | Senegal | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Singapore | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Solomon Islands | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 21 | Sierra Leone | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 21 | El Salvador | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | San Marino | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Somalia | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 21 | South Sudan | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Sao Tome and Principe | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 21 | Slovakia | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Slovenia | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 21 | Eswatini | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | 3 years | 2019 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 21 | Syria | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Chad | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Togo | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Thailand | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Turkmenistan | 3 years | 2019 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 21 | East Timor | 3 years | 2019 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 21 | Tunisia | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Turkey | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 21 | Tuvalu | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 21 | Uganda | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 21 | Ukraine | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 21 | Uruguay | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | United States | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Venezuela | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Vietnam | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Yemen | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Aruba | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Angola | 2 years | 2019 | up 100.0% | falling |
| 139 | United Arab Emirates | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Antigua and Barbuda | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Burundi | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 139 | Benin | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 139 | Bahamas | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Belize | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 139 | Bolivia | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Brazil | 2 years | 2019 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 139 | Barbados | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Bhutan | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 139 | Switzerland | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Cameroon | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Costa Rica | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Curacao | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Cayman Islands | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 139 | Djibouti | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Dominica | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Egypt | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Eritrea | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | United Kingdom | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Ghana | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Gibraltar | 2 years | 2019 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 139 | Greece | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Grenada | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Indonesia | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Iraq | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Jordan | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Kuwait | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Libya | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Saint Lucia | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Sri Lanka | 2 years | 2019 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 139 | Morocco | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Marshall Islands | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Myanmar | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 139 | Mauritius | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Malaysia | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Namibia | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 139 | Nepal | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 139 | New Zealand | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Oman | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Pakistan | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Panama | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 139 | North Korea | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Palestine | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Sudan | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Suriname | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Seychelles | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Tonga | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 139 | Trinidad and Tobago | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Tanzania | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | British Virgin Islands | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Vanuatu | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 139 | Samoa | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Zimbabwe | 2 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 201 | Afghanistan | 1 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 201 | Australia | 1 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 201 | Bermuda | 1 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 201 | Canada | 1 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 201 | Algeria | 1 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 201 | Guam | 1 years | 2019 | — | flat |
| 201 | Iran | 1 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 201 | Nigeria | 1 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 201 | Philippines | 1 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 201 | United States Virgin Islands | 1 years | 2019 | — | flat |
About this data
Number of grades (years) in pre-primary education.